The morning times., 1897-02-21
BY. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

with Virgilio. Presently she came out
with him. She had torn off her glittering
dinner-dress, and wore a long, Ioose-flow
ing garment of some diaphanous, dark blue
tissue. She was cliDging to her brothers
arm. But she stopped half way TO The
door, pressing one hand across her eyes.
'Oh, my Virgilio!'' she exclaimed. How
can / bear it!''
For our country, for the future, for
nay future!' lie murmured
She drew down his head, kissing his
forehead, and threw herself upon his
breast, with a storm OF sobs, her hair
falling from its comb and enyeloping
her in its hack cloud
There came a rap upon the door; her
brother ioosened the clenched hands, still
holding them turned to Nine. u 'Arco, who,
fountain pouring rivers Of tearsin silence,
had risen to embrace him. Them once more
he took Gloria in his arms.
''Oh, mother of God!, she shrieked. IF
you should not come back, virgilio!"
"Do not let her faint he said to Ben
| tinck. Il had best go now" He looked
at Harry fiXedly moment. Il leave her
| to you,'' he said, and was gone.
And Rentinck took her, too sacred in
| her sorrow TO think of that moment in
relation to himself, and laid her on the
| lounge, while Nine. D'Arco hustled after
| some salts. She lay there quietly TIL
| the clock seemed to startle her with its
| stroke. She slowly opened her eyes, fun
| of gloom, of grief, and of tenderness, and
looked at him kneeling beside her
II have no one left but you!' she
| said. And then, i'll spite Of himself, he
| bent ana kissed her faltering lips. There
| was nothing said of love or marriage
| heT head lay on his shoulder, he claspeo
| her in his arms, a long hour Of trance
| Nine. D'Arco slept, more or less audibly
| in her chair, worn out with emotion.
| At length he laid the girl gently back
upon the cushions and pulled over her
the cloak of sables lying there, anu
stepping across the room touched Nine
D'Arco's hand and reused her, since when
he was gone the door should he locked
Let her Sleep he said. Tomorrow
l shall have petition to make TO you
Sleep wei, yourself, dear madame, ant
good angels guard YOU
Gloria kept n dreanlesS slumber the
rest Of that night but stirred at dawI
and went to her own room. When later
in the Gay she woke, her maid had cons
in and filled the place with white roses
but the flowers that lay upon her pillow
were a stem of orange blossoms.
When Mr.. Bentinck appeared at The
Arlington that afternoon the world ha
turned ever so slightly upon its axis
Gloria was no longer in tears, but I'd
diant. The carriage was waiting for her
and she was going to lunch with som
South Americans, her dress of white clot
braided in silver hidden by her enveloi
, ing cloak. but her white picture-hat yer
much in evidence. with its high-flarin
brim. overtopped by big lunches of whit
ostrich-plumes. All her dashing coquetr
had returned to her. At any rate. nothn
could have happened to Virgilio yet. wa
her way OF thinking.
Your flowers are sweet. They alwa,
are" she said. But, au reste-I mu:
have time to consider. cannot take a.
vantage, you know she said. with a
intimate sweetness, "of your sympath.
compassion. So You are pledged to not
ing-to nothing. that is, but Cuba"
! And then the soft and brilliant smi
! seemed TO belle the words. She gay
, him her hand in farewell; but she can
| back again. saying, HOu are HOu
Tended? You are always my friend?''
a MOI he said. Il will not be your frient
4 / will be your lover. your husband,
nothingi"
+. "But You will be Cuba's friend?' s
I said, looking anXiously in his face. Al
Z then She tiptoed, for tall as She was
was taller, and kissed him on the mOut
: and was away. And whether she was h
n betrothed or not, the bewildered NJ
: Bentinck was not able to say. And
u so happened, or was SO arranged, that
did not see her alone again for sever
r days.
n Nevertheless Mr.. Bentinck contrived
q be present wherever the beautiful Cub;
a went; for his attractive personality,
r wealth, his apparent possibilities, ha