Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-02-03
HIS GRACE"
Author of "The Barn Stormers" "The Woman in Grey
fortunes Sport" "The House by the Lock-"
ga Man From the Dark" Lady Mary
of the Dark House." "Her
Royal Highness' etc. j.

I her by the river her heart had been his.
she had felt his strength, his mag
netism, and the joy of acknowledging
| him her master.
Towards the end of September, Blan-
don Palgrave unexpectedly appeared in
the neighborhood of Kildaragh. He
was on walking tour, as he had been
with his cousin of Leicester, when
first the two young men had met the
] charming chatelain.
Of course, he was asked to dinner
by Lady Clapcarden and Anne, and Of
course he had something to say of
Maurice, whom he had recently seen
in Scotland
''He has just decided" said Blandon,
that it may be possible for him to run
down here for day or two, almost i'm
mediately."
He waited for Anne's beautiful blush
Of establishment and pleasure to sub
side, and then exclaimed at his own
stupidity for spelling sport. 81
oughtn't to have told" he said, self
reproachfully. "He wanted to surprise
you, believe. So pray don't say any
thing about it in your letters, if you're
writing between now and next Satur-
day. 1 suppose (smilingly) the lucky
beggar gets letter from you every
day."
"No he doesn't" returned Anne,
girlishly anxious to deny the implied
charge of "spooniness" on her part. 81
am sure we are very sensible. At
least, am. I never write to him more
than twice a week"
''But you'll be writing once again
before he comes? If you let him sus-
pect what I've done, you know, I,shdll
be in his bad books"
''He shan't suspect F." said Anne, "and
to make your-lnind quite easy on that
point, 1~nay tell you that l shall not
write before the time when you say
ne means to surprise me- l wrote to-
day, if you must know. Now he shall
have the more incentive for keeping
to his intention, by not hearing from
me again.
That will bring him fast enough"
laughed Blandon, looking particularly
we'll satisfied with himself After
wards, Anne remembered the CONVEX
station, and how guilelessly she had
played into his hands
One afternoon, when Jack Maynard
had come home delightfully."- tired and
hungry, after very good day on the
moors, he found letter with "spe-
cial delivery stamp awaiting him. 1t
had only just been brought, his valet
said
The post-mark was Kildaragh, and
the handwriting Anne's. He opened it
hastily, to find but one page covered,
and that apparently with some agita-
ton and haste, so Irregular was the
penmanship. Odd little blisters were
raised here and there upon the paper,
and a pang of apprehension struck at
Jacks heart as he read.
Dearest" she began. Can you
come to me at once? Something most
unpleasant has happened at home
which cannot even try to tell you on
paper, but it makes it impossible FOR
me to see you in the house. You win
have this on Thursday | beg you to
start at once, and meet me on Friday
afternoon, at five o'clock, at the Silver
Birches. You will know where they
are-or anyone will tell you. , hev are
on my own estate. The place is quiet
and we shall not be interrupted. Don't
think this strange, for I am in great
trouble. l know you will not fail me.
Burn this letter, or carry it with you
in your pocket. Don't leave it about
where anyone can see it. You need
not telegraph, or send me word that
you will come. Indeed, for certain
reasons to be explained later, | would
prefer you did not. shall expect you
without that.-YOurs in deep distress,
Anne"
"P. S.-Be sure that you keep the ap-
polntment to the moment, neither ear
lier nor later. Much may depend on
that, and if you love me, don't tell any
one at home where you are going. You