The evening times., 1898-11-21


and blushed. After that it must be con-
fessed that the trees bringing Regents
Park witnessed some cailow love making.
Yes, Sylvia was sorry, very. very, sor-
ry he was going. and perhaps when he
returned in three years he would have
forgotten her? And Brunton was equally
convinced of his own faithfulness. but
feared the strain of time and absence
on hers.
Brunton thought he would like their
next meeting to take place. as this one
had. in garden; and Sylvia remembered
that certain green door in the high wall
encircling her grandmother's grounds
opened on quiet side road. IL was quite
near; they could drive round that way.
and she would point 1t out.
Thereafter the stars witnessed a SOL
emn compact that. that day three years,
at the same hour, Sylvia would unlock
the green door to give Brunton entrance.
They were very much in earnest. Two
real tears glistened in Sylvia's eyes as
she spoke of the years that the green
door must remain closed. And Brunton's
voice got husky, and he had difficulty in
rendering his fareweIls, as manly as ne
would have wished. So as become young
lovers. were the twain delightfully."- dis
conSolate
Re-entering Mrs. Derrick's garden eau
tiously, the culprits had scarce gained
the safe vantage of the shrubbery be-
fore encountering an emissary in search
of Sylvia Lady Martingale was going,
and had been going for ten minutes. and
both her cloak and her granddaughter
were 10 seek!
="
Athwart the little green door thessn snoon-
hight glinted softly, and Brunton, standing
| In the near shadow of an lex, would
willingly have dropped the coming hour
| out OF his life.
SINCE his return to England a few DAYS
| before. the memory of this approaching
! assignation had persistently recurred to
| hln As a man Of honor he knew he
| care not shirk il. And yet how painful
| 10 De forced TO see Sylvia, to look into
| those innocent, trustful eyes-for of her
constancy he had no doubt-and confess
! now he had changed, and TO tell boldly
tnat their meeting had proved but an in
| cldent OF no moment in the ordering of
his life
lie must undeceive her as ten1erIv n
possible, speak of Eleanor regretfuIly. al
Ieast not let Sylvia guess how e1tirzly
| happy their union was, or that she. SyI-
VIA mad long ago ceased to be aught but
a pretty, sentimental remembrance To
| him
Even as he schooled himself a distant
clock struck the hour. and with the first
lalht chime came the stcaIthy sound Cf
an opening lock. She was there.
Gently turning the handle. he passed
| through the green door and entered Lady
Martingales garden. Beside the great
stone basin Of the old fountain stood Syl-
| via, the moonlight sparkling on her hair
and adding an ethereal glamour to the
sheen of her robe. About her the tall
Madonna lilies lent their fragrance to
the night.
4 swift pang smote him az he saw that
as when they first met, she wore whit,
forgetting that he. too. had sought to
recapture his former aspect for her view
Her eyes met his in questioning appeal.
and for a moment a mad rush of pity.
romance. affection, call it what you H.
overcame him. and springing forward
he caught her hands.
sylvia"
Yes"
You have not forgotten?"
NO. And your"
Il am here
After the greeting there feI a sense of
coRstraint, which Brunton reaIiz 4 was
not all of his making. She was lovel :.
even more lovely than of yore-taller TOO.
with the lapse of years-and with an ad /
ed something in her expression that was
new To him.
Behind them the fountain spls shed ami
rlurmured. Then Sylvia broke the 81
lence speaking as if in answer to his
| thoughts.
.'You-you have changed-are not the
same OF course. YOU look older and
bronzed: / don't mean that. But there is
something else-your manner
Brunton felt there was no escape for
him He must tell her. and at once.
sylvia. he began, brea th!essiy, three
years is a long time
.'Oh. yes; is it nOt?" she interposed,
eagerly
And you know. ones circumstances
a!ter-new people intervene
Yes, yes: 50 they do.
Her unexpected acquiescence was dis
concerting. but he doggedly stumbled on.
And Sylvia. / wish 10 tell you-I know
il seems mean and Cruel-buJ last year l
met Eleanor. and
Hush" interrupted Sylvia. suddenly
raising her hand. and turning in an atti-
tude of listening expectancy toward the
lighted windows of the house visible
. cross the expanse Of lawn.
As they paused, a mute, from an open
casemate came feeble Cry-yasue,
plaintive, sending its message into the
, night.
Sylvia's eyes sought Brunton's-his
wondering. hers lamhent with maternal
MY baby" she said.-BIack and
, | White.