Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-04-25

Oo you NOT knOWs she said. "CaL
you not guess who I amp
How can 1? Why, Hettie, what need
Is there for mystery? You can have
nothing to fea- in telling me. What
brings you, Martin Rays daughter. here
to Brentwood, and what are You to
Leah2'
You cannot guessT' she said. "You
have no idea?'
None. l cannot guess. What are you
1eeplng from me, HettieY'
My story and Leah's," she replied;
and l cannot tell 1t to you. You must
ask them to tell it,
: The quick fOOtstep of one Of the men
servants was heard on the terrace. With
out word Sir Basil went to meet him.
Sir Arthur would be glad to see you
in the library at once, Sir Basil" said
the man. II he felt any curiosity about
the figure Couching against the balus.
trade he gave no sign.
Say that l will be there in q few
minutes" was the reply; and the man
went away.
Sir Basil turned to Hettie.
Let me take you to the house, Het-
tie" he said. You must not remain
here"
II cannot go. You must leave me here.
l cannot walk" she said; II cannot
stand. Do you not see how / tremble;
You must leave me-"
My darling" he began.
Hush, Basil" she said. Remember,
you are Leah's lover"
Her eyes were dim with tears as she
watched him-Leah's lover; and then,
as he went slowly down the terrace, a
mist seemed to rise before her; she sway
ed to and fro, staggered and, helpless,
ifeless. fell suddenly to the ground.
CHAPTER XIV.
Sir Arthur was alone, and 30 preoccu-
pied with his own thoughts that he did
not notice the pallor and agitation Of
Leah's lover. He shook hands with him,
and welcomed him home most heartily.
II am glad to see you, Basil" he said
II assure you that some Of us have found
the past ten days very long ones. We
have had q very unpleasant, anxious time
Of it since we parted. I am thankful it
is over. There remains a duty perhaps
even more disa agreeable, and that is to
| tell you q story which I would fain have
buried in oblivion"
"A storyw repeated Sir Basil. This,
! said "they" had something to tell him.
"You win always remember, Basil, that
it Is 1 who have kept this secret from
you. 1t was by my desire, my wish, that
nothing was said. Leah would have had
| it otherwise, II 1 had let her have her
! own way. The fault, If there be any
fault, lies with me. You can judge when
1 have told you. Let me add this-if
! anything which tell you should be ad
verse to your tastes and opinions, you
are free as air. Leah would not bind
you. You have but to say the word
Nothing can free me from Leah" he
| said; and Sir Arthur, in his satisfaction
at the words, did not notice the tone Of
the speakers voice.
At first Sir Basil seemed hardly to real
ize the words he heard-they passed over
, him, as it were: then they began to
strike on his brain. Some faint glimmer
of the truth came to him when he heard
the name of Martin Ray-enough to turn
him faint and dizzy, to make his heart
beat wildly.
He never forgot that hour. From the
window he saw the Annshine on the dis
tant hills and woods. on the bare
branches Of the trees, on the white stone
terraces and the evergreen; Q Nttle robin
redbreast Jew up and down; the wind
! blew the brown branches Of q dad guel
der-rose against the window panes. He
never forgot one detaA.
The general wondered at his silence
] and, when he had finished his story, wait
I ed for his young companion to speak. Still
Sir Basil sat with his face to the win
dow, silent and stdal.
You are not angry, Basil?' said Sii
Arthur, gently. you are not vexed al
this concealmentT
Not in the least" he replied. Il think
| I was most natural for you to act as you
| did in the circumstances. l do not blame
| you: nor, as l told you before, does the
disclosure affect me In the smallest de-
gree l am only sorry that I did not
know the truth from the first"
If he had known it all this trouble
would have been avoided.
If you are not vexed or annoyed, tell
me what makes.you look DO strange.
| Basil?"
! do look strange? Then it must b,
| because do not feel quite myself thi
morning. Perhaps my journey has tire1
| me: and I was in a hurry to come over
| here"
! Have you seen Leah?' asked Sir ar.
| thur.
NO, not yet. One Of the footmen met
| me on the terrace, and told me that you
desired to see me"
Sir Basil was open and honest as the
day. He hated deceit, and he paused
now to think whether he should tell the
| general anything of his adventures al
Southwood. 1t could answer no purpose
do no good. 1t would only lead to in
| tolerable complications. No harm had
! been intended in keeping a secret from
| him: he, in his turn. might surely keep a
| secret from Sir Arthur and Leah-above
all. when the revelation of it would cause
only misery. His conscience was quite
clear He decided to keep his secret: no
one there need ever suspect that he had
known Martin Ray.
II am sure you will be pleased; and We
shall all be the happier for her coming, y
continued the general. "Hettie has not
been with US many days, md not many
hours here at Brentwood, yet have
found her a very pleasant addition to our
home circle. 1 like to hear the sisters
laugh and talk together. King Francis
was right when he said that a court with
Iout ladies was like a garden without
idowers. A house without women Is a
desert. And now, Basil, that have told
lyou all, let il die. Let us enjoy our
selves; let US be>bappy, and bury the past
that has nothing pleasant in it. When
you see Leah, tell her that you know all.
land that it makes no difference; she VIII
be perfectly happy then"
As he spoke, the general heard some
!slight confusion, q sound Of footsteps, a
! ,ubdued murmur.
Il am afraid there u something
wrong" he said to Basl. What Is the