The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-04-16
A WOMAN'S HEART.

down on the great trees i'll the park
whose leafless branches swayed and bent
with every gust IF the chilly wind. But
the coy library Of Ashleen House pre-
scented striking contrast to the dreary
scene without. A bright fire blazcd
chcerily i'll the wide, old fashioned CRATE
and played on the faces of the occupants
of that delightful room, where high
japanese screens kept out the drafts and
warm plush curtains draped the tall,
old fashioned windows. 1t was scarcely
4 o'clock but the daylight was waxing
very dim outside, helped thereto by the
heavy rain clouds.
AS Captain Gordon watched the beau
tiful face of his companion and hostess
bent over her work a sudden, short, i'm
patient sigh escaped him, and he turned
his head restlessly amid the cushions of
the couch OH which he lay, for, although
he was more than convalescent, he liked
to indulge in some of the remaining
privileges Of invaidism which had
chained him to that sofa for some time.
How lovely was the perfectly chiseled
face opposite him, and how serene, how
cold! Would nothing ever shake that icy
serenity? he wondered rather bitterly as,
shading his face with his hand, he let
his eyes devour every feature. Would she
never guess the mad, wild, unreasoning
love he bore her?
AS he lay watching her his thoughts
went back with leap to the day he had
first met her. He had not long rejoined
the headquarters of his regiment at Bal
ly-Mahon, as he had previously been in
charge Of a detachment elsewhere, and
it was at a garden party he had first
seen her. He and several of his brother
officers had driven over to Ashleen to-
gether, and from the moment he had
been introduced to her-tall, slender,
beautiful-at the first glance of her
glorious, serene, gray eyes, it seemed to
him he had worshiped her. They had
exchanged the usual commonplace, he
had walked by her side round the
grounds, and he had got her an ice.
Nothing very romantic, but every detail
of that afternoon stood out wildly in
his mind. After that day he had met
her constantly, as one is bound to meet
in small neighborhood, and he became
a frequent guest at her house, where he1
husband, a CHEEKY, hard riding Irish
baronet, always accorded him hearty
welcome.
The summer had waned and died, and
in that sporting neighborhood every one
turned his attention to hunting, Gordon
among the rest, for he had always been
a keen sportsman up to this. But fire.
quently he would cut some of the best
meets of the season to spend few hours
of the short, dark afternoons at Ashleen,
where its mistress, who didn't hunt, al
ways greeted him with tranquil cordial
ity, and he would sit in the glow of the
cheerful freight with her discussing
the various topics of the day, only toe
content to watch the play of her lovely
slender fingers as she worked. Then the
spell would be broken when her husband
returned, noisy, CHEEKY, bringing blast
of cold outer air with him, and he would
rally Gordon on having missed bril-
/ liant run, while the latter murmured {
vague excuse about his horses not being
fit or he had been detained by some regi
mental duty.
Then had come the day of his acct
dent. Lady Lexley had been driving,
and, while pottering about the cover
which bounded the roadside, he fingered
by her carriage, not caring very mucl
about the chances Of a good start while
she was there and he could look on TIT
beautiful, proud face, with its expires
sion Of serene indifference to everything
as if nothing ever interested her very
much.
Then the fox was viewed away, an:
hounds and horsemen started off in ho
pursuit, as if the aim and object of eacl
man among them was to break his OWL
neck or his horses, while the carriage
made the best of their way along devious
short cuts on the chance of picking VI
the hounds again later.
1t was ON topping bank into til,
road that Gordon's horse fell, and to
gether they came with a crash to tn,
ground. For a moment or two he re
membered nothing. Then, as his sense
slowly came back to him, he found him
self being supported by somebody's arm
while some one else was holding a flasl
of whisky to his lips. A little group O
the carriage folks surrounded him
among whom was Lady Lexley, and hi
eyes met hers, in whose depths shone al
expression of womanly compassion, bu
he. could not speak,
II fear he is very much hurt, " sh
said, and not a tremor shook her calm
even tones to his strained and disap
pointed ear. He had better be takel
straight to Ashleen. 1t is the neares
place, and he can have every attention.
So to Ashleen he was conveyed witt
all speed, and doctor was summoned
His injuries were not so serious as a
first supposed-slight conclusion and
couple of broken ribs. After a day o
two in bed he was allowed to come dow
TO the library and lie ON the sofa.
During those days of convalescenc
and all the rnStfu1 luxurv of Seni in