Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-05
CHAPTER XVII.
BEFORE TR

Harry Tristram had come back to
Blent in the mood which had belonged
there as of old-the mood that claim
ed as his right what had become his
by love; that knew no scruples, if
only he could gain and keep it: that
was ready to play a bold game and
take great chance. He did not ar
que about what he was going to do.
He did not justify it. and perhaps
could not. Yet to him what he pur-
posed was so clearly the best thing
that Cecily must be forced into it.
She could not be forced by force: if
he told her the truth he would meet
at the outset a resistance that he
could not quail. He might encounter
that, after all, later on, in spite of a
present success. That was the great
risk he was determined to run. AT
the most there would be something
gained; if she were and would be moth
ing else, she should and must at least
be mistress of Blent. His magma
ton had set her in that place, his
pride no less than his love, demanded
it for her. He had gone away once
that she might have it. If need be
again he would go away. That stood
for decision later
She walked slowly to the end of the
long gallery and sat down in the great
armchair: it held it's own position in
spite of the changes Harry noted
with quick eyes and a suppressed
smile as he followed her and set his
candle on table near. He lit two
more from it and then turned to her
She was pale and defiant
"Wallo' she said .whv up,,
here?"
She asked, and he gave no excuse
for the untimely hour of his visit and
no explanation of it,
I'm here because | couldn't keep
away he answered gravely, standing
before her.
You promised to keep away. Can't
you keep PROMISES"
mo: not such promises as that .
And so you make my life impossi.
Bile! You see this room: you see how
I've changed it? I've been changing
everything could. Why? To for.
get you, to blot you out, to be rid of
you. I've been bringing myself to
take my place. Tonight | seemed to
at last to be winning my way to it
Now you come; you gave me all this:
why do you make it impossible to me?''
A bright color came to her cheeks
now as she grew vehement in her re-
proaches, and her voice was intense
though low
A luxury of joy swept over him as
he listened. Every tapnt witnessed
to his power, every reproach to her
love. He played trick, indeed, and
part, but there was no trick, and nc
acting, in so far as he was her lover
If that truth could not redeem his de.
ception, it stified all sense of guilt.
And you were forgetting? You We're
getting rid off" he asked, smiling, and
liking his eyes upon her.
Perhaps. And now" She made
a gesture of despair. Tell newly
have you Gomez" Her tone changed
to entreaty.
I've come because | must be where
you are, because l was mad to send
you away before, mad not to come to
you before, to think / could live with
out you, not to see that we two must
be together; because you're every
thing to me-" He had come nearer
to her now and stood by her. Ever
since went away | have seen you in
this room, in that chair, think it was
your ghost only that came to town"
He laughed a moment 81 wouldn't
have the ghost. | didn't know why.
Now | know: | wanted the you that
was here-the real you-as you had
been on the night | went away. So
I've come back to you. We're ourselves
here, Cecily. We Tristrams are aur-
selves at Blent."
She had listened silently, her ewes
on his. She seemed bewildered br
the sudden rush of his passion and
the enraptured eagnerness of his
words that made her own vehemence
sound to her poor and thin. Pride
had its share in her protests, love was
the sole spring of his intensity. Yet
she puzzled by the victorious light in
his eyes. What he said, what he came
to do was such surrender as she