Evening journal., 1897-02-09


prison again, Captain Gordon" her |
low, even voice broke in on his medita-
tions, the heavy, down drooped lids,
with their long lashes, casting shadow
ON her fair check, her white fingers |
moving swiftly amid her silks and
woods. you must be frightfully bored,
shut up so long?"
Prison, do you call it?'' he returned
rather unsteadily. 1T has been more
like paradise l can never forget your
kindness, Lady Lexley"
"Have / been lzind?' she asked, rails
ing her white lids and letting her calm,
gray eyes rest on his face. Surely,
have done no more than any woman
would have done in my place?'
And not more than you would have
done for the veriest stranger, he added
rather bitterly. "At the same time,
should not like you to think me un-
grateful, especially as / must leave Ash
lcen tomorrow. The regiment is under
orders for foreign service. We sail inn
mediately, and after tomorrow il is un-
likely shall see you again. except co
say goodby."
\ IliN NOl1t " tl0 lttANil anu NAA aAhNhf tAAA
his eyes fell gloomily ON the fire. No
answer And as the silence grew pro
longed he turned and looked at her
She was quite calm, the tranquility OF
her face unmoved.
"How cold, how cruelty cold she isl'
he thought hopelessly. Yet what could
his going be TO her bat matter of COM
plete Indifference? But, all the same, it
seemed bitterly hard, when every fiber
Of his being was pulsing with passion
ate, hopeless love for her. she should be
so utterly and completely unconscious
and unresponsive.
You viii like it?'' she said at length,
note of calm interrogation in her low
tones.
Like iti' he echoed rather wildly
do you think man likes leaving all
he holds best and dearest in the world
when going means for him dreariest eX-
lie into outer darkness? If you can sup
pose such thing 70 be possible, then
like going, with miserable, jarring
laugh.
Her eyes gazed straight into his, com.
pelling and drawing his 20 meet them
by the very intensity of her gaze Then,
swiftly folding her work, she rose an6
stood with one hand resting on the man
telpiece, as if to steady herself, still
looking down at him.
"What do you mean? " she questioned
in u very low voice
\ Il mean i love you, he muttere,
> recklessly. 'Scorn me, despise me,
, don t care. j must speak or / shall q
, mad, l think. / never, God knows
/. meant TO tell you this, but circumstance
4 have been too strong for me- had bet
: ter leave your house at once before yo
order me out And sinking his face OF
I his hands he breathed hurriedly.
Silence-dead silence-followed hi
. speech, a silence so intense that he coul'
: almost hear the beating Of his heart
: After a time he raised his head languid
: ly and rested his haggard eyes on hei
Z, She had not stirred, except that on
- white hand was tightly clinched on he
i bosom, crushing the delicate lace Of he
4 gown, while her eyes shone with
n strange light as they met his.
4 All at once, with a sudden, tend'
movement, she fell ON her knees bessie
- the couch, and her soft fingers twine
< round his. Almost mechanically, in h
great astonishment, his heart beating
4; suffocation, his arms closed round b,
t. tightly, he drew her close 10 him. AS Il
" did so a long, soft sigh escaped her.
"A "Oh, my love, - he breathed very low
n caressing the soft ripples of her hal
Il that lay against his lips, lis it really
~ Do you care a httlei"
eyes, " she Whispered, nesting closC
/, in his arms. 81 have cared all along,
- think. You have magnetized me in SON
= way. was drawn 10 you irresistibl,
II All the summer was one long dream I
~ me because you were there and sa'
\, you daily. / never even tried TO che;
:, myself with the puerile belief that Il
ss feeling had for you was platonic, thu
IL mask under which so many try TO d
ceive themselves and hide their real fee
ings No. knew L loved you, and
40 guessed that was not quite indifferei
to you. But you should never hay
~ known had you not spoken. am tC
y proud a woman TO wear my heart ON m
90 sleeve. Do you remember the day
your accidcnt-that fearful day? / sa
!, you fall into the road, and for one awil
II, moment of sickening suspense / thougl
~ you were killed. But when I knew W
= were only badly hurt, not dead, felt
is could not bear that you should be tcnds
~ anywhere but here, SO that l might loo
M after you and be your companion in yol
convalescence And have been 50 ha
,a py during these past wceksl'
/, 1t seemed to Gordon his oars must
- playing him false as the sweet vol
y, faltered and paused. His queen, who
st he had always thought so cold, so cali
., was in his arms, at his feet. TighteniI
n, his arms round her, ne bent his fa
\ over hers till his lips met and soug
M hers in long, delirious kiss Then
. prolonged silence ensued
~ The firclight had sunk to q dull glo'
gn the room was wrapped in deepest sha
ows, when the loud banging of sever
90 doors and the sound of a loud, chee