Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-04-26

yoc now to decide. nave sometimes
thought l was not entirely Indifferent t.
you. and at all events we are friends II
the best sense of the term. If you were &
happily married woman, Beatrice,
should not speak to you like this, but as Il
is-in another land-if you win come with
me-we@"
Think, thinkw says she, putting up hel
hand to stay him from further speech
"All this Is said in moment Of angr,
| excitement. You have called me you,
friend-and truly. l am SO far In touch
with you that can see you are very un
happy. You have had-forgive me IL
probe you-but you have had some-some
words with your wifeY
Final words! hope-1 think"
II do not, however. All this will blow
over. and-come, Cyril, face It. Are you
really prepared to deliberately break the
last link that holds you to herT
There is no link. She has cut herself
adrift long since. She will be glad to be
rid of me-"
And you-will you be glad to be rid OF
herT'
ut will be better" says he, shortly.
"And-the boyT
"Don't let - 20 into It." little wildly.
"Oh! but we must-we must" says she.
The boy-you will-T
II shall leave him to her. am nothing
to her. cannot leave her desolate.''
'How you consider herr' says she. in .
choking voice. She could have burst into
tears! "What a heart! and that woman
to treat him so-while-ohl It IL hard
hard!'
II tell you," says she, presently, that
you have not gone into thiR thing. To-
morrow you will regret all that you have
now said"
"If you refuse me-yes. It lies In yom
hands now. Are you going to refuse meY"
Give me q moment" says she, family
She has risen to her feet. and is 50 stand.
ing that he cannot watch her. Her whole
soul is convulsed. Shall she? Shall she
not? The scales are trembling.
That woman's face! How 1t rises be
fore her now. pale, cold, contemptuous.
With what an insolent air she had almost
ordered her from her sight. And yet
and yet
Oh! A groan that is almost a sob breaks
from her. The scale has gone down tc
one side. 1t Is all over, hope and love and
joy. Isabel has won.
She has been leaning against the arm OF
the lounge, now she once more sinks back
upon the seat as though standing is impos-
sible to her.
"Well" says Baltimore. laying his hand
gently upon hers. His touch seems to
burn her, she filings his hand from her and
shrinks back.
you have decided" says he, quickly.
'You will not come with me?'
"Oh! no, no, no." cries she. 1T is i'm
possibler' A little curious laugh breaks
from her that is cruelty akin to a cry.
"You like her better than you like me.
You are angry with your wife, and would
be revenged upon her, and your way to
revenge yourself il to make a second WON.
an hate you"
"a secondT'
81 should probably hate you in si1
months" says she, with a touch Of pas.
sion. II am not sure that l do not hate
you now."
"a second womanr' repeats he, as II
struck by this thought to the exclusion
Of all others.
"Yes?'
"You think, them" gazing at her, that
she-hates me-"
Lady Swansdown breaks into low but
mirthless laugh. The most poignant an.
guish rings through it.
"She! she!' cries she, as il unable tc
control herself. and then stops suddenly,
placing her hand to her forehead. "Oh,
no, she doesn't hate you," she says. But
how you betray yourself! Do you wonder
I laugh? Did ever any man SO give him
self away? You have been declaring to
me for months that she hates you. yet
when I put 1t into words, or you think ]
do, it seems as though some fresh, new
evil had befallen you. All! give up this
role Of Don Juan, Baltimore. 1t doesn't
suit you"
He would have spoken to her again, but
she rejects the idea with such bitterness
that he is necessarily silent. She has COW
cred her face with her hands. Presently
she is alone.
CTo be continued)