The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-26

| lace DIT our SIDE, ana forget everything.
! An! Sir Anthony" cries my aunt, with a
smile. How you? We caught a glimpse
or you in the stalls tonight, but you dld not
come round to our box May leave BARBARA
going down to supper with Colonel Treherne.
In another instant she was gone and we
are alone together.
I can feel my hand tremble as lay it on
his arm.
For once Fate has favored me.
Now surely, if ever, L shall learn how L
nave offened him, and make my peace.
| Almost mechanically he commences to walk
towards the window recess in the corridor,
where we seat ourselves in silence, as we did
once befOre-centuries ago now as it seems
to
We hardly ever seem to meet you now.
Sir Anthony 1 begin slowly, for want of
something better to say. 1T was quite
pleasant surprise to see you here tonight
1t is by the merest chance that-I am mere,
he replies with averted eyes. Lady Curton
is an old family friend of ours and she
| seemed to think that 1 have neglected her OF
| late She was very anxious for me to take
part in her private theatricals next month.
which [ was obliged to refuse, as l am leav-
ing town for time L was anxious to make
my peace before going, therefore ran in for
hour tonight"
You are leaving town." L repeat, me-
chanically, not taking in the full sense OF the
words all at once. How long for-where are
you going to-when do you start, and how
soon shall you return?'
q start tomorrow" he replies briefly.
THE date of my return is in the remote
future My destination is Africa, where have
arranged to join a party of friends
shooting expedition"
"Africa?" 1 echo, startled out of all
assumed Indifference, l realize what his
indefinite absence will mean to me. No time
fixed for your return-it is horrible to think
of. You must be joking, Sir Anthony
| There is an agony in my voice that my
utmost efforts fail to subdue-my words are
wildly incoherent.
I tremble from head to foot and I feel as
if L am losing hold Of everything 1 care for
as if life, reason and Heaven itself
slipping away from
Why should L be joking?" he replies, care
lessy. No; L assure you, Miss Courtseine.
that 1 in real earnest. L spent some
months there once before, and it did me an
| rcalculable amount of good. You see, a man
wants something more in his life than to
hang about drawing-rooms all day. L am
found of an our-door life-sport and exer-
cise 1 tired to death of the kind of
stence 1 have been leading lately. What
shall L send you from foreign parts?"
His light jesting tone seems to cut my
heart like knife. n
1 am conscious that for my prides sake
for the honor of womanhood I ought to pull
myself together, and return some common
| place answer.
But 1 cannot: I am not accustomed to feel
one thing and feign another
Everything seems to fade away out of my
life, save the knowledge that love this man
with all my soul-all my nature-and that he
cares for me so little that he can go away
without one word of regret.
You were going away without saying good
bye." 1 whisper, almost inaudby. What
have 1 done-how have L offended you? You
would hardly leave an ordinary acquaintance
without saying good-bye."
Il left my card at Mrs Ashwoods this
afternoon he replies in an odd voice; and
looking up into his face, 1 see that it is pale
as death
Is it the effect of the dim light is it that
he is i'll? Or can it be that he is not so in
different to he wishes to appear?
You must not CO." L cry, wildly. You
are my only real friend. What shall 1 do
without you about-about Sir Harry?'
II hope that you will not marry him. he
says, quietly. Il should should be very
pleased to hear of your marriage to anyone
who is worthy of you, but-well, L am going
away, and will speak plainly to you. NY
knowledge of Sir Harry Grasmore goes back
some years, and L only speaking the
truth when I tell you that ne is a very bad
man. His wife will be miserable woman.
Promise me that you will be firm
L shall never marry Sir Harry 1 reply
in a voice that might have come from the
dead.
marriage.
Those words will ring in my brain until I
die; but they have taught how little
have to hope for
Il shall never marry anyone-now."
1--WE had better return to the drawing
room," he says, rising to his feet, and offer
ing his arm, which L take mechanically
and essay to walk, but the effort is almost
too much for me, my head is so dizzy, my
feet seem as if they were chained to the floor
and 1 cling blindly to him 1 should fall
1T is so hot" 1 say, with little gasp for
BREATH ''and have been out all day and am
tired. If you will wait just one minute bv
this open window I can get some fresh air
The next few mir uteS a blank to me
1 must have tainted, 1 suppose, though 7
have never done such thing before.