The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-09-27

her own brain had become a reality
The impossible had come to pass
She smiled little panied smile Il
the impenetrable darkness OF he
place and her wrappings.
The man slept. but Elizabeth wa
wakeful IhC storm was undated
One or two wid-looking stars looked
through rents in the masses of wind
clouds.
Another hour passed. The maj
awoke, stirred, sat up and struck
match.
Excuse me-" he said, Il want te
see what o'clock it is
Taken by surprise Elizabeth allow
ed her open-eyed face to be revealed
by the puny flame, which also lit uE
for the moment the cleancut features
of the fellow traveller. resolute
mouth and chin, thinking forehead
and calm, gray eyes, holding more
latent tenderness in their depths than
do the eyes of most women.
"EiiZ--!"
The tiny phosphor-tlash vanished;
the two sat in darkness as before;
and the mountains Numbered.
Elizabeth passed in an instant
through an exercise which to woman
is something like what the buckling
ON of armor must be to man.
DO you think the match was eX-
tingushed before it fell? dill
gence on fire in a storm in the Alps
would make quite a thrilling para
| graph for the London morning pap
crs''
81 believe it is safe" said the man,
and the slight shake in the voice that
had named her was gone from 1t.
How do you do, Miss Wethered?'
well, thank you. | am glad to see
you were net eaten by the savages."
Those | have met with are rather
above the average Of civilized per-
sons
Il did not know. have not read
your book"
why should you? hope you are
going to make a pleasant stay in
Italy
MY destination is Rome-the Pal
azzo Pompiliani."
How interesting! And your faith
er. too, is well?"
Elizabeth choked back a sob in the
darkness.
We'll? Yes, | trust he is WE'LL"
she muttered.
And the old place looking as sweet
and charming as cver.''
Here the two minds, looking out OF
mutual darkness, while the wind
reared and the diligence shook and
swung above the precipices. saw both
the same scene. An English garden
in the flush of June, nigh, new hedges
with banks of brilliant flowers heaped
against them.
There was a girl in white dress,
in a winter heat of passion, and
man who had accused her OF coquetry.
standing a little away from her with
quiet eyes and a determined mouth.
Manifestly it was a lovers quarrel,
with the ending that is usual when
the love Is only on one side and the
other belligerent has the advantage OF
being without a heart. Each of the
minds in the coach summed up the ev-
idence in this manner and arrived at
an Identical conclusion.
"And your cousin who had just got
his jacket in tle Horse Artillery"
said the man, HAS he worn the Jacket
much?"
Jim has distinguished himself In
Africa" said Elizabeth. mot your
part of Africa" she added, with q
slightly wicked touch Of scoru which
sde knew to be unjust.
II understand, by the way, In my |
long absence many changes among
frienos may have taken place. have
perhaps blundered in addressing you
by your maiden name"
81 have encountered myself with no
new styles or titles And you-for l
am not reader of the papers "a fib,
for had she not read every review of
his book! you remind me that it is
probable you are no longer a bach
alor."
q OOOh Ia SSASA0A SAAAAS%
loes not run to wooing."
But your savages who are above
he average of the civilized? You
nay never meet with such another op.
Il intend to return to that society.
have only made flying visit home
o arrange with my publishers"
The travellers were clearly visible to
each other as the morning radiance
penetrated into the interior Of the dill
gence. Each stole a long, investi-
Eating look at the opposite face and
cure. The woman found that the
ran had grown bronzed and older,
md that his mouth had got harder
ines. The man saw the woman like
he pale and spiritualized sister Of a
blooming girl who had plighted her
roth to him three or four years ago.
lie noticed that her dress was black,
# that particular degree OF somber-
less winch denotes the deepest
She had no one but a father" he
bought.
DIT i,,c< fho, tho d;1inopon ~, nm |