Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-15
...By..
ANTHONY
HOPE
CHAPTER xx.-(continued3

81 can't bear this state of things"
she began. Il can't endure it any
longer
20, | can I'm all right. | hope
you haven't been worrying"
Worrying? I've robbed you!
Robbed you of everything! o, l know
you did it yourself. That makes it
worse. How did l come to make you
do it?"
Il don't know he said again well
you seem so in your place at Blent.
Somehow you made me feel an inter
loper. And" he paused moment.
yes, I'm glad" he ended.
mo, no, you mustn't be glad she
cried quickly. Because its unen-
durable, uncomfortable.
ITO you? It's not to me. thought
it might be. 1t isn't"
Eyes, to me, to me! o, end it for
me, Harry End it for mel
She was imploring She was the
ysuppliant. The reversal of parts
strange in itself. hardly seemed
strange to Harry Tristram: and it
made him quite his old self again.
He felt that he had something to give.
But her next words shattered that
delusion.
give it back to you" she prayed.
He was silent full minute before
he answered, slowly and coldly.
From anybody else | should treat
that as an insult; with you I'm will
ing to think it merely ignorance. In
either case the absurdity in the
same" He turned away from her
with look of distaste almost of
disgust. How in the world could
you do it?" he added by the way of
climax.
Il could do it. In one way could"
She rose as he turned back to her.
Il want you to have Blent. You're
the proper master of Blent. Do you
think I want to have it by accident?"
You have it by law, not by acct
dent" he answered CURLY. He was
growing angry WHY do you come
here and unsettle me-" he demanded.
81 wasn't thinking of it. And then
you come here"
She was apologize no longer. She
faced him boldly.
"You ought to think of it, she in
sisted "And, yes, I've come here be-
cause it was right for me to come !;
because couldn't respect myself UNI
less l came. | want you to take back
Blent
\ What internal nonsense" he ex-
claimed. You know it's impossible
mo" she said. She was calm, but
her breath came quick There's one
way in which it's possible
In an instant he understood her:
there was no need of more words. She
knew herself to be understood as she
looked at him, and for awhile she
looked steadily, but he returned the
gaze, so That presently, in spite OF
her efforts, she felt herstlf flushing
red, and her eyes fell The room hat
become intentionally quiet too
At last she spoke.
81 suppose you remember what
told you about jamie Iver?" he. said
"and that's how you came to thinl
/ might do this. You must see tina
that was different. l gave as mucl
as l got there. She was rich, was
He smiled sourly- Il was, Tristran
of Blent. You are Tristram of Blent
am he shrugged his shoulders
He made no reference to the per
sonal side of the case. She was no
hurt, she was enormously relieved.
I'm not inclined to be pensione
on my Wife he said.
She opened her lips to speak; sh
was within an ace of telling him that
AZ if this and that went well, he woul
have so assured and recognized
position that none could throw stone
at him. Her words died away in tn
face of the preemptory finality of hi
words and the bitter anger on hi
\ face. She sat silent and foriorn, woI
dering what had become OF her X
solve and her inspiration
"In my place you would feel as
do,'' he said moment later. His ton
was milder. You can't deny it, h
insisted. Look me in the face an
deny it if you can. | know you to
we'll"
For some minutes later she So
still. Then she got up with a desc
ate air. Everything seemed over: tn
great offer, with it's great scene, ha
h come to very little. Without attemp
/ ing to bid him any farewell she mo
ed toward the door, slowly and dreal
ly. Z
She was arrested by his voice
new voice, very good-natured, rattle
chatting.
Are yoa doing anything partic
lar tonight" he asked.
She turned around: he was smili1
at her in an open. but friend
amusement.
No. she murmured I'm goil
back home, | suppose"
ITO Bient?" he asked quickly
mo, to our home. Mina's thel
and" Her face was puzzled she lie
her sentence unfinished.
We'll, I've got nothing to do. Lei
have dinner and so somewhere
gether."
i Their eyes met. Gradually Cecil,