The Holly chieftain., 1898-11-25

can? Only little while ago you said
you had not been 30 happy since you
came to the mine. Was that because
you were upstairs nll by yourself?"
/ "Pnrtly; 1t is SO nice to feel / can
roam about the house and not meet
Abby anywhere, and there is such q
heavenly view of the mountains from
my window"
II wish ! were . mountain; would
you come to me. or should have to go
to you? think should get a, move
on II you were anywhere in sight"
II will ask you once more not to take
for granted certain fact until it is a
fact. We are not ON such terms Us you
constantly assume. II anything should
happen 1t will only make it harder
mo. II anything should happen, 80
much would be saved from overwhelm-
ing loss and pain. That's the way look
at 1t. Perhaps look at 1t selfishly."
Faith did not deny that he did; but
there were matters that seemed to
weigh upon her more pressingly than
Darcie's seifshness.
my father will ask II you have
spoken to me; you will not like to say
that you have-without word to him" !"
"How can speak to him when he is
at Gem? But, seriously, lam hot yet In
a suitable position to speak. In the first
place, au q damaged article, and it's
supposed that I owe my injuries to men
in his employ, or to friends OF those
men. The situation is awkward for us
both. In point Of fact am a wounded
prisoner within the enemy's lines
When my arm is well, when martial law
is ont, and these Dragging bullies have
had their combs cut, shall be in bet
ter position to ask for what want. A
treaty on the bnsis OF such pretensions
as mine would, be rather absurd Just
now"
THAT sounds very sensible; it's Just
what I think"
But in the meantime, why so much
thinking? Why not be ourselves, since
the main thing is settled?". .s5t
''Is there no other thing in the way
not anything at all? You spoke Of
my forgiving something - without
knowing what it was. viii you not
tell me now what II was that you spoke
Off"
at is all past history; told you n
should get out of the fix was In; and I
did have"
But what was it?''
dearest. I cannot tell you. The mat
ter is confidential, and it relates to
business which is not my own The po-
sition II placed me In became insup-
portable from the moment I saw you,
and l resigned my part in it; but hnv-
ing done SO, cannot now give it away"
II do not like mysteries. I have told
you everything about myself. even to
my silliest dreams and fancies.''
This is no dream, my darling; it is
serious business, and 1t is not my own.
Any trust is serious, and though took
this one on me rather lightly it is not
lightly that give it up; and II should
now betray it,
ITO tell 1t to me. merely to satisfy
a shade of doubt about yourself, is not
betraying. 1 don't care in the least
about their business. should forget
it all IA soon as knew about your part
in it."
Il have no longer any part in It, and
I cannot give away confidential trust
the moment l resign it. You cannot
ask me to do that"
"Oh, l ask nothing"
sand yet punish me for telling you
nothing. This is horrible waste of
time. Have you had SO much happiness
in your life that you can AFFORD to play
with moments like these?"
''f it were play! What Is the mat
ter? Are you ill?" cried Faith, as Dar-
cie's head went down on his arm that
rested on the chhir-back, with a sound
like half-suppressed groan.
"All my aches are aching at once, and
the fear Of fears is on me" he said
What IL that?' s q.
''The fear that haunts me whenever
you are not with me-in the night when
cannot sleep. and before / see you In
the morning--that the next time / see
you you will not be the same to me.
And here you are changing before my
very eyes. Not any OF 1t. then, has
been true2 You never did trust me?"
| 'Always! do trust you. But my
life. lately, has not strengthened my
faith in happiness, where men are con-
cerned- ought to be ashamed, call
ing myself your nurse, and here have
been talking you nearly to DEATH"
II will complain of you to the doc
tor. and he will say am not to be
crossed; you must give me everything
| want. Let me take your hand, your
left hand, please. Now do not talk
about 1t any more"
Faith was silent for half a minute,
then she gently drew her hand away
and laid 1t over the hot, closed lids OF
her unreasonable lover, who wanted
everything all ut once, and could show
no claim to anything. She began to
speak quietly, MS II to herself:
when you got that message, with a
word you thought could come from
no one but me; when you came, and
was not there, and you sa,. it was n
death-trap, did you for an instant think
1t possible could have lent my name
not my name, but . word more 50.
cred than any name
Not for an instant"
"You had not one doubt Of me, then ?''
"No more than Of the stars above"
"Then cannot doubt. It shall be my
faith for your faith"
A moment later Wan opened the door
and announced the doctor.
fro BE coNTINUED.l
/ ---------------
The Professor's wife as . Critic.
A college professor, who prided him.
self ON his correct English, heard his