Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1902-02-27
cuApTER XII.


the swlliEhtrd garden. after another stol
en meeting with Tom peyton on the gar
den wall, stops ~ she reaches the sum.
mer house, fayoriie resort Of Vera's.
Notwithstanding the father unpleasant
associations connected with Il. aud pokes
In her head 10 find Vera there.
''i've come back" she cries, breath
ieasly, sinking into seat and looking az
Vera with despair IN her eyes. II have
done as you desired me, have said good
ny 20 him forcver!"
"What did he sayl Was he very much
upsetr' with burning Interest.
HE said he'd mamARc 10 aec nie Ia
some way or other" says Griseida. with
= heavy sigh.
''Oh. welcome now, that's not 20
bad" says Vera, checrfully, forgetful Of
prudence nt sight Of her sisters grief.
"He seems from all have heard from
you a--a sort of person who would be
dltiieult TO batiie. | think I should put
faith In that declaration OF bis II were
you"
''Oh. he saIl more than that" cries
Griselda. "Why, Il appears that Tom
Mr. Peyton--knowa Seaton quite well.
and likes him, too. Mr. Peyton says
that he, Eeaton, IL engaged 10 be married
TO 4 Miss Butler, friend OF Lady Rly.
endnle's."
For a moment there ls a dead silence.
during which the pretty crimson on
Nera's cheek dies out, leaving her singu.
larly pale No doubt the surprise Is
great.
rs that truei" she says. II should
not be surprised, though confess am:
II II only what | might have expected
from my first Judgment OF him. And
Que should not condemn him, either; Il Is
not bis fault that he calls Uncle Gregory
father"
A footstep upon the gravel outside
makes them both turn their heads.
what Is u, Grunch7' Vera calmly
asks as the houuekeepcr appears on the
threshold
''The master wishes 10 see you, Miss
Dysart. In the library" There Is an ex.
preston OF malignant amusement In the
woman's eyes as she says this
vera had gone into the library with a
pale face. bat Il was with one paler still
she came out Of Il half an hour later.
white as death. and with q strained look
OF passion on every feature not to be sub.
dued. She might perhaps have given way
20 the blessed relief OF tears IL she had
had time TO escape Griselda: but as she
Ands herself locking at Scaton Dysart,
who has nj this moment entered the In
ner hall leading TO the room she has just
left, oil her being seems to stiffen into
cold horror OF contempt.
She stops short and fixes her heavy
eyes on his
$50 you betrayed mev' she says, In
low tone that ylbrates with scorn
Betrayed your" echoes he, starting
There Is that In her face not TO be mis,
taken, and q presentlment of coming
evil sends hot flush TO his brow.
'You are a bad actor" says she, with
4 palesmlle: you change color, at
crisis; you have still a last grain OF hon.
esty left In you. You should see to that;
kill It quickly, It spoils your otherwise
perfect role"
"You are pleased to be cnigmatical,"
says he, with frown. II am, however,
at a loss to know what you mean"
"Oh, are you ashamed to keep Il up
the deceptionf" cries she with a sud
den outbreak OF wrath. "0h, how could
you do itf'
"Great heaven! how can convince you
that have done nothing" exclaims he,
growing pale as herself,
'sThere was no one else awake. there
was no one to see me" says she. trying
to stihe her agitation. What, then, must
think but that you were the one to tell
your father OF that unlucky night when
l was locked out in the garden"
'He has heard thatT Seaton, as IL
thunderstruck, looks blankly at her.
"Why do you compel me to tell you
what you already know?" says she, with
a little Irrepressible stamp of her foot.
'If you will listen to what Is already no
news to you, learn that your father sent
for me just nova long time ago, hours
ago. / think" putting her hand to her
head In little, confused, miserable way,
''and accused me of having spent the
whole night alone with you, purposely, in
the garden"
"And you think that T."
"Is don't think" with a condemnatory
glance. "As l told you before, know.
Your father has lnsolently accused me
Of an impossible thing; but even Il | had
stayed In the garden with you that night,
Of my own free will, cannot see where
would lie the disgrace he connects with
t."
"YOu are right. no one could see dis
grace where you were," says Seaton,
calmly. "My father Is an old man, he"
''Is old enough to know how to insult
a woman" coldly, "when," with a terri
bic glance ct him, shown the way Oh"
laying her hand upon her breast In a
parOxysm of grief, ut was abominable OF
yeu, and you said-twice you said It."
coming closer to him, and lifting accus-
Ing eyes to his, "'Trust me- remember
II as though you uttered 1t but now, and
/ believed you. Trust me- you said"
81 should say Il again." says Dysart,
'a hundred times again. Come" he says.
and leads her back again to the library
she has just Quilted.
Gregory Dysart still sits in bis usual
chair, his arms on the elbows Of 1t, his
face Is set, as though death had laid Its
seal ON It, save for the marvelously,
horribly youthful eyes, SO full of fire and
life.
''You win be so good as to explain to
Vera at once" begins Seaton, In dan
gSrous tone, "how It was you learned OF
her being In the garden the other night.
"What nlghtf She may have been ont
every night, for aught know; she tells
ne she Is fond of moonlight" replies the
~ man, impassively.
"You understand perfectly the night Of