The sun., 1900-11-29
CHAPTER VII.

Frederick back. She had caught him
by the arm as he was about leaving
the room with his father, and he felt
himself obliged to stop and listen.
"I start for Springfield today" she
announced. 81 have another relative
there living at the - house. When
shall / have the pleasure of seeing you
in my new homer
"Never." 1t was said regretfully and
vet with a certain brusqueness occa-
stoned perhaps by overexcited feeling.
"Hard as it is for me to say 1t, Anna
bel, it is but just for me to tell you that
after our parting here today we will
meet only as strangers. Friendship
between us would be mockery, and any
closer relationship has become impos-
sible."
1t had cost him an immense effort to
say these words, and he expected, fond
ly expected, | must admit, to see her
color change and her head droop. But
instead of this she looked at him stead
lily for q moment, then slipped her
hand down his arm till she reached his
palm, which she pressed with sudden
warmth, drawing him into the room as
she did so and shutting the door behind
them. He was speechless, for she ney-
er had looked so handsome or so glow
ing. Instead of showing depression or
| humiliation even She confronted him
| with il smile more dangerous than any
| display OF grief could have been, for i
contained what it had hitherto lacked,
positive and irresistible admiration.
! Her words were equally dangerous.
Il kiss your hand, as the spaniards
saw" And she almost did so, with a
bend Of her head which just allowed
him to catch glimpse of two startling
dimples.
/ He was astounded. He thought he
knew this woman well. but at this mo-
ment she was as incomprehensible to
him as if he had never made study OF
her caprices and ever shifting express
sions.
II am sensible of the honor" said he.
"but hardly understand how ! have
earned it."
Still that incomprehensible look of
admiration continued to illumine her
face.
"I did not know could ever think so
| wen Oh yOu, Slc uCtldiSd' - 49, -
not take care, shall end by loving you
some day"
"Ah," he calculated, his face con-
.. tracing with sudden pain, "your love,
then, is but a potentlality! Very well,
Amabel, keep it so and you will be
SHARED much misery. AS for me, who
: have not been as wise as YOU
"Frederick" She had come so near
" he did not have the strength to finish.
. Her face, with its ndefnable charn,,
Y was raised to his, as she dropped these
5 words one by one from her lips i'm lin
. gering cadence, "Frederick-do you
love me, then, so very much?"
; He was angry; possibly because he
. :. felt his resolution falling him. You
: knoww he hotly began, stepping back
Then with a sudden burst of feeling
that was almost like prayer be re
sumcd: do not tempt me. Amabel.
have trouble enough without lament
ing the failure of my first steadfas
purpose"
!, "Ah," she said, stopping where sh'
was, but drawing him toward her by
q every witchery of which her mobile
! features were capable, your generous
impulse has strengthened into pur
10 pose, has it? Well, I'm not worth II
il Frederick"
d More and more astounded, under
standing her less than ever, but charm
ed by looks that would have moved al
anchorite, he turned his head away Il
vain attempt to escape an inf1uenc
that was SO rapidly undermining hi
- determination.
She saw the movement, recognizes
the weakness 1t bespoke, and In TIL
triumph of her heart allowed loy
[. laugh to escape her.
Her voice, as have before said. wa
unmusical though effective, but he
. laugh was deliciously sweet, especial
when it was restrained to a mere rlI
pie, as now.
"You will come to Springfield soon,
she avowed. slipping from before hi
so as to leave the way to the doc
open.
"Amabclr' His voice was strangel
husky. and the involuntary openin
and shutting of his hands revealed til
emotion under which he was laborin:
. do you love me? You have acknow
edged it now and then but always {
The if you did not mean it. Now you a
all knowledge that you may some day an
of this time as if you did mean it. VIII:
my is the truth? Tell me without coque
'ks ry or assembling. for am in dead ea
I,s nest, and He paused. choked al
u Far turned toward the window, where bl
md q few minutes before he had take
that solemn oath. The remembrance
of it seemed to come back with ii
movement Flushing with a new az
DIV tation, he wheeled upon her sharpl
lfs "No, no." he prayed: SAY nothing.
ooo y you swore you did not love me.
: .. D. should not believe it. and If you swo
,bt that you did | should only find it har
are er to repeat what must again be sal
GA: that union between us can never tai
place. have given my solemn prol
Use to-
~, "Well, well! Why do you stop? A
bos so hard to talk to that the words W
five not leave your lips?"
II 81 have promised MY father w