Fergus County argus., 1901-02-06

tue cOuntenunce OF ADaDel lost ltS
charms. aud he hastily drew his young
nelghbor away.
Amabel noted the movement and
smiled. She had no fears of Agnes
Halliday.
Perhaps she might have felt less con-
fdence II she could have seen the short
glances he cast his old playmate as
they proceeded slowly down the road.
Not that there was any passion I'm
them. lie was too full of care for
that, but the curiosity which could
prompt him to turn his head n dozen
times In the course of so short walk
to see why Agnes Halliday held her
face so pcrsistently away from him
had an element Of feeling In 1t that
was more or less significant. AS for
Agnes, she was so unlike her accus-
toned self as tD astOnsh even herself.
Whereas she had never before walked
n dozen steps with him without in
dulglng In some sharp saying. she
found herself disinclined 10 speak at
all, much less speak lightly. In mu-
tual silence, then, they reached the
gateway leading into the Halliday
grounds. But Agnes, having passed in,
they both stopped and for the first
time looked squarely at each other.
Her eyes fell first, perhaps because his
had changed in his contemplation Of
her. He smiled ms he saw this and in
a half careless, half wistful tone said
quietly:
"Agnes, what would you think OF a
man who, after having committed lit
tie else but folly all his life, suddenly
made up his mind TO turn absolutely
toward the right and TO pursue it in
face of every obstacle and every dis
couragementY"
81 should think" she slowly replied,
with one quick lift of her eyes toward
his face. that he had entered upon
the noblest effort Of which man is ca
pable and-the hardest. | should have
great sympathy for that man, Fred
erick."
"Would youi' he said. recalling ANA
bells face with bitter aversion MS he
gazed into the womanly countenance
he had hitherto slighted as uninterest-
Ing. 1T is the first kind word you
have over given me, Agnes. Possibly
1t Is the first | have ever deserved"
And without another word he dolTed
his hat, saluted her and vanished down
the hillside.
She remained. remained so long that
il was nearly o'clock when she en-
tered the family parlor. AS she came
In her mother looked up and was star
tied at her unaccustomed pnllor.
"Why, Agnes" cried her mother,
"what Is the matterg"
Her answer was inaudiblc. What
was the matter? She dreaded, even
feared. 10 ask herself.
Meantime strange scene was taking
place In the woods toward which she
had seen Frederick 90. The moon,
which was particularly bright that
night. shone upon certain hollow
where q huge tree lay. Around IL the
undcrbrush was thick and the shadow
dark. but in this especial place the
opening was large enough for the rays
to enter freely. Into this circlet of
light Frederick Sutherland had come.
Alone and without the restraint i'm
posed upon him by watching eyes he
showed Il countcnance so wan and full
Of trouble that it was well it could not
be seen by either Of the two women
whose thoughts were mt that moment
| fixed upon him. To Amabel it would
have given throb of selfish hope,
while TO Agnes il would have brought
pang Of despair which might have
somewhat TOO suddenly interpreted to
her the mystery Of her own sensations.
He had bent Mt once TO the hollow
space made by the outsprcadlng roots
just mentioned and was feeling with
an air Of confidence along the ground
for something he had every reason to
expect TO find when the shock Of sud-
den dlstrust seized him. and he flung
himself down in terror. feeling and
feeling again among the fallen leaves
and broken twigs until full realiza-
tion of his misfortune reached him,
and he was obliged to acknowledge
that the place was empty.
Overwhelmed at his loss. aghast at
the consequences 1t must entail upon
him, he rose in trembling sweat,
crying out in his anger and dismay:
"She has been here! She has taken
it, And realizing for the first time
the subtlety and strength of the an
tagonist pltted against him he forgot
his new resolutions and even that old
promise to Agatha Webb and uttered
oath after oath, cursing himself, the
woman and what she had done until
q casual glance at the heavens over
head, In which the liquid moon hung
calm and beautiful. recalled him to
himself. Ceasing his vain repinings
and silencing with fierce but de.
termlncd effort the fierce demon in his
breast he turned from the unhallowed
spot and made his way with deeper
and deeper misglvings toward home
made hateful to him now by the pres
cnce of the woman who was thus bent
upon his ruin.
lie understood her now. He rated a
its full value both her determination
and her power, and had she been Sc
unfortunate as to have carried her lm
prudence to the point Of surprising hin
at that moment in one of the hollowi
Of that midnight copse it would hay,
taken more than the memory of tha
days resolves TO have kept him from
using his strength against her. Blu
she WIS wise and did not intrude upoI
him In his hour Of anger, though wh'