The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-15

ucny that ne ulu, bSohiSy, SS
cried fiercely, starting Up. ITO satisfy
you, am even ready to take an oath
before my creator that the subject OF
our conversation was not love-
what was Beck persuading you to
do?" | demanded.
"No, mol" she cried, as II the very
thought was repulsive to her. mo,
do not ask me- l can never tell you,
never"
Then, there is secret between you
that you decline to reveal" | said, re-
proachfully.
She laughed harsh, metallic
laugh, answering in tone of feigned
fippancy:
Really, Godfrey, you are absurdly
and unreasonably suspicious. l tell
you love no other man but yourself,
yet merely because it pleases you to
misconstrue what you have witnessed
you brand me as base and faithless.
1t is unjust.
At that instant a servant crossed
the lawn in the moonlight. and, ap-
preaching, handed me telegram.
stating that Juckes, my man, had
brought it over from Shepperton, fear
ing that it might be of Importance.
Hastily thrust it into my pocket I'M
opened, and when the servant was
out of hearing l repeated the plain
question l had put to the woman l
| loved.
In the bright moonlight watched
how pale and agitated was her face,
while involuntarily she shuddered, as
if the thought that l might ascertain
the truth terrified her.
Godfrey" she said at last, in a
low, plaintive voice, as, sitting be-
side me, her slim fingers suddenly
closed convulsively upon mine, why
cannot you trust me, when you know
l love you so dearly?''
"Why cannot you tell me the truth
instead of evading it? You say you
are unworthy of my love. Why?"
Il cannot tell you," she CRIED
wildly, breaking into hysterical sobs
"Ah! You do not know how
have suffered Godfrey, or you would
not speak thus to me. If you cal
no longer trust me, then we mus
alas! part. But if we do, shall thinl
ever of you as one who misjudged m,
and cast me off, merely because of m!
inability to give you an explanation
of one simple incident"
But l love you, Ella" l cried
"Why should we part-why should
"Hulloa, Deedes!" interrupte,
Beck's high pitched, genial voice
1--WE been looking for you everywhere
We're all going for a moonlight row
Come along"
Further conversation was, saw, on
of the question, and few minute
later we had all embarked with tn
exception of Mrs. Laing, and wer
gliding slowly down the stream this
glittered in the brilliant moonbeam
Dudley had brought Elias mandoli
from the house, and as our PROV CT
the ripping waters he played sof
charming gondollier's song. My loy
sat beside me in the stern, and ht
|, eyes mutely asked forgiveness as eve
and anon she turned to me. l sa
, how beautiful she was, how full I
delicate grace, and how varying wei
her moods; yet she seemed nervou
highly strung, with a strange harsl
| ness in her voice that had never b
t fore noticed. She spoke no word
| Beck, and l remarked within myse
that she avoided him, while one
r when he leant over to grasp her han
a she shrank shudderingly from i
( contact.
i An hour later, when we had retur
r ed to the"Nook," l accidentally plac
J, my hand in the breast pocket Of n
/, dress coat, and there felt the telegra
e that l had until that moment entire
u forgotten. Opening it, l was amaz
: to find it in cipher. The cipher sign
u ture was that of the Earl of Warnha
a and saw it had been transmitted ov
If the private wire from Warnham,
l. seat in Sussex.
y Taking a pencil from my pocket
n at once proceeded to transcribe
mysterious array of letters, and VII
I at last discovered the purport
the message l sat back in my cha
breathless and rigid, while the film
paper nearly fell from my nervelt
70 fingers.
st why. Geoffrey!" cried Ella, sta
1 ing UP in alarm and rushing tows
lg me. whats the matter? You are
ID pale as death. Have you had b
i'd news"
ir bad news!" l answered, trying
in laugh and slowly rousing mys'
ct mo bad news at all, except that
s. must leave for town at once"
lg well, you certainly look aS-if you
been hard hit over race" Beck
o. claimed, laughing.
~ "You can't possibly get train n
till 1870. It's hardly 10 yet" S
:. my we'll beloved, exchanging stran
- mysterious glance with Dudley.
"Then l must go by that" l answ
~ ed, again rereading the pink paper
replacing it in my pocket, endeavor
:. to preserve an outward calm.
on Presently, when Ella was ag
alone with me, her first question W
~ What bad news have you receiy
,st Geoffrey?"
~ None" 1 answered, smiling.
~ was of private matter, Of really
~ Importance at all"
he "Oh, l thought 1t must have b
something very, very serious,
"a hand trembled so, and you turned
~ pale"
~ did II" l laughed cheerily. Wv
it's nothing, dearest, nothing at
Half an hour later Dudley, fine
=" that | had to go to town, annour
W his intention of walking back
Shepperton.
"The night is lovely, and the m
IA bright as day." he said, as we
:, shook hands with him in the
81 shall enjoy the walk"
hat When l went along the road
4. .tll,