The Holly chieftain., 1900-08-17

PAo oe9yiu8 Witu u1 yust noW-VWo
married couples. and two men who are
unmarried. One OF them Is rather
bore. He will attach himself to me,
and "-blushing little-"the truth Is
I-well, / very much prefer the other.
So hope. dear Margaret. you'll act
true friends part to me. and allow
me to have little pleasure some
times."
Margaret smiled little at the nal
vete of the way In which the young
lady showed her purpose Of inviting
her old schoolmate to Greystoke; but
1t would have taken more than Flor
ences little selnshness to have an
noyed her then. A great sorrow makes
one almost Indifferent to the pinpricks
Of petty annoyances.
They were at Greystoke presently,
and Margaret found herself In due
course in the drawing room. A few
people were in. and Margaret was In
troduced to them
She was sitting beside Mrs. Wynter,
gently interrogative person, when
the door opened and some one en-
tered. Margaret did not look up until
Mrs. Wynter said:
"Ah. there is DR.. Clelsad at last!
Now, my dear, you will find yourself
sustained In your profession"
Margaret looked up. all the blood
rushing from her face. her heart sud
denly beating fast and loud. Yes. 1t
was Paul Cleland indeed!
His eyes seemed somehow to go
straight to the corner In which she
was sitting. He started. and q mo-
mentary change passed over his face;
but he controlled himself in a minute
so quickly that Flo, who swept her
not notice 1t.
Here you are at last. DR.. Cleland!
Now. have some one l wish to in
troduce you to. Come over to mothers
corner with me. DIR. Cleland-Miss.
or rather, DR.. Margaret Crawford"
Margaret bowed, feeling his eyes
we're fixed on her face; then. max
Ing great effort, she extended her
hand
"Dr. Cleland and have met before.
Flo," she said, quite clamly and dis
tinctly. I'VE met each other at col
lege."
'Ohn said Florence, in an indescrib-s
able tone. An angry little flush rose
to her cheeks as she glanced at Gle
lands dark. imperturbable face There
was an expression on 1t now which Flo
had never seen upon 1t when he looked
at herself, and her woman's instincts
were sharp enough to tell her that,
whatever his feelings toward Mar
garet were. they were not of the ordi-
nary kind.
Yet Paul Cleland made ne effort to
be near Margaret for the rest of the
evening, and Margaret herself rather
avoided him than otherwise. Only
once his eyes fixed in strange. in
tense way on Margaret's face. and the
expression of 1t sent thrill of angry
jealousy through Florence.
That night. when Margaret was at
last alone in her own room. she sank
on her knees and prayed. through I'm
gers tightly wrung together: "Oh, my
God, help me. 1t is hard-harder
than l thought-harder than I
thought"
The days passed somehow. 1t was
the month of September-rich, sweet
September-with skies OF clear blue
not summer blue. with its depths and
softness and sultry heat; but blue
paler cooler, brighter; fresh, bracing.
invigorating September. coming like
breath of cool air after day of ener-
waiting heat. The evenings were be-
ginning to grow longer. and were even
now chilly with the first breath of the
fall Of the year.
The world was fair outside. but Mar
garet Crawford's heart was in no
mood to enjoy 1t. How she lived
through those terrible days she never
afterward knew. Seeing Paul every
day. talking with him, knowing. above
all-what agony the discovery gave
sistency. how sweet the knowledge
was to her!-that his love had under
gone no change, 1t was sometimes
more than she could bear.
She tried to be cold and distant, and
succeeded SO we'll that she managed
to deceive Cleland for a time. He be-
gan to think that, after all, those had
been right who called Margaret Craw-
ford cold and proud. Had she loved
him az he did her, he argued, no dis
grace on her fathers name, no real
crime. even had he committed such,
could stand between and separate
them frnm each nther