The Holly chieftain., 1900-08-17

cape from her pesslstsAt admirsr. was
was . eood-losaine and plla1aAt
enough young fsllov sl1msd Frank
Thorpe. and mads sone excuse to -
tce Clsland into the garden.
Presently the ngurp Of MarEarst. tall
and slim in it DARK sayments. walked
slowly down the garden path. At the
same moment q carriage rolled up the
drive outside.
Florence started mp suddenly.
Isn't It too warm to st much lon-
ger. Doctor Cleland! Let ~ 20 In
now"
Il md 1t very pleasant here.'' Gel
and answered eagerly. "You do not
need to 90 In yet. do you, Ms wyn-
ter? Here IL Miss Crawford coming
down the garden"
THAT Is Sir Edmund Yorke's car
riage, and l must 90 in and entertain.
for mamma Is lying down" said
Florence. DO come and help me to
make conversation, Doctor Cleland."
You really must excuse me. Miss
Wynter; I'm not . ladies' man. a. you
know. And besides. you know I offend
ed Lady Yorke hopelessly when she
was here before" said ClelAnd grayely.
Il will 60 In a soon ~ the guests take
their departure.
Florence looked decidedly angry ~
she walked away. She would have
tried to persuade Margaret to return
with her; but she knew Cleland would
overhear 1t, go there was nothing for
her but to-walk on to the house.
Margaret did not see Cleland until
she was close to the seat. and then,
with little start, she would have
passed, merely bowling slightly: but
Cleland rose at once.
You meant to take this seat. Doc
tor Crawford. Don't let me deprive
you Of 1t. shall vacate 1t II you would
prefer to be alone"
There was nothing for Margaret but
to sit down, which she did at once
Cleland stood beside her. A volume Of
poems lay on the seat; 1t was one of
Browning's.
You have been reading Browning, /
see." said Margaret, little nervously.
Yes. He is my favorite poet-my
only poet. indeed"
How we'll Margaret knew that! She
touched the book with fingers that
we're not quite steady.
After pause Cleland spoke again.
Il had dear friend once-it seems
very long ago." he said. looking. not at
her, but at the far-off ridge Of Penny
Cant rising UP In bold relief against
the clear sky. ito whom, think, in
troduced Browning. l remember one
day, 1t was early April, and we had
gone a long walk-the only pre-ar-
ranged walk ever went with her-to
the Pentlands. We sat down on a
mossy knoll above Bonally, where we
could look down on the silvery Forth
in the far-on distance, and read
aloud to her. May read the same
thing to you now. Doctor Crawfordf"
Margaret. looking up with sudden
flush of fear In her eyes. merely bowed.
She sat still and motionless as he
read aloud, In voice that sounded
deeper than usual, the words that had
become SO familiar to her after that
day on which he first read them aloud
on the green slopes of the grassy Pent-
lands. They had haunted her then
for days afterwards, and they seemed
now to stir chord in her memory
that ached until 1t almost became un-
bearable, as she sat with her pale, dark
eyed face turned from him.
a. a.
But each by each. as each knew well,
The sights we saw. and the sounds we
heard,
The lights and the shades made up
spell.
Till the trouble grew and stirred.
Oh. the little more. and how much It
is!
away!
He paused abruptly, but even then
did not look at her.
Then-what was tia sudden move
ment of the little white hands--a
movement which he saw, and which
seemed, in strange, vague way, to re-
veal all to him. compelled him to turn
and look into her face.
She was leaning back against the
old-fashioned summer seat, her face
pale as death. her lips parted, and her
breath coming In short. unequal pants.
as II she were fighting hard with her.
self.
In moment Paul Cleland's arms
were round her. and once again her
head lay for one brief moment against
his breast.