Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-06-21
CHAPTER Iv.-(ContinuedJ


CHAPTER Iv.-(Continued)
On a December night, the others hav-
ing made up two tables at whist, Maude
led her through, one of the long windows
10 the gallery outside and thence into the
hard, white yard. Fifty yards away grew
grove of pecans, and to this he bent
his steps, she going obediently. She seem
cd to feel that a crisis was near and her
spirit rose to meet it. There was no
moon, but in a cloudless heaven was
glory of stars, so large, so brilliant that
almost one of her lost northern twilghts
was about her. Reaching the grove. he
paused and looked at her for IL full min
ute without speaking. Finding the 81
lence irksome, and anxious as every
woman similarly placed is anxious, for
the crucial moment to come and pass.
she laughed lightly, though with some
constraint, and said:
You are silent tonight, Mr.. Maude
Are you thinking of pig-sticking or the
things in the last London paperE'
"Of neither" he answered gravely, with
his face set and his tall form rigid. Il
am thinking, as l have thought for a
month past, of YOU"
1T should be Improbable reflection,
she said quickly. There are matters of
much more moment in the world"
There is not" he replied, speaking
with more rapidity and little thickly,
in the world, or in the universe mat
ter of more moment to mea fact which
you know well, Miss English, and have
known for some Tine
Il know nothing about it, she replied
colby and moving on. Il do not care
to-
He was by her side moving evenly
with her and broke in smoothly: ut is a
beautiful night, don't you think: What
is it that Manfred says: On such a
night, when l was wandering, | stood
upon the Coliseum's hoary wall, mid the
chief relics of almighty Rome The Coli
scum by moonlight is wonderful spec
tace, but l like it best when only the
stars are shining. 1t looms larger so aud
there is even more of mystery to it."
You told me once that you do not like
moonlight" she said. THAT seems Curl
GUS. To me it is a beautiful time. 1t
is lucky that your aversion does not ex-
tend also to daylight"
1T Does" he replied shortly. Much
of our time is passed in sunlight particu-
arly in this country, where everything
for twelve hours out of the twenty four
is in glare, but | would make it all star
light if | could. You may not have no.
iced it, but | see as we'll now as at
noon. 1t is due TO some peculiar expan-
sion of the retina. My mother was So"
She looked at him TO discover whether
by any possibility he was jesting though
she had never known him to jest and
saw, even in the half light, that his eyes
were larger and seemed all black. with
nothing of the white visible. 1t gave her
an eerie feeling and she drew away from
him inyoluntarily.
II have found it a valuable faculty in
scouting in past times" he went on. Il
used in the course of work to do good
deal of night riding
This was literally his first reference to
has past life and she listened, expecting
more, but he broke off with:
You have been with us for some
weeks, Miss English? Do you like the
country and the lifeY'
Il do" she answered unreservedly and
unguardedly. Il am charmed with both. -
Il am glad to hear you say that" was
the reply. Because l intended to ask
you to remain here
ly just when they were farthest from the
test, that she stopped still al stam-
mered:
IL don't-dont understand" She
realized a momenet later that this was
distinctly weak, but the words were said
Il ask you now"
Maude stood before her, erect, his head
thrown slightly back, his face pale. his
lips compressed. She felt rather than
saw even then that he was between her
and the rancho house so that she could
not leave him abruptly. This tended to
anger her. She thought rapidly. This
was proposal of marriage; the man was
asking her to be his wife. He was Il
gentleman born assuredly, still on the
right side of forty, cultured experienced
He was the friend and associate of other
gentlemen, so that there could be moth
ing radically wrong with him. Before
her stretched a prospect of long years in
the school room, the necessity of earning
her bread, or of walking alone through
the world, under the impalpable shadow
which clings about every woman devoid
Of male protection. 1t was not cheering
On the other hand, she did not love him
There was so little doubt of it that she
had never asked herself the question. He
was neither especially attractive nor re-
pellant to her. She felt that he would
compel the respect of any woman. hut
respect is one thing and love is another
She had seen loveless unions and their
desperate results and she had no mind
TO make one. At the same time, he was
doing her the highest honor than man cQn
pay. He was willing to take her abso-
lutely on trust. If she knew nothing of
ms past, he knew nothing of hers, nor
had ne shown any disposition to inquire.
frying was not a part of Maude's ma
lure. There was a certain recklessness
IN him that showed sometimes under the
iron calm of his manner. He was en-
hued to consideration. There could be
NO doubt Of that either. All of this flash
ca through her brain in the five seconds
which INTERVIEWED between his proposal
and her reply. Still he stood between
her and the house and this was irritat-
ing, SO she said clearly and icily:
| am not going to seek protection. Mr.
Aaude. l have no thought Of fleeing to