The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
DALE.
by ANTHONY HOPE.
COPYRIGHT. 1897, BY 4. a. Ha,ettns.
CHAPTER XIx.-CoNrINUED.

~ sorano out, merry. radiant, unashamed. She
,.rshed in my face as she ran past me amid the
s,.udits: slowly Barbara followed. With q low
= offered my arm. Alas: there rose a muir
~, a, questions concerning her. Who was the
-, that rode with Nell Gwyni Who was he
,A,t although plainly attirod.: bore himself 30
,rondlyi Was he some great lord. travelling
,nkpown, and was tho lady-wen, the conicc-
.r-o. may be guessed, and Mistress Quinton
h..rd them. Her pride broke for a moment,
.ra I feared she would weep. Then she drew
h,rself up and walked slowly by with a
h.urhty air and a calm face, 30 that the muir
,ured questions fell to silence. Perhaps l also
AZ nv share in the change, for I walked after
AR wearing q fierce scowl, threatening with
ar eyes, and having my hand on the hilt Of my
sword.
The host. elate with the honor Of Nell's COM
snp was eager TO offer us accommodation. Bar
nara addressed not a word either to Nell or to
ue hut followed a maid to the chamber al.
io,ted to her. Nell was in no such haste to hide
herself from view. She cried for supper, and
vas led to q room on the drst floor that over.
hoked the street. She threw tho window open
and exchanged moro greetings and banter with
h,r admirers below. I flung my hat on the ia.
bic and sat modify in q chair. Food was
SouRht, and Nell. turning at last from her
entertainment, flew to partake of It with merry
eagerness.
: "But doesn't Mistress uinton sup with usi''
she said.
M~istress,Quinton, 1t seemed, had no appetite
for o meal. was shut close in her own chamber,
and refused all service. Nell laughed and babe
me fall to. l obeyed, being hungry in spite of
my discomfort.
was resolute not to quarrel with her. She
had shown me great. friendliness; nay. and 1
had q fondness for her, such as 1 defy any man
lman, l say, not woman) to have escaped. But
she had tried me sorely. and while We ate she
piled me with new challenges and fresh incite-
ments to anger. I held my temper well in
bounds, and when 1 was satisfied rose with q
bow, saying that l would go and inquire IL 1 could
be Of any aid to Mistress Quinton.
'she won't show herself to YOU" cried Nell
nockingly.
"she will. II you're not with me-" I retorted.
Make the trial! Behold, I'm firmly seated
here!"
A maid carried my message while I paced
the corridor; the lady's compliments returned
TO me. but. thanks to the attention of the host,
she had need Of nothing. I sent again, saying
that l desired to speak with her concerning our
journey. The lady's excuses returned to me;
she had a headache and had sought her bed;
che must pray me to defer my business till the
morrow, and wished Mistress Gwyn and me
goodnight. The maid tripped off smiling.
Plague on her!" I cried, angrily and loudly.
Alsugh greeted tho exclamation, and 1 turned to
see Nell standing in the doorway Of the room
where we had supped.
II knew, I knew" she cried, revealing in her
triumph. her eyes dancing in delight. Poor
Simon. Alas,::poor Simon. you know little of wo-
men. But come, you're a brave.ad, and I'll COM
fort ro,, paojaao ra,, hava oivap M N ia--
eled dagger. Shall 1 lend it you again to
plunge in your.heart. poor. SimonF"
II don't understand you. I have no need of
0 dagger" / answered stif1y; yet. feeling a fool
there In the passage. I followed her into the
room.
Your heart is pierced alreadyI' she asked.
"Ah, but your heart heals.well. I'll spend no
pity on you"
There was now q new tone in her voice. Her
eyes still sparkled in mischievous exultation
that she had proved right, and I came away
sore and baffled. But when she spoke of the
healing Of my heart there was an echo Of sad
ness; the limiting Of some smothered sorrow
seemed to be struggling with her mirth. She was
q creature all compounded of sudden chang
ing moods. I did not know when they were
true, when feigned in sport. or to further some
device. She came near now. and bent over my
chair. saying gently:
ald i III very "lCktu. Il III U utlp INC
folk cheering, me. Simon. surely it was nc
fault OF mine"
NJ You 70 had no need to look out of the window
But ! did that with never a thought. L
wanted lhe air. r.,
,, in y truth, ! was wrong. to jest Nth them"
s nav be Sslt w Tem ocSinn With ,A sb.m within eHsn Simon
TESTED. All, you, don't know the shame 1 feel!'
feel i'm No s sSsm truth " / returned q believe you
No You're very cruel to me. Simon, Yet it's
nc SS, more thar 1sn99 my desert; All, ifn."s she sighed
hand Was very yn near S'm my hair BY y" the s" BACK fH Of f PSe
si,Fhiais again ' most S Rois }RE'y''RYE net ' have shSs been
still stiff and cold.
And was very wrong to-day. Simon. 1t
".Whati' I oried. did Mistress ouinton
f sa you put your head out and jest with the
sne did not bid me, but / did 1t because she
looked down again.
1T was ever the same between her and me-
Hatchstead.'
We're not in Hatchstead now" said 1
c"Say, nor even in Chelsea. For even in
Snelsea you had a kindness for me"
Il have much kindness for you now"
Wen. then you had more"
more"
Yes, it,s in my knowledge" she cried. yet
carried Mistress Quinton from Dover!'
.ri made no answer TO that. She sighed
yheigho, and, for a moment, there was silence.
lei messages pass without words. and there
tre speechless mercuries that carry tidings from
heart to heart. Then tho air is full OF whisper.
inEs, and silence is but foil to a thousand
SOUNDS, which the soul hears though the dull cor
Poreal ear be deaf. Did she still amuse herself or
MAS th~ere.norei Sometimes "A part. assumed in
pay or malice. SO grows on the actor that he
cannot, even when he would, throw aside his
uappings and wash from his face the paint
TTbh Nm was TO show the passion that he played.
me thing takes hold, and will not be thrown
ssiue II seems to seek revenge for the light AS
hsIImpuon, and Furnishes the. bravado that
IeisRed without feeling by a feeling which is
mol feint. She was now. for the moment II you
nna, out yet now, in earnest. Some wave OF
recollection or of fancy had com over her and
tHSasiormed her jest. She stole round till her
fieading, asking a sign Of fondness. bringing
uSCh the,pasi, raising the dead from my hearts
f,pulchre. There was "A throbbing in my
Ursih, yet ] had need of a cool head. With a
'pi!lThiK ! was on my feet.
I stn go and ask il Mistress Barbara sleeps
tesSss9d II fear she may not be we'll at
You'll 20 egaini Once scorned, you'll go