The Saint Paul globe., 1899-02-12
she exercised

over him.
But then would come a chance word, which
brought back, with a rush, the remembrance
of their first meeting; and, generally, there
was more or less embarrassment exhlblted by
Miss Morton in his presence-an embarrass-
ment he attributed mainly to the remem-
brance of her guilt.
More than once he gave her an opportunity
oe referring to it-of explaining her need for
the money, and her contrition at having
robbed him-but she obstinately silent.
So, when his reason turned traitor and
urged upon him the impossibility of this girl
being dishonest, he began to take refuge in
the thought that she might be the victim of
kleptomania, Or at least, of an occasional un-
controllable temptation to annex that to
which she had no legal right.
But, what shocking inf1iction for a girl
in her position!
1t would surely land her in gaol, sooner or
later
Perhaps she had helped herself to some
thing belonging to Lady HaWkesley, and that
was why, fearing detection, she had left her
hurriedly.
1t was a trying thought, but not so trying
as was the knowiedge of his growing love;
for that he loved her with all his heart he
could not deny to himself.
And side by side with love grew the misery
o. having to believe that she was-respon-
sbly or irresponsby-not to be trusted with
what did not belong to her.
Was ever man tortured with greater mis-
cry?
Underlying tkis canker in the girls char
acter, sufficient sweetness and apparent
truth and honesty of purpose, to have stocked
an entire sisterhood.
She seemed, to the man who loved her. the
most complete anomaly to be found in this
world of contradictions; and how to act in
the present, or what to decide on in the fu-
ture, he knew not.
He blushed at the only thing he did to OBJ
tain some insight into his loves past history,
about which she was suspiciously silent, for
it looked like doubling her-even her, of whom
his actual knowledge was one huge doubt
Yet the heinous crime he committed against
her was merely to ask Mrs Fitzsmmons who
had recommended Miss Morton to her
'Sir George Warden!" was the startling
reply, which caused any contriton Murray
felt at his "meanness' to give place to relief
An hour later he was in the train, bound
for Paddington
Tom will find cut for me-" he said to him.
self. IF I had stayed another day. L must
have asked her to marry me. have seen her
every day for three weeks, and she grows
more lovable, more desirable"
Here he INDUCED in mental rhapsodies for
fully ten minutes, and only brought down
earth then by asking himself who and what
was this girl he longed tc make his wife
Was she angel, as his heart would fain
believe? Was she a thief, as his memory de-
clared? Was she a kleptomaniac, as some
awful fear whispered?
+ And he could answer neither question, for
he was equally in doubt on all three points
Tom Treleaven looked at his cousin in some
surprise, when the usually self possessed
Murray stammered over his would-be casual
inquiry concerning "a Miss Morton, who is
governess at a place called The Elms, not
far from Bath.
Inhabited at present by Mrs. Fitzsim-
mons, to be sure. Dc you know Miss Morton,
Clement?"
"I-yes-I have met her. lin fact, know
her pretty we'll Only, l was a bit curious
Mrs. Fitzsmmons mentioned Sir George, and
I naturally thought of you. Do you know
Miss Morton at alp
| II have seen her. And it was I who wrote
to Mrs Fitzsimmons in Sir Georges name.
Miss Moyneux asked me to do so. She is
much interested in Miss Norton"
| Miss Molyneux is? Does she know her his
tory-all about her?'
Rather! She has known her all her life"
Murray net certain whether he ought
to feel more joy or perplexity.
! 1t obviously improbable that a life
long friend of Miss Molyneux-a we'll born
heiress-should go about helping herself to
other peoples bank notes.
| Yet how was he to get over the testimony
of his eyes?
'Is Miss Molyneux back yet?"
mo; but she is expected in a few days.
What is the matter? Have you fallen in love
with Miss Morton?'
| But Murray was deaf to the point blank
question.
| He excused himself in few hurried words,
and wandered into the streets, to be alone
with his thoughts.
Inclination prompted an immediate return
to Hamton; but prudence said, Don't see her
again until you have heard something about
her from her lifelong friend.
| Prudence, however, would have gone to the
wall but for the underlying certainty that in
his next meeting with the girl he loved he
would assuredly ask her to be his wife.
How he got through the next five days, he
never remembered; and then he told that
Miss Moyneuxs return was postponed for
another week.
A whole week! How was it possible to live
through seven more days and nights of this