The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-08-27

she asked again. with still more hesita-
ton.
You may do anything that you wish
or please" he answered
"And you promise not to be offended"
81 promise sacredly."
Thank you. Then, Enrol, | am going
to say something exceedingly distasteful
to myself and perhaps painful to you, for
which some one else would, | think. never
forgive me. | am bold-am | not?'
You are enigmatical,' Mr.. Hastings
replied, still smiling.
Il like you very sincerely; | love her,
Mrs. Clayton went on, hastily, and L
want you both to be happy; therefore
am about to perform Quixotc action.
which may be the means of losing me
your friendship and her love. l see you
frown. perhaps you guess of whom am
speaking
Il would rather have certainty than
a surmise." he said, gravely; tell me, if
you please"
Il speak of Winifred Eyre. My task
is all the more difficult because | do not,
in truth, know. nor can | guess at the
circumstance which has caused your es-
arrangement. Do not be angry with me.
Enrol, | must ask you one question-do
you love herr
Il love her." he said. seeming to force
the words from unwilling lips, 'but l am
trying to forget her
But, Enrol, if you thought she cared
for you, would you still try to forget
herr
Il cannot answer YOU" he said, speak
ing abruptly, after pause Miss Eyre
is not what l thought her. believed her
to be sweet, and gracious, and womanly;
and | have found her hard, and proud.
and cold"'
"Oh, Enrol, you mistake-she is Meth
err"
''She is TO me-" he said sternly.
Mrs. Clayton waited for some moments.
IF | might only tell YOU" she said, in
great perplexity. ''She broke down once
when we were speaking of you. She con-
demned her own false pride bitterly; she
said you must hate her; that She
And Mrs. Clayton stopped suddenly in
her rapid utterance. feeling a terrible
fear that she had committed an unwar-
rantable breach of trust.
A sudden thrill of pleasure came into
Errors heart, but the expression of his
face remained unchanged.
Mrs. Clayton" he said, with some pas
sion. Il asked Miss Eyre twice, nay,
three times. to be my wife. | made my
self her slave because-well the reason
matters little-suffice it that / humbled
my pride into the dust for her sake. She
treated me with scorn, and yet bore it,
for | believed in my heart she loved me.
When | asked her the last time. her re-
fusal was couched in such terms that |
felt the utter impossibility of thought
of love coming between us again"
"She has forgiven you now from the
depths of her heart. And she suffers.
Errol-suffers; and at night, when she is
alone, she cries bitter tears. | went one
night to her room. and | heard her sob
bling as though her heart would break,
and went away again.
Mr.. Hastings felt sudden choking in
his throat. and turned away. The groom
was just bringing his horse round. He
rose.
Thank you a thousand times for your
kindness" he said, in a low voice: Il
SHdlI not lOlStl lie bOOu ny anu lio
took her little white hand in his and kiss
ed it. Then he rode thOughtfully away.
For days and days after his conversa-
ton with Mrs. Clayton, Mr.. Hastings
unused upon her words. SO many doubts
divided his mind, and kept him from de-
Gliding on what course he should pur-
sue. Gould he in truth rely upon her
words?-did Winifred really love him.
and regret her harshness and pride to
him, or vas it a kindly though mistaken
attempt on Mrs. ClaytOn's part to bring
them once more together?' If he sought
her again, and she gave him the same
answer, his pride would never recover
such a terrible humiliation.
A whole month of restless uneasiness
passed away before he could make up his
mind to visit Endon Vale again. Then
one morning he plucked up courage sud-
denly and went.
At first Mrs. Clayton had anticipated
the happiest results from her talk with
Mr.. Hastings; but as day after day wore
on, and he did not return, she fell into
despair. and wished with some bitterness
of heart that she had forborne to inter-
fere. One thing was fortunate-she had
not breathed a word to Winifred of what
had passed between them.
Go be continuc:i.j