Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-03-17


speeches TO which he bad listened
lately sent the blood to his face.
"Don't talk IN that way, Kate,
my darling,' he pleaded. "NOth'
ing matters ifyOu love me-"
"LOve you ! she cried. 81 think
hate every body IN the world
you and them and myself"
Nv hat do you meanl' he burst
out. "What have they-what have
dOne?"
"Tell me-" she turned on him
funouSiy. would your father and
mother a nd sister welcome ne as
your witeY"
John hesitated. He was natural.
lV truthtul.
"YOu know they would not" he
continued. You know they would
detest me and do all III their rover
to prevent such a marriage, aud
do YOU think | would fling myself
at them as YOU askW
"But, Kale, dear, 1t is mad
ness
"GO away" she commanded. 81
Will not have You here. am go.
ing to cry, but | am not going 10
Ield, and tell you to 60"
John had not been In the room
half AL bOur, and he wanted TO stay
longer, bnt, having issued her
commands, Kate gave him no
option. She went quickly into the
inner room aud locked the door.
so John was forced to 90. but the
love and rage in his heart weIe
fierce.
How Kate spent the hours which
followed most women know with.
ont being told; how John spent
them most men Can guess, bnt in
the mOrnlDg one idea, at any rate,
inspired them both, though their
motives appear TO have been wide
apart. for they both wheeled out
their bicycles and mounted them.
Then the divergence Of their mo-
tives was apparent. Kate, start
ng fl impulsiyely down the sire ch
OF the road in which she lodged.
longing only TO get away from
verybody, realized suddenly that
the figure in the distance which
had just turned the corner was The
figure of John Castle, and without
hesitation she wheeled about and
Sptu tue OlHtI way.
That JOhn was coming TO see her
she felt sure, bnt she deyou,ly hop
ed that he had not caught sight OF
her.
The roads we're slushY, bat the
air was still, and the wild streuglu
she brought to bear upon her ped
ais sent her hAiug over the grOcnd
She realized, however. that tht
roads were no worse and tie all
was equally favorable to John If he
chose to follow, and her anxiety be
came intense.
As she tnrned into the buster
roads she was forced to slack kel
pace, and the hindrance set hei
tuning. Size saw bicycles coming
toward her, and through the clat
ter or carts and feet she seemed
to hear the "swiSh' of others fol
lowing her, but she dared not tnrr
her head to see if the one slit
dreaded was among them.
, After a while, however, she LET
The clatter of traffic behind her
and the relief OF the quiet was very
great. III time, though, she grew
, accustomed tOlt, and as she spec
on her ears or her Imagination be
came conscious of the 'swish1 Of I
bicN Gle still following.
4 The pace at which she was goln,
, began 10 distress her. Her mus
Giles seemed to be contracting, he
I bre 9Th came.peinlully. She remem
bered that after tue level stretcI
, came sharp downward slope, an
O after that hill, up which it wOult
II be impossible for her to ride. Sh
d was growing desperate. She dan
n I'd not face John, for she could no
O rely upon her strength. She Va
Il angry, mortified, resentfui, but sh
4 loved John Castle, and therein la,
q her vulnrrabllity.
z. The "sw lsh" behind her sound",
@ nearer. Sue could not stop. ]
d the hurry OF her thoughts she d,
II termlned to keep up tue race to To,
j.. last possible moment. There wa
"a little hope now OF escape, but
y. was the only cOurse-aud any ythln
Dr. might happen.