Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-02-25


turns away.
"Pshaw, you are not worth it!" he
says, his manner full of the most intense
self-contempt.
CHAPTER XI.
A gleam OF moonlight coming through
the open window puts the lamp to
shame, and compels Vera's attention
How sweet, how heavenly fair the gar.
den seems, wrapped in those pale, cold
beams! She can see it from where she
sits on the deep, cushioned seat of the
old-fashioned window, and longing to
rise and go into 1t, to feel the tender
head, takes possession of her.
Catching up light shawl to cover the
evening gown she wears, she steals, care
fully as might guilty soul, by Griselda's g
bed, along the dusky corridor, down the
staircase, and past the servants quar-
ters, where light under Mrs. Crunch s
door warns her that that remorseless foe
has as yet refused to surrender herself
to slumber.
A small door leading into the garden
is close to this, and moving swiftly up
the narrow stone passage that brings her
it after her that she can regain the house
at any moment, she turns to find herself
alone in the exquisite perfumed silence
of the night.
How long she thus gives herself up to
the sweet new enjoyment of life she
hardly knows until she hears the ancient
belfry clock telling the midnight hour.
1t startles her. Has she indeed been
wake and be alarmed for her? She
moves quickly in the direction of the
house, and at last, regaining the inner
journ at an end.
She has neared the strawberries and in
voluntarily turns her glance their way as
they lie upon her left; involuntarily, too,
she seeks to pierce the darkness that en-
her hand convulsively to her breast. Who
is it-what is it, moving there, in the
mysterious gloom?
"Don't be frightened. 1t is 1, 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.
she says, family, after a pause that has
grown sufficiently long to be awkward
Il am afraid l have startled you. If I
had known l should not, Of course, have
come here"
You make it very hard for me-" she
says, with a touch of passionate impa-
tience.
That is unjust" says he, reused in
II 10 g..
hearts DESIRE"
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 me?"
She turns aside sharply, and walks a
step or two away from him. Somehow
at this instant, the growing chill of the
early night seems to strike more sharply
suppressed stirs her whole frame.
You are cold" he exclaims, coming
up to her with a 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 it barred against herI
Seaton, having tried it, glances at her
in mute dismay.
way to bed. The bolt is drawn" says
he, slowly.
DO you mean that 1 can't get IMP
asks she, as if unable to credit so terri
bic an announcement.
"Oh, 1 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. l am afraid, therefore, that if we
knocked forever. it would have no effect,
However, l 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. Not so long as
the moonlight lasts, shall l find it lonely
either. l." raising her unfriendly, beau
tiful eyes to his-'I assure you l shall be
quite happy out here, even though l stay
till the day dawns and the doors are
open again"
"Happyr AS he repeats her word
he looks at her with keen scrutiny. "A
word out of place, surely; given the best
conditions, l 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
full to you as 1 amp 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, Vera" says he. in a low tone, but
one full of fierce and sudden passion
passion long suppressed. DO you hon
estly believe that?' 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 so!'