The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-04-26

what 90 you mean by TOO late!
"You shall hear. I ought to have
told you that Richard Wardour is in
the navy"
Indeed? l am more interested in
him than ever. Well?"
lone spring day Richard came to the
house to take leave of us before he
joined his ship. thought he was gone,
and I went into the next room. 1t was
my own sitting-room, and it opened
on to the garden"
"Yes?"
Richard must have been watching
me. He suddenly appeared in the gar
den. Without waiting for me to in
vite him, he walked into the room. /
was little startled as we'll as sur
prised, but l managed to hide it. /
said, What is it, Mr.. Wardour?' He
stepped close up to me; he said, in his
quick rough way: Clara, | am going
to the African coast. If I live, shall
come back promoted; and we both
know what will happen then He
kissed me. I half frightened, half
angry. Before could compose myself
to say word, he was out in the gar
den again-he was gone! l ought to
have spoken, I know. 1t was not hon
orable, not kind toward him. You
can't reproach me for my want of cour
age and frankness more bitterly than
| reproach myself"
''My dear child, I don't reproach you.
l only think you might have written
to him.
81 did write
"Plainly?"
Eyes. l told him in so many words
that he was deceiving himself, and that
l could never marry him."
"Plain enough, in all conscience!
Having said that, surely you are not TO
blame? What are you fretting about
now?"
Suppose my letter has never reached
him?"
''Why should you suppose anything
of the sort?"
what l wrote required an answer,
Lucy-asked for. an answer. The an
swer has never come. What is the
plain conclusion? My letter has never
reached him. And the Atalanta is ex-
pected back! Richard Wardour is re-
turning to England-Richard WardoNr
will claim me as his wife! You won
dered just now if [ really meant what
I said. Do you doubt it still?"
Mrs. Crawford leaned back absently
in her chair. For the first time since
the conversation had begun, she let a
question pass without making a reply.
The truth is, Mrs. Crawford was think
ing.
She saw Clara's position plainly; she
understood the disturbing effect of it.
on the mind of young girl. Still,
making all allowances, she felt quite
at a loss, so far, to account for Clara's
excessive agitation. Her quick observ-
ing faculty had just detected that
Clara's face showed no signs of relief,
now that she had unburdened herself
of her secret. There was something
clearly under the surface here-some-
thing of Importance, that still re-
doubt crossed Mrs Crayford's mind,
and inspired the next words which she
addressed to her young friend.
MY DEAR" she said abruptly, ''have
you told me ALP
Clara started as if the question ter
rified her. Feeling sure that she had
the clue in her hand, Mrs. Crawford
deliberately repeated her question in
another form of words. Instead of an
swering, Clara suddenly looked up. At
the same moment faint flush of color
appeared in her face for the first time.
Looking up instinctively on her side,
Mrs Crawford became aware Of the
presence in the conservatory of young
gentleman who was claiming Clara as
his partner in the coming waltz. Mrs.
Crawford fell into thinking once more
Had this young gentleman (she asked
HERSELF anything to do with the I'M
told end of the story? Was this the
true secret of Clara Burnham's terror
at the impending return of Richard
Wardour? Mrs. Clayford decided on
putting her doubts to the test.
"A friend of yours, my dear?" she
asked innocently. Suppose you in
troduce us to each other?"
Clara confusedly introduced the
young gentleman.
"Mr. Francis Aldersley, Lucy. Mr..
Aldersley belongs to the Arctic Ex-
petition"
Attached to the Expedition" Mrs.