The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-21

the same l want you to know this.
guardy: When you first asked me if /
loved Frank Warde, ! thought you meant
oh, silly goose that / was-I thought
you wanted to know if / loved him as
| friend"
Good heavens, Leila! Do you mean"
"Oh." painting with sudden strange
passion, Il mean nothing. Haven't you
done your duty by me, guardy? Haven't
you provided generously for my future
chosen for me a rich. handsome and cul-
tured husband of whom any woman ought
to feel proud? Am ] lacking in gratitude,
| guardy? Well, the fault is certainly not
yours. Let that suffice"
| With those wild words and a glance
whose strange pathos haunts me even
yet she was gone, a slender, supple,
| sWaying figure sweeping up the stairs.
l went back to my study and tried to
concentrate my thoughts upon an article
was writing for a medical journal. 1t
was impossible. My heart ached with a
sense of loneliness and loss unutterable.
My eyes were burning and my temples
| throbbed with fever.
| I had not slept in over forty eight
hours / had eaten practically nothing in
three days. At times I was seized with
delirious fancies and every nerve in my
body was aquiver with pain. l longed for
sleep, wooed it, prayed for it, yet it re-
fused to come at my call
| Early in the afternoon I was off for
a tramp along the beach. Returning,
went to my medicine chest and measured
me out q large dose Of choral. 1t was
the first I had ever taken, and its effects
though short-lived were quick. An hour
later while sitting at my desk, / fell
| fast asleep.
| Sleeping I dreamed. thought the door
opened and Leila came softly into the
room. I knew it was she, though in my
dream my eyes were closed and an I'M
movable weight lay upon my limbs. !
knew by nv hearts glad leap of recog-
milton, by the strangling rapture that
heat in my throat and flooded every vein
with its passionate glow
thought she stood for moment near
the door hesitating. I could hear her
rand breathing the soft rustic OF 'her
dress. Then with a slow, noiseless step
she approached me.
She stopped at my side. scent OF
iessamine was in the air-the mowers she
always wore at her throat or belt. Inc
fragrance intoxicated me; it seemed q
mart of herself. I sought to shake on
the stupor that bound me: to move TO
sneak, to open my eyes. In vain.
"Ah. if I only knew" l heard her
say. Dear, dear guardy, If | only knew!
Her voice was a whisper broken with
sohs She bent over me, her hand,
light as down, dropping on my arm,
II felt her sweet. pure breath against
nv cheek. l felt warm tears on my race
falling fast as summer rain.
mo, no." she murmured; II am crazed
tn have such thoughts. You do not care
l-you could not-else you would never
have sent him to me. And |, being w.
man. must make no sign even though my
heart is breaking"
Her Young head bent lower. Her hur-
ried breathing beat upon my lips
"Good-bye," she whispered; "for though
yo sbau meet again for me this is last
farewell. Ny darling, my king among
men, goodbye =,
AS she spoke sudden divine JOY thrill
ed through my every nerve. her ups
had touched mine-a soft. sweet, breath
less kiss burned upon them like WINE
| gasped- struggled-tried to lift my
heavy arms-sought to clasp her TO my
breast.
I started to my feet. My dizzy eyes
swept round the room.
1t was empty.
But what was this lying on the rug
at my feet?
jessamine bud!
1t swan before me in a dazzling haze
My limbs quivered with sudden dell
cious faintness. Had Leila really been
| here?
| stopped, stretching out my hand fol
the flower AS l arose the door fronting
me flew open and Frank Warde stood
before me-
Was it an illusion born of my fevereo
fancy Pit could have been nothing more
but in that first glance his face seemed
almost black, his eyes shot balefu
CLEAN and his figure appeared to crouch
like that of some beast preparing tc
spring.
Frank" I exclaimed.
And the hideous fancy left me. He
came toward me smiling
! "Lela!" l cried where Is she? Die
you not meet her? Wasn't she here
moment since?"
mo" he said, and then his eyes wan
dered to the flower in my hand, and saw
him start. He swung on his heel ano
took few steps away from me. IA
matter of fact" he added, as he turned
to come back, 81 scarcely ever see hel
now She is is always so busy with he1
preparations, she says"
But"
81 did get a glimpse of her at the win
dow of her room as l came up the drive
though / saw you, too, Doctor, fas
asleep at your desk and the door there
giving on the balcony wide open. That:
what brought me in here. l thought II
either close the door or wake you"
"Thank you," 1 said with difficulty.
1 looked at the jessamine bud held
My hand was shaking.
Pretty, isn't it?" l heard Frank say
LEILA gave me that flower. 1t must have
dropped from my coat when l was in her.
this morning"
The pearly bud fell from my hand, ant
sank into a chair.
Cheated Deluded by dream!
EXTRACT FROM A LETTER By
REVEREND ECTOR NC. NAIR, OF WILL
l A