The Newtown bee., 1902-02-28

his comes in middle life, it usually has
come to stay.
Her revery was interrupted by
whining voice in her ear and she was
startled to see by her side beggar,
the same whom Garth had seen skulk-
ing about the coliseum. He was more
ragged and cadaverous than ever and
while his words were obsequious there
was glitter in his eyes which fright
ened her.
"a penny, noble lady, just penny
to buy bread to keep poor man from
starving"
And Gwendolen drew out her purse,
thinking the sooner to be rid of him.
But like a flash he had seized her
and was striving to wrench the purse
away.
She held it fast and struggled to get
free. She did not cry out-for who
was there to hear? The bridge at that
hour was a solitude.
Then in horror she saw his quick
movement and the fash of an appraised
knife.
At that instant she also saw Cecil
Garth. He had appeared as if by mag
ic and had seized the ruffian from be-
hind. The knife wentspinning through
the air and her crushed right arm was
free.
The Italian writhed himself about,
bent forward and met his teeth in the
Englishman's wrist. Gwendolen
screamed, but Garth held the man in
grip of iron and drew him backward,
away from her.
Suddenly the man made an agile
spring and cleared the parapet, hang
ing for moment suspended over the
water, dead weight in Garth S strong
grasp. Then the rags by which he was
held gave way, there was splash be-
low, and as the waters Of the Tiber
closed over him Garth cried, "Drown-
ing is too good for the villain!''
But when the dark figure rose again
and was seen swimming rapidly toward
, the further shore, Gwendolen murmur-
ed "That is best-you would have pun
ished him too much!"
| Then she turned to her deliverer.
81 cannot imagine what happy chance
brought you to this forsaken place just
at the very moment to save my life!''
she said, TREMENDOUSLY.
cit was no chance at all" he replied
gravely. 81 saw you leave the hotel,
and I followed you. There are many
such wretches lurking in quiet places
and it is not safe for you to go about
alone"
He had bound his handkerchief
about his wrist. Gwendolen saw the
stains of blood upon it. "You are
badly hurt!" she said.
ga mere nothing-cats' teeth are al
ways sharp. I would be happy if ]
knew l should never receive a more
serious hurt than this!"
! She felt that she understood him
and stretched out her hand. "And
that more serious hurt-I must give tt
you," she said. ''And after all that
you have done for me! Oh. it is hard
but it would be more cruel to let yor
90 on, waiting, and hoping, when
know now IT is of no use! Dorothy ir
her girlish gayety has been blind tt
what you feel for her,-she does not
even suspect it-and now know that
she cares for-some one else.''
A tense silence followed. Garth had
turned away, but Gwendolen could SEE
that he was nervously biting at his
mustache.
At last he said, "You have hurt me-
twice,-and more cruelty than you sus
pect."
Suddenly he turned to her. "Gwen
dolen, it is not Dorothy that love-
it is you! And if you feel as indiffer
ent to me as you seem, then am more
deeply wounded than you dream!"
"You love-me?''cried Gwendolen
cit can't be possible!''
cit is true, and must be wretchel
bungler, that you could ever had made
such singular mistake! Tell me,
have I any hope. Don't say no! Dc
you think you could ever learn to-tc
care enough for me?"
I She was gazing at him now with
strange emotion. Tears and smiles
seemed struggling together, but the