Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-07-19
CHAPTER XVIII

Angus does not Ttippeir. ana tnOugn
Della feels his absence to be the greatest
relief, the day passes as though there hat
been death in the house. BY the time
Della has completed her preparations fo
decided departure. and written the let
ter which shall explain her temporary alb
sence To Angus (the epistle. by which he
will learn how much his mother is ready
70 sacrifice for him will be dispatched
from Antwerp. she has fairly wept her
self dry. and is waiting in her sitting
room helpless and hopeless indeed, but
.almer than she has been all day.
She has been expecting Angus to return
each hour. and every fresh footstep that
has sounded in the marble corridor has
been a fresh disappointment to her, but
now that she believes he has come she
feels if it were impossible to meet him.
She stands by the door, breathless. un-
decided whether to remain or fly, as the
manly step strides up the corridor in the
direction of her room. The Flemish
wench appears first. grinning from ear to
ear. as she endeavors to make her under
stand that the Baron Gustave SAKE de-
sires to have an interview with her.
Il cannot see him. l cannot see any
one exclaims Della, hastily, but the Or
der comes too late.
the door of her apartment; he is even now
standing before her; she has no alterna-
tive but to receive him.
"Entrcz. monsieur" she says, courte-
ously, but all the color has forsaken her
cheek, and she trembles SO that she al
most tottcrs back to her seat.
To my regret l find madame on the
eve of departure" says the baron, but
trust it is not for long. Your determina-
ton has been sudden, surely. / met
Monsieur Moray yesterday, and he said
nothing OF such plan To me-
He is a fine. soldierly man in appear
ance this Baron Gustave SAKE, with blue
eyts and brown hair, and a heavy mus
.ache of reddish tinge. that droops over
his mouth. In age he may have number
ed about fye-and-forty years, but he car
rics them bravely, and has an the bearing
Of Il young and gallant man. He is an
Austrian. and a colonel in the army, the
hFa.tissr-i..-law also of the Chevaiier de
landry, in whose house Della has ad-
Vanced- to considerable terms Of intimacy
with him. And his presence has the pow
er to make her quail ut the idea Of the
stsp she is about to take as she never
Quailed before.
My departure is sudden, monsieur" +"
she falters in answer to the baron's ques-
ton. "I have friends in Bruges who wish
nc 10 accompany them to Antwerp for a
few days. 1t required no consideration.
it-ir-is nothing, you know-only a trip
Of pleasure"
Then we shall see you back again soon
on which day, Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday? I believe my nieces return
from the country on Thursday. You will
be here to receive them, will you nOtT'
You are very good, monsieur. Your
kindness increases my gratitude. l am
perfectly aware of the difference in our
stations in life, and that l have not even
the commonest claim upon your cOnsid
Grafton. Hence it becomes all the more
valuable because undeserved."
You have the commonest and yet the
highest of all claims to myself and every
thing | possess" replies the baron, "the
claim OF n woman upon the man who
loves her. All, madame! pardon me il
am too abrupt, but for many weeks l
have tried to say this to you, and now
that you are about to leave us, can no
longer hold my tongue. You must have
seen my love, my devotion. You will not
dcspise me when confess that you I'LL all
my thoughts, and that l have but one
earnest desire in life-to make you my
wife,
In his ardor and foreign sense Of chiv-
airy he has thrown himself at her feet
and Della has no escape from him. Here,
On a level with her own face, are the
impassioncd eyes and glowing visage Of
the Baron SAKE, while both his strons
arms are clasping her own as in wise.
And the temptation Of it!
II this offer had but come a month be-
fore. from what suffering might 1t not
have saved her! AS the wife OF this gal
liant Austrian soldier and noble. who
would have dared to assail her fair fame.
even though she had been mad enough to
play with II as child plays with vase
OF inestimable value, never caring II hs
smashes it or not In the encounter.
You are an Austrian noble.' says De
lia. drawing her hand away, "a man OF
high position. and great wealth. l am
penniiess widow, neither young nor hand
some-the Governess of your sisters chill
dren. You shall make no mesalhance
for my sake, Baron SAKE"
And who dares to say 1t Will be q
e mesallianceT' he exclaims. You are Of
gentle hirth-I can read it In your voice,
your shape. your manner-and l am no
more"
1T is true l am what you say, replies
Della. with touch Of pride; "for my
father was an officer In the Royal Navy
OF England but l was not educated In
the same class as you have been. l was
early left an orphan. to depend on my
own resources, and for many years l was
nothing but an actress on the public stage,
Singing dancing and playing. night after
night, for the sake of the bread put into
my mouth. And an actress is no mt per
son 20 place in the enviable position Of
the BarDnnc de Sake"
And respect and admire you for the
strength Of mind you showed In working
for Your independence and that OF your
child II is your bravery that first drew
me 1" you, Do you think l want silly
Idle girl for my baroness-who shall De
ALE only to look pretty and simper, ana
dress III new costume each dayF NO.
Della. | want a friend-a companion
woman, just such a woman as you are
who Las the strength of purpose to 90
what is right, and the strength OF mino
10 confess it! And now that that matter
Is settled between us. you will tell me
shall have what I wantT
" seems very hard to refuse hi'n-vcr!
harn to shut her ears against the pleading
oI his voice, her eyes against the pieadii"
OF his eyes, but it must be done. SO she
turns her face to one side. the better tn
escape his observation, and answers, sad
":
No, baron, it is useless for you to plead
mus any longer. There is an obstacle be-
tween US that no arguments could over
coman