Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-18

happy. She had soon found that he
expected no conventional solemnity:
he laughed himself at the idea of AID.
die Tristram wanting people to pull
long faces, and keep them long when
pulled, because she had laid her bur.
den down and was at peace. Cecily
found she might be merry, and mer.
ly she was. A new life had come to
her, too, a life of river and trees and
meadows. deeper than that, a life of
beauty about her. She absorbed it
with a native thirst. There was plen-
ty of it, and she had been starved so
long. She seized on Blent and enjoy
ed it to the full. She enjoyed Harry
too. laughing now when he stared at
her. and making him laugh, yet her
self noting all his ways, his pride, his
little lordliness-these grew dear to
her-his air of owning the country
side, and making no secret OF her
own pleasure in being part of the fam.
lily, and in living in the house that
owned the country side 1t is to be
feared that Mr.. Gainsborough and his
chill were rather neglected, but he
got on very we'll with Addie Iris.
trans ancient maid; she had the no.
bility at her fingers ends, and even
knew something about their pedi-
grees. Cecily was free. or assumed
the freedom, to spend her time with
Harry, or, if he failed her, at least
with and among the things that be,
longed to him and had belonged to
beautiful Addie Tristram, who had
been like her-so Harry said, and Ce-
city treasured the thought, teasing
him now sometimes, as they grew in
innate, with purposed repetition of
pose or trick that she had first dis
played unconsciously, and found had
power to make him frown or smile.
She smiled herself in mischievous tri-
umph when she hit her mark, or she
would break into the rich gurgle of
delight that he remembered hearing
from his young mother when he him
self was a child. The life was to her
all pure delight; she had no share in
the thoughts that often darkened his
brow, no knowledge of the thing
which again and again filled him with
that wondering despair.
On the evening of the day when
Major Duplay went to Fairholme. the
two sat together in the garden after
dinner. 1t was o'clock. a close. still
night, with dark clouds now and then
slowly moving off and on to the face
of the moon, nearly full. They had
been silent for some minutes. slipping
coffee. Cecily pointed to the row of
windows in the left wing of the house.
I've never been there" she said.
Whats that?"
THE long gallery-all one long
room, you know" he answered.
'One room! All that! What's in
it ?"
Well, everything, mostly" he smil-
ed. All our treasures, and our pict-
ures, and so on"
why haven't you taken me there p"
Harry shrugged his shoulders.
You never asked me- he said.
We'll, will you take me there now
when you've finished your cigar?"
There was a pause before he ans
wered, Eyes, if you like" He turned
to the servant who had come to take
away the coffee, Light up the long
gallery at once
Yes, my lord" A slight surprise
broke through the respectful accept
ance of the order.
~ was iiSlICu lOI lily
months ago. Harry said, as though
he were explaining his servants sur
prise. She sat there the last evening
before she took to her ROOM
rs that why you haven't taken me
there?"
II expect it is" His tone was not
very confident.
and you don't much want to
now?"
mo, don't know that l do But
his reluctance seemed vague and
weak.
20, must 60" Cecily decided,
but you needn't come unless you
like, you know
All right, you go alone" he agreed.
Window after window sprang into
light. Cecily rose, waved her hand
to Harry and ran off into the house
with a laugh The next moment he
saw her figure in the first window:
she threw it open, waved her hand
again, and again laughed; the moon
clear for a moment, shone on her
face and turned it pale.
He sat watching the lighted win
dows. From time to time she darted
into sight. Once he heard the big
window facing the river at the end
flung open. The next instant she
was in sight at the other extremity of
the gallery. Evidently she was run
ming about, examining all the things.
She came to a window presently, and
cried, II wish you'd come ami tell
me all about it, Il don't think
will he called back. 20, we'll"
she laughed, impatiently, and disap-
peared. Minutes passed, and he did
not see her again. She must have
settled down somewhere, he suppos-
ed. Or perhaps her interest was ex-
haustod, and she had gone off to her
fathers room. No, there she was,
fitting past window again. His re-
lnctance gave way before curiosity
and attraction. Flinging away his
cigar, he got UP and walked slowly
into the house.
The passage outside the gallery
was dimly lighted, and the door of
the gallery was open. Harry stood in
the shadow, unseen, watching intent
ly every movement of the girl She
was looking at case of miniatures
and medals, memorials of beauties
and of warriors. She turned from
them to the picture of an Elizabethan
countess, splendid in ruff and rich in
embroidery She caught up candle