The Irish standard., 1900-03-31
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1872
copyright. 1895. by J. P. uppincott Col
CHAPTER X.-CoNT1NuED.

flight, but there was just one day left
before his intended departure from Ma
Piles. He determined to see it to the
end, true to himself and to his wife,
and if he still failed to find the oppor-
tunity to give her the message he would
at least conduct himself in such a way
that he might write it in letter and
send it to her after he was gone, asking
her to deliver it.
He even decided to take the initiative,
and invited the banker and his daughter
to spend the last afternoon in sail to
Capri.
At the very last moment Mr.. Braddon
declared that he did not much like the
water, and decided to remain at home.
A cold shiver crept over the young law
Miss Braddon had no intention of aban-
doning the trip OH her fathers account.
With grim determinati ton Stanton
cIutched the door of his heart that
nothing should open it. 1t was very
new experience.
Miss Braddon had never made herself
so beautiful before. She had never been
so entertaining. The boatman was ac-
customed to carrying lovers TO Capri.
OF all the world the Bay of Naples is
the place for them. 1t is the beautiful
home of love.
If Stanton had sought for opportuni-
ties to say: II love you," they were
without number; but to deliver his mes
sage was utterly impossible.
The sails were filling to return when
Miss Braddon said, abruptly:
''Mr. Stanton, you are not really so
happy as you wish to seem. wonder
II you would tell me why?"
sit is because I am not satisfied" he
replied, as abruptly.
II was afraid at the time, that it
would prove an irksome bondage, and I
am very sorry" she said, as though in
all their conversation they had spoken
Of nothing else but that one subject
which had not once been mentioned.
"You were mistaken" Stanton re-
plieda calmly.
Like a flash the dark eyes turned on
his.
"Do you mean that it is not irksome 2"
"Not in the way you mean," Stanton
said.
" hardly understand you"
"Yet I very much wish that you did"
"Why in PARTICULAR"
Because through you is my only
hope of being understood where, of all,
l am most anxious to be understood"
do you mean with Esther Thorn
dil1e?"
eyes"
"Why, you have never even mentioned
her name"
IF I We're not bound by condition
that is most irksome bondage, L
should have gone to her, direct, long
ago, instead Of living in the hope that
in some way might reach her through
you"
"What would you have me say to
her?"
"Tell her that am trying to be 4 bet
ter man than when she saw me, and ask
her to give me freedom from the chains
she bound, and let me, as Il man, come
to her, as woman, and try TO win her
love-"
Truly, Mr.. Stanton, you astonish
me. Is that what you have been think
ing of, all these days?"
81 could have had but one other
thought"
"What thought?"
''To win your love-"
"And that you do not care for?" she
asked, almost sadly, trailing rope in
the water.
THAT is not the question"
ut is for me- if love you"
Stanton turned, slowly, till his eyes
rested full upon hers. His face was very
pale. it was more than he had ever
dared to dread. He knew that it meant
death-death to the hopes he had fos-
tered and the dreams he had dreamed,
death to his self-rcspect. death to his
future. Yet he could most easily have
said:
In a look if death there be,
Come. and I will look on thee.
His lips moved slowly, but they moved
steadily, with all the force of his will
behind them, as he replied:
"Any living man who had the right
would be a blind fool not to love you
and long for your love-"
but you have not the right?"
t'No." ''
because you have wife2"
Eyes"
But do not understand the arrange
ment, and does not Esther? And if you
asked her do you not think that she
would agree to some arrangement that
would set you frce?'
after she has seen me and known
me, if she cannot love me and be my real
wife, and if for herself she wishes to be
free, she can say so. 1t is her right"
us it because you have discovered
that you really want wife, a real
wife, and your sense of honor forces you
to hold the place open for her?"
81 think not"
Surely you don't mean that you
think you love hcr?"
II IT don't know"
y t'Did you ever see her face?"
'Never." e,. 7 .H ..'.
''Haye you ever learned much about
her?" -
II know absolutely nothing but what
she and you have told me-"
"Well, if you were not bound in honor
to her, surely for that one meeting you
would not still be thinking of her."
o@"Or perhaps we might have met again
and again, as the result of one meeting,
had it not been for that binding. At all
events. for that meetinr r a n, ;rdahte,l