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

trouble in his grief, for he sincerely regretted
his uncle, who, in spite of all their quarrelS,
had been good to him.
CHAPTER VII
Adair, now Sir Richard Adair, departed
the next morning, and Nan was left alone
with her thoughts, for Mr. and Mrs. Wood
Vile had driven out soon after his departure.
Very sad thoughts, too, they were for the
poor girl, for she had hidden him adieu with
great coldness despite mis- appealing manner,
never guessing how bitterly she greved him,
and now she was sorry, and wished she had
not let her pride stand in the way in what
was probably their last meeting.
He will not come here again., she thought,
mournfully. He will never, never know how
much I cared for him. Oh, it is dreadfully
lonely! And l am SO strong; shall live so
long-so long after mother and father have
left me, and there will be to love me-
And, heart-broken by the picture she had
! con1ured up, she began to cry bitterly.
In a little time she controlled herself and,
going to the piano. chose her favorite sonata,
and played it.
She was in the midst of it, when the door
opened softly, and Jasper Goodwin entered
Cnannounced. Finding her preoccupied with
the music, he dismissed the paror maid, and,
closing the door quietly, stole across the room
| towards the girl, his eyes fixed with an in
tense passionate gaze on her shapely head,
with its wealth of beautiful glossy hair.
Scarcely knowing what he was doing, he
bent forward and kissed it wildly.
AS he did so, Nan started up with
muffled Shrek to find herself embodied in
his embrace as he kissed her fercey and
exultantly again and again, needing neither
her struggles nor the piteous cries for help
she gave in her terror, which there was none
to near, for the parlor was remote from the
kitchen, where all the maids were engaged.
AT last, however, his mad ecstasy had ex-
hausted itself, and he led her to an ottoman
and seated himself beside her, still clasping
her waist.
She almost distraught with fear but
he affected not to notice her horror of him
perhaps, in very truth, he did not perceive it,
for the was beside himself.
MY darling my cruel darling'' he MUIR
INJURED How I have longed for this mo-
ment!"
His grasp had relaxed and, with trembling
limbs, Nan started up and ran to the door,
but he caught her arm quickly.
You don't leave me like this, Man." he
said almost savagely. 81 have something to
say to you-you must hear me! You've pre-
darling, it has only made me love you more"
Let me go! How dare you behave in this
manner? 1t is infamous! cried Nan.
Her face had grown white, save for a patch
of vivid red on each cheek and her eyes were
wild and big with fright, but she looked very
lovely, and Jasper only leered fondly at her
rage.
II shall not let you go till you've heard all
have to say he said, in quivering voice.
mo, it's no use you ringing for Mary
preventing her as she tried to reach the bell
flor I'm determined you shall hear Sit
down."
He drew chair forward, and she sank into
it involuntarily, for all her strength had sud-
denly left her.
Goodwin viewed hef action with a f1utter of
delight, for he thought it voluntary ac-
quiescence in his stormy wooing, and falling
on his knees beside her, he coverd her hands
with kisses.
MY daring-my darling, you are going to
listen to me! Oh. Nan, why do you torment
me so when I love you so passionately?
Cruel, cruel little flirt! But you love me, dear,
don't your he whispered.
Nan shuddered.
ct do not love you," she said, firmly; 81
never shall. never can love you; I have
never given you cause to think I could And
your persecution of me is unmanly. am re-
| solved to have no more Of it. shall not speak
to you again, take any notice Of you. You
must excuse saying this to you in my own
house. but you have forced to it by your
insulting intrusion"
He was silent for a moment
Nan could feel his heart beat.
It terrified her. and she grew cold with a
strange horror
When he spoke again his voice was Jelly
cool.
.sYou don't love me-you never will love
me! Because you jilt, Adair has come here?
Well he does not love you. He is to marry a
beautiful girl who lives near his uncle's place
Miss Beatrix Wiloughby, for whose sake he
left home. IT'S pretty story, how you ran
after title and failed to catch it! You had
better make match with me, after ALL for
listen to ths!-listen to this! Do you want
your father to be driven out of Woodside, like
the broken beggar he is? Think better Of
your next words to me, madam, or, by the
Heaven above US, I'll ruin your father stock
and stone!'
CHAPTER VIII.
40