The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-06

and yet through the dusk Of his dream
mental state burned one stellar CLEAN
giadness. No distress. no detection. Z
| fortnring in6ecisicn how 20 act or how
not TO act. could dim the intensity Of HI
pleasure THAI Grsce's life had been spared
his hands were locked behind his back
bur presently he disjoined them and turnes
on hearing the sound Of step on ths
dry leaves below
Mr.. Stafford"
''oh. it's you. Oliyers-' He tried 10 APP
pear tranquil as his look me, the cioudlesS
blue eyes isyeled upon him. IL 9idn'i
know that you'd come 20 Top-o'-tre-Hfl
so early today It's rather early for you,
isn't ttg''
Yes. rather. saw you from the house
as got out OF my trap"
"Qh. you did. wellg''
Stafford faced his young friend now.
prepared for a stab that he had swiftly
Steeled every nerve 10 receive
On sudden Oliver Thurssou caught his
hand. MIR stafford he said. ''rve seen
that you've Eel. yourself painfully
placed.'
Painfully placedr' broke from Stafford
Say herrifying!y placed. my boy, It's
untold joy TO ME that Grace is going 10
set WELLS almost wen Already But with
her recovery comes the torment of having
her realize" And here he stopped
feeling a certain mysterious and radiant
interruption In the smile with which Oh
liver confronted him.
She had never realized anything Of the
sort. YOU meant Oliver. suddenly cried.
Fer my own part. Mr.. Stafford. 1 can
only say that I'm Just as enchanted as
You are to have Grace prove all the doc
tors false prophets It's true enough that
I did care more for Isabel, or thought /
cared more. But now there's n great
change in me. Haven't YOU noticed?
! Haven't you SEEM
Noticed Seem" murmured Stafford.
'Oh. If We're 10 lose Grace now" burst
, from Oliver. II think 1t would kill me,
/ never understood how I'd got 10 feel
toward her until she grew better and
stronger. One can't explain these things.
can one? But / only know this: / love
your daughter as I never dreamed or low
Ing Isabel. And here young MIR. Thurs
ton gave a shrug of the shoulders, accom-
panied with a kind Of orphic srimace.
by jove' he added. Il begin to think
that Grace's Illness. after all, was nothing
but special providence,'
"A special providence" repeated the
elder man. feeling THAI somehow the milky
blue OF the November sky had grown al
most dazzlingiy sunny.
Yes, Mr.. Stafford-yes. For IT showed
ne the true state of my own heart. Ii
Weakened my pity, and from that pity was
born the only real love l have ever known,
In the name of heaven, sir. don't dream of
telling Grace anything, I'll tell her Cor
you can If you prefer it,. after were mar
ried. But not tin then Promise ME. not
till them"
Several hours later. while Stafford sat
In his library. Isabel suddenly appeared
there.
oh" she said. seeing him. and begin
ming to reeede. Il thought you were taking
your walk
No said her guardian grimy. II felt
more like brooding here. Sit down.
Isabel please, I've something on my con-
science. I've done you great wrong"
And then. with elaboration, but with a
certain repressed fire. he spoke on for
| quite while. AT the end Of his words
Isabel rose with nein of smothered in
dignation.
you've done me no wrong at ALL she
said 81 never cared for Oliver Thurston
In the way you mean-never."
Stafford sprang to his feet and caught
both her unwilling hands.
Isabel! Are you telling the truth
Absolutely the truth
And as she answered this she colorcti
to the roots of those pretty chestnut curls
above her temples.
That furious blush made her guardians