The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-09-10


| ingly.
How can you be so blind. Fee? You
must know what he feels. Is it not quite
natural that he should hesitate to remind
| you of the past now that you are richY'
But, Winifred, a woman cannot speak
first"
"Of course you cannot ask him to mar
| nv you, but you can let him see that you
are not utterly Indifferent to him."
Mrs. Clayton made no answer.
at is so tiresome of him to go. out"
continued Winfred. presently.
And defeat your intentions, little
match maker" added Fee, looking up.
When Enrol and his wife had started
Mrs. Clayton took her book to the green
| room and began to read. Col. d Aguilar
| came to fetch letter he had written in
the morning. A sudden thught crossed
| Fees mind that sent the blood rushing
over neck and brow and made her heart
| beat in great throbs.
| Col d. Aguiar." she said, with voice
almost inarticulate with nervousness.
"Yes, Mrs. Clayton"
Are you really going out?'
II am just starting for HoltOn."
Wont you stay with me? l shall be
so dull all alone"
He hesitated for a moment.
IF you really wish it l will"
"Of course | wish it or l should not
| ask" Fee responded, a little petulantly.
Then l will go and send the groom
| back to the stables" And he left the
| room.
Mrs. Clayton was excessively uneasy in
her mind. She could not form the least
| resolve what she should say to him when
| he returned.
| you will not thank me for spelling
your ride" were her first words to him.
Il would much rather be here. l only
proposed riding to Holton because
thought Mrs. Hastings was anxious for
her husbands company"
| Are they not devoted?' sighed Fee.
| Il never saw man fonder of woman.
| l do believe he fancies there is no one
| like her-so graceful. so amiable, so
clever
| THAT is as it should be. is it not?"
asked Col. d'Aguilar, smiling.
"Of course. He intends her to make
quite an impression this season. He has
taken mansion for three months and All
| have her handsomest carriage and horses
in London. Fancy a woman having all
| that and handsome, husband whom she
loves besides! And there were tears in
Mrs. Clayton's eyes.
"She is very. sweet-mannered. l think
she deserves her happiness"
Il am sure she does,' responded Mrs.
| Clayton. warmly. "She would have mar
ried him just the same if he had been
| poor. sShe was not like me, Col. 'Agui-
| lar"
you forget how differently you were
brought up" he exclaimed eager to de-
| fend her from any mputation, even
though it came from her own lips. "Pov-
erty would have been a terrible hardship
| to you, who had been used all your life to
luxury"
| 1T is very generous in you to excuse
| my sefishness," Fee said, softly, "since
you suffered by it. Did you suffer-" she
| asked. with a quick alteration of mood.
| Hardly" she added, with the slightest
| tinge of bitterness, ''or you would not
| have been so ready to give me up
1t was Col. d. Aguiars turn to feel hurt
md bitter now.
Il believe women never give men credit
for real unselfshness," he said "A wom-
an has more faith in the passion that
sacrifices than in the love that spares
her"
Sol. d'Aguilar," said Mrs. Clayton,
with bright tears standing in her eyes, Il
would give the world to know if you left
me because you really loved me-"
| "My love could have little worth for
you." he answered. sadly, ''if doubt
of my motive could have found room in
your heart"
| There came then long silence between
them, and both looked straight away
from each other. as though they feared
the next words that might be spoken. AT
last Mrs. Clayton turned her face toward
| the man. whom she loved and esteemed
more now than she had ever done in her
| life before.
'Ivors," she said, in low voice, that
trembled from the deep under-current of
emotion--"Ivors, do you not know how
| hard it is for a woman to ask for a mans
| lover?
He turned quickly toward her.
my darling. do you think it necessary
| to ask for what have given you. wholly
| and entirely, from the time | first saw
you? DO l need to tell you that love
you heart and soul, and that | can never
cease TO care for the little fairy who first
bewtched me until the day | die?"
| Crhe endD