The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-02-04

bloN, draws DlCk step or TWO.
You are not tired, l hope?" says Dy-
sart, cOurteously.
"Oh, no." She feels stifed, choked. A
desire to get to the door and escape-lose
sight of him forever-is the one strong
longing that possesses her; but to move
requires strength, and she feels that her
limbs are trembling.
1t was long drive, however. And the
storm was severe. ! fear you must have
suffered in some way"
II have not suffered" says she, in a
dull, emotionlcss way.
mo-"
There is a considerable pause, and then:
NO. 1t is true. 1t is l only who have
suffered" says Dysart, with an uncon-
trollable abandonment to the misery that
is destroying him. Il alone
You mean something" says Joyce. 1t
is by Il terrible effort that she speaks. She
feels thoroughly unnerved-unstrunS.
Conscious that the nervous shaking Of her
hands will betray her. she clasps them be-
hind her tightly You meant something
just now when you refused to take my
hand. But what? What
You said it was too late" replies he.
"A nd agreed with YOU
That was not it, says she, feverishly.
There was more-much more. Tell me"
-passionately-''wh you meant. Why
would you not touch me? What am | to
understand"
That from hcnceforth you are free
from the persecution of my love" says
Dysart, deliberately. Il was mad ever
to hope that you could care for me-still-
did hope That has been my undoing.
But now"
"Well?" demands she, family. Her
whole being seems stunned. Something
of all this she has anticipated, but the
reality is far worse than any anticipation
had been She had seen him in her
thoughts, angry, indignant, miserable, but
that he should thus coldly set her aside
bid her an everlasting adieu-make up his
mind deliberately to forget her-this had
never occurred TO her as being even prob
able
Now you are to understand that the
idiotic farce played between us two the
day before yesterday is at an end. The
curtain is down. 1t is over. 1t was
failurc-ncither you nor nor the public
will ever hear of it again"
"Is this-bccause | did not coma home
small spark of courage has come back to
her now. She lifts her head and looks at
him.
ooh. be honest with me herein our
last hour togcther'' cries he yehementiy.
''1 on have cheated me all through: be truc
to yourself for once. Why pretend it is
my fault that we part? Yesterday ! i'm
plorcd you not to go for that drive with
him. and yet-you went. What was /
or my love for you-in comparison with q
few hours drive with that scoundrcl?"
1T was only the drive | thought Of"
says she, piteously. 'I-there was moth
ing else, indeed. And you; if'-rasng
her hand to her throat-'if you had not
spoken so roughly-So-"
'Pshaw" says Dysart, turning from
her as if disGustcd. TO him, in his pres
cnt furious mood, her grief, her fear her
shrnkings. are all so many movements in
the game of coquette at which she is a
pa st mistress. will you think me a fool
to the end says he. See here" turn
ing his angry eyes to hers. Il don't care
what you say. | know You now. Too
late indeed but still know you. TO the
very core you are one mass of deceit"
She holds out her hands to him in lit
tie dumb fashion. Her tongue seems froz-
en-. But he repulses this last attempt at
reconciliation.
1T is no good. None, have no belief
in you left. so you can no longer ajoIe me.
know that l am nothing to you. Moth
ing. If" drawing a deep breath through
his closed teeth. ''if n thousand years
were to 60 by | should still be nothing to
you if he were near | give it up The
battle was too strong for me. am de-
feated, lost, ruined
You have so arranged it," says she. in
a low tone. singularly clear. The violence
of his agitation had subdued hers and
rendered her comparatively calm.
you must permit me to contradict you.
The arrangement is all your own"
WAS it so great crime to stay last
night at Fallingt'
There is no crime anywhere. That you
should have made a decision between two
men is not n crime"
NO, I acknowledge made a decision
butt
When did you make it,
Last evening; and though you
ooh. no excuses" says he, with
frown. DO you think | desire them Z" lie
hesitates for minute or SO, and now
turns to her abruptly. Are you engaged
to him fnally:'
No"
NO In accents suggestive of surprise
so intense as to almost enlarge into disbc-
lief You refused him, them
NO" says she, again. Her heart seems
TO die within her. Oh, the sense of shame
that overpowers her. A sudden wild. ter
rible hatred Of Rcauclerk takes her into
possession. Why. why. had he not given
her the choice of saying yes, instead Of
no, to that last question?
"You mean-that he" He stops dead
short as if not knowing how to proceed.
Then. suddenly, his wrath breaks forth.
a nd for that scoundrel, that fellow with
out heart. you have sacrificed the best
OF you-your own heart, For him. whose
word is as light as his oath, you have
flung behind you & love that would have
surrounded you to your dying day. Good
heavens, What are women made of:
But" He sObers himself at once, as if
smitten by some sharp remembrance, and.
pale with shame and remorse, looks at her.
"Df course says he. cit is only one heart
broken, as | am, who would have dared
thus to address you. And it is plain to me
now that there are reasons why he should
not have spoken before this. For one
thing, you were alone with him: for an
other. you are tired, exhausted. No doubt
tomorrow he"
How dare you:'' says she. in n voice
that startles him, very low voice, but
vibrating with outraged pride. How
dare you thus insult me: You seem to
think-to think-that because-last night
he and | were kept from our home by
the Storm She pauses: that old, first
odd sensation of choking now again op
presses her. She lays her hand upon the
back of a chair near her, and presses heav
lily upon il. You think | have disgraccJ
myself" the words coming in little gasT
from her parched lips. That is why you