The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-05
Seaburne?" 2"

FOR minute her heart seemed to stop beat
ing; then she said
l-belleve 1 went there once for day o
l"U,years ago. Why do you ask?"
because you are wonderfully like lad
once saw there. She-she was with-a gen
tleman-her brother, 1 suppose"
FOR the life of him he could not sugges
the other possibility-that of the man havin
peen her husband, and her answer staggere
MN, 1t was so cool and self possessed
Ihen that settles the question of identity
for never had brother; besides, 1 wa
scarcely more than child when l went there
Would you mind asking Miss Dickinson
she is ready to play now, Mr. Bathurst? ?'
Then, as Harold moved away in obedienc
to her mandate, she turned to find hersel
face to face with Lord Ingram, and she won
dered how much he had heard
Miss Bruce will you let me speak to yo,
by-and-by before the evening is over?" h
said; then, with a touch of sternness am
imperiousness he added, Il think you ow
1t to me to grant this request, even if you d.
not grant me another"
She raised her head proudly. Her first i'm
pulse was to deny his right to demand any
thing of the kind, but, perhaps because
mans masterfulness generally proves NOR
attractive to a woman than his humility O
perhaps it may have been that her life's hap
piness hung in the balance, and she fearet
to give it an impetus i'll the wrong direction
she replied, briefly
In half an hour, in the big conservatory
and she sat down to play Eleanor Dickinson
accompaniment.
Then she sang herself, and Ingram noticed
that the song she chose was Tosti's ''Amore
and not one of those manuscript ones that h,
had begun to hate the sight Of and five min
utes later he had slipped from the room an(
into the long conservatory, which was en-
tered at one end by window from the Ii
brary, and at the other from Dora's own lit
tie boudoir.
He strobe up and down the long glass
house impatiently for awhile and the1
turned in at the open window of the littl,
boudolr, and looked round. How pretty i
was! An old-faShioned gate table held few
books, and Ingram mechanically picked w
one of these and looked at it. He smiled tt
see it was a child's fairy book, and turned t.
the f1y-leaf-"Endora Bruce, the Sth birth
day, from her father
The inscription came as a shock to Max
Endcra! Then her initials were E. B., afte
all. Then, with an impatient shrug, Bah
what did it matter? it was a mere conci
dence, only-only it was odd he had never
Known"
He turned to the little piano in the cor
ner, and glanced with distaste at pile O
that detestable manuscript music on the ta
ble AT that moment Dora appeared at tht
window.
She looked very beautiful in her lons
straight gown of white satin with a small
diamond locket on her white neck; but there
was sometffng very forlorn and pitiful in hel
large dark eyes and white face.
You-you said you wanted to speak te
ME, She began, and stepping across the
threshold, she entered tie room and sat dowI
on carved oak chair with crimson cushions
Yes. I can wait no longer to ask you 6
question which I have longed to ask evel
since I first saw you at Meadowsweet.''
And if 1 refuse to answer?" she said
coldly.
He looked at her in astonshment.
You cannot-you will not-when yor
know
Il do know now!" she broke in passion.
ately-"I know that you and your friend Mr.
Bathurst, are determined to root out the bit
terest secret of my life, to expose ito make
public what up to now lot even Aunt Adels
has ever known. OH 1 should have thought
that even an act Of such egregious folly az
mine, might have been suffered to remain il
oblivion when it was so abjectly repented of
God knows the tears / nave Shed-the mis-
ery-the-
Lord Ingram could stand more. Ht
strcde across to where she sat with her heat
bowed on her hands, knelt beside her, an6
took her in his arms.
Dora, Dora! lock up. my dearest! Why
do you speak to me like this? You are quite
quite wrong. The question have to ask 70,
is this: Can you ever love me well enough
to be my wife?'
He felt the start she gave; and though fol
one blessed brief moment she rested in hi.
embrace. the next she had resolutely pushed
him from her. and stood up facing him.
L shall never marry YOU" she said, EN-.
phatically.
Why? Because you do not love me?'
Il have made vow-I shall never MARI,
anybody
"Such foolish vows are only made to bs
broken he said trying to speak lightly
| Dora, do you love me?"
He had taken her hands and held then
closely.
For second or two she struggled as if t.
escape; then suddenly giving way, she fell t.
passionate weeping.
Haay boIn
never be your wife,
He waited patiently until her sohs subsidized