The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-23


Continue school, under the distinguished
patronage of Mr.. Romer?' she broke in, with
wilful petulance Il don't want to be clever;
it is more delightful to be idle and foolish-to
revel in the open air, with the birds and
flowers. l pity you when 1 think of you
Shaving at that desk Why don't you go out
into the woodland or down to the sea? How
could have patience to draw or to make
frghtful discord on a stringed instrument
with the waves calling and the leaves
rustling like music at the other side of the
bay?"
Il will say nothing more about the lessons"
he promised
And springing from her perch she cried
Then I forgive you! Why" she added
brightly, "Mr. Dage says that 1 old
enough to be engaged, and you would keep
me at studies still"
"Old enough to be engaged-to him?"
Osmonde Romer asked, slowly.
She gave a little silvery laugh of acquies-
cence
The secretary went pale, and, for second
his grey eyes cleaned strangely.
do not let me detain you, Miss Caryl, he
said, with added formality and going to the
door, held it open that she might pass.
You are anxious to get rid of me- she
complained.
He did not contradict her. and when the
charm of her presence had ceased to trouble
him he sank irto his chair by the desk, and
gazed with lingering usefulness at the blue
eyed forget-me-nots.
When Jim Dage left the Priory a storm
was looming in the sky, and the sea was
beating roughly at the base of the white
cliffs
He rapidly descended the steep path, but
long before he reached level ground, the rain
came Kissing down, and flashes of lightning
lit up the foaming waves.
In the blur of the gale, the young squire
OF Rose Dene did not see the tall figure Of
Osmonde Romer coming up the slippery track
towards him.
The secretary steadily advanced, recogniz-
ing Jim, who trudged cheerfully through the
storm, and approached him, with repugnance
and rage.
He was bitterly incensed against him, since
Elva's artless declaration.
With dark brow he drew nearer and
nearer to the younger man, who walked al
most at the endge of the cliff path, that was
exceedingly narrow.
How it happened would be hard to explain
but, as a binding glare shot across the un-
even path Jim slipped the brink of the
precipice, lost his balance, and fell into the
sea.
Below the cliff, in a low-roofed cavern
jagged with broken projections of rock,
boat swayed in shelter from the fiercehess of
The Cave of st. Kelvin was curious place
into which the sea flowed and now, as the
lurid light blazed the heaving surface of
the water. presented scene of weird
breness.
In it's shelter Bernard Vansdlyt had taken
refuge from the torrent cnat poured from the
lowering clouds.
But the tide was turning and his position
would be dangerous in the course of a few
moments.
He stood on boulder at the side of the
cavity, until mass of water came foaming
on his feet, and then he was compelled to
get into his tethered boat.
AS he prepared to row out on the open sea
something came floating straight into the
cave.
He saw, in a cleaning sheet of livid light,
the pallid face of Jim.
How did he come there?
Was he dead?
He stared stonily at the drifting form.
CHASTITY wish dragged back the hands
with which he might have saved the unfortu-
nate man.
He could easily have rescued Jim, with his
strong arms-coud have lifted him safely
out of the waves.
But he did not.
Instead, he piled the oars with savage
haste, and the boat plunged from the cave
That which had accidentally occurred
causing anguish of doubt and remorse to an
innocent man, had, but the fendish act of
Bernard Vansdlyt, become in very truth a
crime.
CHAPTER H.
At the end of tw. weeks the young squire
of Rose Dene was still missing, having dis
appeared after leaving Cliff Prory as COM
pletely as though he had been swept away in
the storm
That he had slipped into the sea was the
general conclusion of the Bell Bay residents
You need not give one the -dismals Elva''
Clornda said, impatiently, turning upon the
girl morning as they walked in the
direction of Hazel Wood Your being silent
and depressed won't bring Jim Dage back to
life-if he really is dead"