Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-12
no use talking: can stand this sort of thing

"No, no; that's not what mean"
swell, it strikes me it ought to be, il you
expect TO get away. Have you proposed to
Beacon Street, and she thinks it rather pre-
mature on a weeks acquaintance"
"No: butt
"But you will you meant Don't, just
yet"
| "But cannot live this perpetual lie"
"That depends. ] don't know how you're
lying when I'm not with you. If you're
walking round with that girl, singing hymns
and talking Of your class in Sunday school
or if you're isinuating that you're a million
aire, and think of buying the place for n
summer hotel, | should say you'd better quit
that kind of lying. But on the other hand
! don't see the necessity of your dancing
round here with n shot gun, and yelling for
| Harkns' blood, or counting that package of
grecnbacks in the lap Of Miss Scott to he
| truthful 1t seems to HE there ought to 10
something between the two
"But, George, don't you thinl--you are on
such good terms with Mrs. Halo and her
mothcr-that you might tell them the whole
story! That j.. tell it in your own way: they
|
"Thani you; but suppose | don't believe in
lying either"
you know what | mean. You have a
way, d-n it, of giaking everything seem like
matter of course, and the most natural
thing going"
swell, suppose l did Are You prepared
for the worst:'
| E,1ls IungS Gil "A
replied. Yes: anything would be better than
this suspense"
Il don't agree with you. Then you would
be willing to have them forgive us.'
II don't understand you"
II mean that their forgiveness would he the
worst thing that could happen. Look here
Ned. Stop u moment; listen at that door
Mrs. Hale has the tread of an angel, with the
pervading capacity of a cat. Now, listen |
don't pretend to he in love with anybody
here. but if ] were should hardly take adj
vantage of a woman's helplessness and soli-
tude with n sensational story about myself.
! Its not giving her fair show. You know
she won't turn you out of the house
NO" said Ialsrcr, reddenng; but
| should expect To go at once. and that would
| be my only excuse for telling her
60, where: In your preoccupaton with
| that girl you haven't even found the trail by
which Manuel escaped. DO you intend TO
camp outside the house and make eyes at her
| when she comes to the window
| 'Bccause YOU think nothing of flirting
| with Mrs. Hale" said Fabner bitterly, you
care little
My dear Ned" said Ice, "the fact that
Mrs. Hale has husband and knows that she
can't marry me puts us on equal terms.
! Nothing that she could learn about me here
after would make Irritation with me any
less wrong than it would be now, or make
! her seem more victim. Can you say the
same of yourself and that Puritan girl
But You did not advise me to keep aloof
from her; on the contrary, YOU
81 thought you might make the best of the
| situation and pay her some attention, because
! you could not 90 any further"
You thought was utterly heartless and
selfish, like
Ned"
Falkner walked rapidly to the fireplace and
returned.
Forgive me, George-I'm a fool--and all
ungrateiul one,
| Lee did not reply at once, although he took
and retained the hand Falkner had impul
sivelv extended promise me- he said
| slowly. after pause, that you viii say moth
ing yet to either OF these women. ! ask it for
your own sake and this girls, not FOR mine
| If, on the contrary, you are tempted to do so
] at ,l,ar
that you will only prcciptate something that
viii oIlige you, from that same sense of
honor, to separate from the girl forever
81 don't understand
Enough" said he, with quick return of
hi old reckless gayety oot-oiIhi,-mouth,
the bcardle,s boy chief of the SierraS, has
spoken! Let the pale face with the bacl;
mustache ponder and beware how he talks
hereafter TO the Ripping Cochituate Water!
| Co
! Nevertheless, Il, soon As the door had closed
upon FalI;ncr. Lees smile vanished. With
| his colOrless face turned to the fading light at
the window. the hoows in his temples and
the lines in The corners of his eyes seemed to
| have grown more profound. He remained
motionle.s and absorbed in thought SO deep
! that the light rustic of skirt, that would at
| other times have thrilled his sensitive ear,
passed unheelcd. At last, throwing or lis
reveric with the full and unrestrained sigh of
a man who believe, himself alone, he was
startled by the soft laugh of Mrs Hale, who
had entered the room uuperceiycd,
Dear me, How portcntous Really,
almost feel as il We're interruptiug tcte-a-
tetc between Yourself and some old flame. |
! haven't heard anything so old fashioned and
! conservative as that sigh since have been in
! California. | thought you never had any
| Past out here
Fortunately his face was between her and
the light and the unmistakablc expression of
annoyance and impotence which passed over
It was spared her. There was, however. still
enough dissonance in his manner 10 affect
liver quick feminine sense, and when she drew
pcarer to him it was with certain maiden
like tmidity
you are not worse, Mr.. Lee, | hope'
You have not over exertcd yourselff'
| There's little chance of that with one leg
if not in the grave at least mummified
with bandages,' be replied, with bitterness
new TO him.
"Shall L loosen them' Perhaps they are
too tight There is nothing 50 irritating to
one as the sensation of being tightly bound"
The light touch Of her hand upon the rug
| hat, III. tl. he al tn,,