Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-12-05

CHAPTER XVI.
Miles Brabazon had been most COM
pletely taken aback by the cool. half.
contemptuous manner in which she had
absolved him. and her eager haste to Quit
the subject which had such q vital inter.
est for them both. He could have borne
IT better II she had turned upon him with
angry reproaches. with bitter, hot up-
oraidings, with indignation-yea, with
tears. This calm. tranquil indifference,
this complete and prompt forgiveness,
was intolsrable.
About Teddy" he replied. after a yer,
perceptio.e silence. You saw my letters,
did you not? What more can l tell YOU
What do you wish to hear?" digging ur
daisy with his cane. without raising his
head.
About his DEATH" casting reserve te
me winds and gazing At hcr "onria with
tightly ciasped hands and agonfzed eyes
I'm always thinking Of it: did he suffer
much? her voice sinking to q whisper.
"No-no-he passed away almost as Is
he were asleep. with his hand in mine.
his head on my shoulder-he said it wa.
not hard to die" be added. in q lower
tone.
Tell me some more-you were with
him alone. you only. l know that he sent
aie his love. but were there no last
wishes. was there no" with quiverins
/ lips. mo message for meT'
/ Yes" returned Miles, with an effort.
there was a special message for you,"
! slowly turning his head. and looking at
his cousin gravely.
| that L.
to her feet and confronting her compan.
ion. with anxious. wistful eyes. Tell i.
to me. oh. tell 1t to me quickly"'
Il cannot" also standing up 1T has
no sense now. it Is a dead letter.
What do you mean r Indignantly. DO
you intend to keep 1t from. me2 Miles:
how can you be SO dishonorable! you are
betraying a trust he lefr with you-a
message for me: you must. you shall tell
me-" unconsciously seixing his arm. car
ried away by passion and strong emotion.
and regardless of time. person or place.
Il have told you before that l cannot.
He would not wish It now. Be satisfied
to know that his last thoughts were for
| you; that yours was the lats name he
uttered"
Il know, l know" she returned, with
dropping tears. But why may I not
hear all? How changed you are. Miles
how hard"
: $50 are you," he replied. IN a constrain-
ed tone. II know. in spite Of your assur-
ance just now, that your forgiveness is
but hollow. II Teddy had lived 1t might
have been different. He said you would
not be implacable. He said you would
have answered my letter." reproachfully
And he was quite right" she returned
impetuously. II did answer It."
you answered it? Well. l never re-
ceived any reply. How did you send it?"
"I gave 1t to Mrs. Brabazon to inclose
in hers" now becoming very pale.
'.Ah. WELL she omitted to do so: proba-
bly, she put it in the fire."
| "Oh, never! how could she!" stammer-
ed Esme, incredulously.
| Probably without the smallest COM
junction. Possibly she thought she was
acting in your best interests"
Il knew she never liked you, Miles:
never. Oh, what q dread,-, day 1t was
for u when papa married again and gave
rs such Q stepmother!" exclaimed Esme.
impetuously. "She drove Teddy from
home; she made N al very wretched.
80 did many things that were not right
no, they were not hight: and now she
has done this" clasping her hands very
| tightly together.
"Yes," assented Miles. "she has done
this"
Happily, there are not many stepmoth
] ers like her; l know two or three who
are very different" rather incoherently.
mo doubt, that is true-but yours was
more like the typical lady in old fairy
tales bitterly.
1 hot ah dafo fQd
but l never, never would have believed
that she would have stopped to that: i,
was stealing" said Esme. in IN awe
| struck whisper.
| "Worse than stealing!" returned Mile.
with fierce emphasis: and then there WAS
curious silence for some moments
| He had become very pal': he was tn TX
| NO of Mr.. Hepburn seeing wi b TOO phiii-
ful yiyidness that mental mirage. wha
,;uh. have ae. Alas, alas! for the
many who look with dim eyes On the
anne fatal picture! All we can say rs
| you'd that Mrs. Brabszon had been vIA-
| reach, that she might have received tnc
,;als Of her victims wrath. Sne nae
ruined his life; she had misrepresen'eo
him to Esme, and Esme to him. As 10
his marrying her. there was an emo TO
| that possibility now; his beautirui cousin
beside him was engaged to ano'nef m.n
he must not forget that. he "us' De
| careful of what he said.
Mrs. Brabazon wrote to you w.at ulu
tho sayY demanded Esme, after TINS long
silence. Silence is sometimes taf more
.loouent than speech.
! "She said" speaking with a decen'
.emblance of compOsuTe, tnat tnanAs -
INV mad haste in leaving the country
b.d of course lost the money ana you
! That having nothing worth mentioning 10
1.-Two ON. and no prospects, she Appeared ~
INV honor to release you unconditionans
add;ne that your heart had never peen
), the engagement" accompanying ms
oiv with a steady. penetrating gianee
{ 7, was Esme's turn to keep silent nov
c,a s,ood with the shadows OF "'
hra,ches aickering OH her wn"e w.
an the ground. her color co"'n'
and going for me. I,
hat we are friends. Esme' ~
nooosded at length II am gong 70 -,
, . ravo-I 90 away tomorrow, A.'
yyu h.h,v not be in England agan
for years" .,, and ress
llutely repressing humihatns sc. IN tn
"There is nothing to keep ma ue e,se
country now; my friends are cn a.a M
wbere." evasively. snan ~ 4
,a.ve with Annie, and tnen ~ .N.r
.ha C.ne. cannot take knty o.
again. can 7? and ] want 70 s''e
you" >ru..r, coloring r.it