The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-10
One Summer at Sapphire.
CONTINUED from Page Thirteen.)


said. Here we are once more. Remem-
Der you guide me up Toxaway tomorrow
afternoon, or l go alone" Il hope you
will do nothing Of the kind, to go alone
would never do, even if you knew the
way" "All right then, be sure you
come with me- Goodbye until tomorrow,
she answers as he helps her from the
boat. Tomorrow Rex is sent to the sta
tion, and Trixy, vexed and impatient,
determines to go anyway. Miss Morton
and her brother are quite wiling to go
with her, but when afternoon comes Miss
Morton has a bad headache. and young
Morton, thinking the walk would be de-
ferred, goes fishing. Trixy bites her
pretty lower lip and gives her cap a
vicious pull as she steps out of the hotel
bent upon carrying out her plan. She
sets forth very brayely, but after walk
ing for half an hour. she feels that she
is not in the right path. The woods
seem strangely quiet and the sun has
disappeared behind a cloud. About five
o'clock Rex LOmbre returns from the
station, and remarks to Mr. Wells, as
he comes up to question him, I'VE are
going to have storm very soon. | am
glad we reached here first" Even as he
speaks there is an ominous roll Of dis
tant thunder "a Storm says Mrs Col
ton, who has been standing near the
porte cochere watching the arrivals. Il
hope not, Trixy and the Mortons have
gone up Toxaway from this side. Trixy
is mortally afraid of thunder and light
ming. What shall she do?" II am sure"
said the lady near Mrs. Cotton, that
Miss Morton did not go; she is in her
room with headache, and Hal has GER
tainly gone fishing. | saw Miss Lisle
start off alone Alone said Rex
L'Ombre under his breath. "Mr. Wells,
please have the horses sent to the stable.
am going to look for Miss Lisle." With
out waiting for a reply Rex disappears
with rapid strides in the direction Trixy
had taken. Darker and darker grew the
sky, and nearer and nearer came the
thunder. as he almost ran w the steep
path. After a fruitless search of nearly
an hour he found little brown glove.
Snatching it UP and pressing it to his
lips he turns from the main trail into
a path indicated by the glove, and leading
toward his own house. In less than ten
minutes he sees her. frightened, for
lorn, pale Trixy, who is ON the verge
step, and rising from the fallen log upon
which she had been seated, she stretches
out both hands to him, crying. "Ah, Rex.
j knew that you would find me. Take
me somewhere quick; | am afraid" She
is not aware that she has called him by
his first name, but it fills the mans
heart with a great gladness, as he goes
up to her and takes her trembling hands.
you need not be afraid now. my house
is only a few hundred yards away. You
are quite safe with me-" He takes her
arm and fairly lifts her up one or two
steep places as they hurriedly go onward.
Just as the storm is about to burst upon
them they reach the house. He leads
her to a couch on one side of the room,
a low couch covered with skins and hav-
ing a high back over which is a gray
blanket. Then he stands leaning on the
quaint mantel as he looks at her. She is
the first to break the silence. "You are
not afraid of a storm like this % mot
at all; there is no danger for us, too
many tall trees for the house to be
struck" ut terrifes me So" she re-
plies. 1.-THE bright light, the awful noise.
If you are not afraid, please sit by me.
1 think / would feel more safe"
Obediently he seats himself by her side,
and as he does so there comes a vivid
flash of lightning, followed by a crash
ing of timber, Trixy gives a suppressed
cry and unconsciously lays her hand
upon his knee. Instantly his own CLOSES
over 1t. do you mind, she says If
shut my eyes and don't talk. l am so
tired" do just as you please" he
answers, still holding her hand. Let me
put this blanket at your back; you can
lean on it and be more comfortable"
With his disengaged hand he arranges
the blanket, but does not remove his
arm from the back of the couch. With
sigh Trixy leans against Rex L'Ombres
shoulder and not the gray blanket. 1t
is only this once, for one brief hour, and
she is really very much afraid. They
do not talk, that would have broken the
spell, but once or twice Rex L'Ombres
breath comes deep and quick, as he feels
Trixy Lisle draw closer to him in her
fright. Her wavy chestnut hair touches
his cheek, and as he bends his head for
one sweet moment his lips rest upon the
soft coil. Oh the madness of it for him,
the JOY of holding her thus, even though
he feels that she must regret it after
wards The storm passes and Trixy sud
denly springs up saying: I'VE must go.
Are you ready?" she continues with
feverish eagerness. Yes" he quietly re-
plies, lin few minutes. We will go as
soon as the rain ceases" AS he speaks
the setting sun lights up the little room
with its radiant glory, and Trixy glances
about her, at the artistic arrangement of
the rustic furniture, the gun and fishing
rods over the mantel, the rustic chairs,
the odd table, the curious stones, the
skins on the floor. all arranged in
manner pleasing to the eye. "You are
very comfortable here said Trixy. But
are not you often lonely?" 81 never
used to be-" he answers, with sigh,
and Trixy signs too and says no more.
Come" he says, your friends will be
anxious about you. We will have a wet
walk. | wish l could save you that"
mo, | deserve the wetting as a punish
ment for my folly, and it will not hurt
me-" AS they step forth from the door
the sun is sinking in crimson splendor.
illuminating the mountains around them.
covering the trees with sparkling dia-
monds, and making a mirror of the wa
tiers of Fairfield lake below them How
beautiful said Trixy as she pauses for
a moment to gaze upon the view ''When