The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-02-21

1t startles her. Has she indeed been
here so long2 What II Griselda should
wake and be alarmed for her? She
moves quickly in the direction Of the
house. and at last, regaining the inner
garden, begins to think her pleasant So
journ at an end,
She has neared the strawberries and in
voluntarily turns her glanceytheir way as
! they lie upon her left; involuntarily, too,
she seeks to pierce the darkness that en-
velops them, when she stops, and presses
her hand convulsively TO her breast. Who
Is it-what is it, moving there, in the
mysterious gloom?
Don't be frightened. 1t Is l, Seaton,"
says most unwelcome voice.
"Ah!' she says. She is angry beyond
doubt, and still further angered by the
knowledge that there is more of relief
than coldness in the simple exclamation.
! Il had no idea you were here at all"
she says, family, after pause that has
grown sufficiently long to be awkward.
Il am afraid have startled you. If |
had known | should not, of course, have
come here"
You make 1t very hard for me-" she
says, with touch of passionate impa-
tience.
'That is unjust" says he, reused In
turn. ITO make your life easier is my
hearts desife.p
Are you succeeding, do you think?
Does it," with gathering scorn. make
my part smoother, when you compel me
to see that you stay away, or only come
here at hours inconvenient to you, be-
cause-because of meY
She turns aside sharply, and walks
step or two away from him. Somehow
at this instant, the growing chill Of the
early night seems to strike more sharply
on her senses, and a shiver not to be
suppressed stirs her whole frame.
"You are cold" he exclaims, coming
up to her with hasty stride. What
madness it is, your being out at this
hour! Come, come back to the house."
She agrees silently to this proposition,
and follows him across the grass to the
small oaken door that had given her
egress--only to find 1t barred against her!
Seaton, having tried it, glances at her
in mute dismay.
Crunch must have fastened it, on her
way to bed. The bolt is drawn" saws
he, slowly.
"DO you mean that can't get in p
asks she, as II unable to credit so terri
Bile an announcement.
'Oh, | dare say it can't be so bad as
that" hastily. Only" hesitating. as If
hardly knowing how to explain, 'the
front door is Of course locked and chain
ed, and the servants, with the exception
of Crunch, all asleep at the top of the
house; late arrangement of my fathers
as the original servants quarters lie be-
low. am afraid, therefore, that il we
knocked forever, it would have no effect.
However, can try to do something, but
in the meantime you must not stay out
here in the cold"
"You may feel it cold. l don't" re-
turns she .perversely. mot so long as
the moonlight lasts, shall find 1t lonely
either. L." raising her unfriendly, beau
tiful eyes to his-"I assure you shall be
quite happy out here, even though stay
till the day dawns and the doors are
open again."
Happy" As he repeats her word
he looks at her with keen scrutiny; "A
word out of place, surely; given the best
conditions, | hardly dare to believe You
could ever be happy at Greycourt."
Happy or unhappy" says she, with
quick resentment, her mind being dis
tressed by this awkward fear of having
to pass the night from under any roof.
surely it can be nothing to you! Why
affect an interest in one who is as hate
ful to you as | am?" A little FIRE has
fallen into her tone, and there is ill-sup-
pressed contempt in the eyes she lifts to
his. Perhaps he is driven by it into an
anger that leads to his betrayal.
Hateful to me! Do you think you are
that VeraT" says he, in a low tone, but
one full of fierce and sudden passion
passion long suppressed. DO you hon.
estly believe thatT His manner is al
most violent, and as he speaks he catches
both her hands in his, and crushes them
vehemently against his breast. 81 would
to heaven" he says. miserably, that
that were sol"
As If stupefed by surprise. Vera stands
motionless, her hands lying passively in
his. She is aware that he is looking at
her, with new, wild. strange expression
in his eyes, but a horrible sense of being
powerless to resist him numbs all her
being. And suddenly, as she struggles
with herself, he bends over her, and
without warning lifts her hands and
presses warm, fervent kisses on the
small, cold hands.
Then she is aroused indeed from her
odd lethargy, and by a sharp movement
wrenches herself free.
Don't" she cries. family; "it is in
sufferable cannot-bear it! Have you
no sense OF honor leftT"
Her tone calms him, but something
within him revolts against the idea of
apology. He loves her-let her know It.
He will not go back from that. though
her scorn slay him.
There is nothing dishonorable," he
says, steadily. Il love you; am glad
you know it. Despise me il you can, re-
jeet me as know you will, am still the
better for the thought that have laid
bare to you all my heart. And now
you cannot stay here" he goes on quick
ly, as though fearing to wait for her next
words; ''the night is cold and damp.
There is the summer house over there"
pointing in its direction; go and rest
there. till | call you"
Vera hastens to the shelter suggested.
and sinking down upon the one seat it
contains, a round rustic chair in the last
stage OF decay, gives way to the over
pOwering fatigue that for the last hour
has been expressing her. Reluctantly
she does this and quite unconsciously.
0bstinately determined to fight sleep to
the last, she presently suceumbs to that
kindly tyrant, and falls into one OF the
most delicious slumbers she has ever yet
enjoyed.
How long II lasts she never knows. but
when next she opens her eyes with a
nervous start. the FIRST flush OF rosy dawn
is flooding hill and valley and sea. Some
thing lying at her feet disturbs all her
preconceived faneies. 1t must have slip
ped from her when she rose. Regard
ing il more earnestly. she Acknowledges
unwillingly that il is Seaton's coat. q
light gray one. When she was asleep.
lost TO all knowledge Of friend or foe,
then he had come and placed that coat
across her shoulders
Her eyes are large and languid with
sleep broken and unsatisfed. her soft
hair lies rutfied on her low, broad brow.
She looks timidly, nervously, around her
as one expecting anything but good;
her whole air is shrinking. and her whole
self altogether lovely.
To the young man standing in his shirt
sleeves. half hidden among the laurels
and looking at her. with admiration gen
erOusly mixed with melancholy In his
glance. she seems the very Incarnation
: of all things desirable.
He preSSes her hand and kurrieS her