The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-24
DISEkTANGLEMENT.

lows, and the cattle Ticking off belated
nles' he had not remembered these /
things accurately or possibly a new
sense had been awakened within him.
Tell you what It is. Mark" laughed
MS brother, as, on the morning after his
arrival they walked over the fields
you look as snug and self-satisfied as
II the world were a well set Jelly turned
out from your own particular mould
A shadow passed over the joyousness
OF Marks outlook; it robbed his eyes of
their smile, it deeDened the lines about
his mouth, and under its influence his
whole bearing lost its look of easy com
plance. He walked on in silence, while
Melville teH back to speak to some Ia
borers
Through the white gate and down into
the lane went Mark, fighting his folly
once again as he had fought it during
the long nights at sea Why had he re-
turned? Why not, even now, go back to
the solitude Of the veldt2 He felt un-
commonly like running away. SuppOs-
ing Flora were to come down the lane
with the knot of clover in her white
dress! lie remembered it all so well
though nearly three years had inter
Vened since the fateful day when, under
the stress of the emotion of parting, he
had found himself saying words of
deeper meaning than any he had con
templated. And her first exclamation
of dismayed refusal had, alas. only
reused in him the spirit of ObStinacy He
broken down every barrier of objection
and won her promise. Poor Floral and
she had looked so pretty: he could dis
unctly recollect how very pretty she
looked, and he had thought himself
quite absurdly content. And nowi-he
loathed this lane, its grassy sides and
tangled hedges. and the white starry
conVolvulus peeping through the trails
of travellers JOY. and more than all he
loathed the sweet scent of the clover.
Down the lane came Flora running
with her dog radiant vision dressed
all in white. with a bunch of purple
clover in her waistbelt.
Mark stopped dead short, half hid
den by tree. 1t was therefore his
brother who received the girls merry
greeting
Melville! Oh, am so glad to see
you Isn't it grand morning? Tn
on my way to MonOXtOn-at least 1
wanted to see you to ask about Mark
Have you any news Of the ship"
The gay torrent Of words suddenly
ceased. Melville felt the little hand he
had taken in his grow cold and nerve
less and fancied he could guess the rea-
son, for she was naturally hurt that her
hance had not telegraDhed to her, had
waited nearly tWenty-tOur hours before
going to see her. And Mark, noting the
sudden change from gay to grave.
could but be of the same opinion
Was he indeed her lover2 During the
days which followed the girl began to
wonder a little. Nothing could be more
correct than the denleanor. Was It her
fancy that it fell short OF the one thing,
or was she beginning guiltily to COM
pare him with one whom she could
have called by no such name, yet one
who held so large part in her
thoughts
The days slipped into weeks. the sun
shine of a late summer gave place to
gray skies and chilling winds: beauty
and warmth fled away, and in their
stead came dreariness and desolation.
At the Hall and at Monoxton alike
reigned an unrestful spirit.
One day there flashed across Flora's
mental vision the thousand little kindly
acts that had during the year of Marks
absence made all the pleasure of her
days, the happy intercourse
She gave a little gasp and laid her hand
on Marks arm with touch Of appeal.
why did you stay away SO long2"
she cried Why did you not come
back sooner2''
Did you miss me then. dear7 Three
years is a good slice, certainly"
He had not answered her, and she felt
rather than analyzed the omission.
Mark" she continued, do you think
you wanted to come very much %
Did wild secret hope rise into being2
IF so. it died on the instant. Did Mark
for one brief instant let the vision dazzle
him of the proud, passionate, beautiful
woman from whom he had parted as the
ship came into DOrt-fOr whose sake he
had been tempted never to return? If
81 NauQ II LlASul well ne SOJy ne ClOSG4
his eyes to shut the vision out. and,
misunderst standing the thrill in Flora 3
voice, made haste to answer with extra
warmth Indeed, conscience pricked
him so severely that he found himself
begging her to put an end to their long
engagement and fix the date of THEN
marr@axe-
Flora hesitated. wavered and before
the question was settled Melville joined
@Wen met" cried Mark. DO come
here and persuade Flora that We've
waited quite long enough. And I want
60"
Before you go" echoed Flora, turn
ing to Melville with wide startled eyes
He met the look and answered quiet
ly: I've been telling Mark that. now
he has got into the swing of things
there is no need for me to stay, and
I've had a real good offer which I am
going UP to town about on Friday BY
the way, Mark, if I accept, don't
think I shall be able to come down
again, as they viii want me to begin
work at once"
She made no answer and presently
she and Melville found themselves
alone. Flora was the first to break
long silence
This is Wednesday, and you go on
Friday. It seems very sudden. Why
must you go?"
How easy it would be to answer, to
make her understand! She might be
must be surprised or angry. She would
assuredly bid him think of the loyalty
due to his brother Had he not thought
of it, had he not eaten his own heart
out day by day2 Even now he answer
ed calmly, and left the girl to think
what she might. I really must go, -
he said, and 1 suppose we shall not
meet again until you are married.
hope you will have the best of good
things always. Marks a jolly lucky fell
! low. but he's one of the best, and de-
serves it all. doesn't he2"
A dull feeling of disappointment
crept into the girls heart. What she
had looked for she did not ask herself;
/ but assuredly she had not expected
these few conventional words. and she
was thankful to turn the subject.
Shortly after the two brothers cross
ed the lawn towards the gunrOom.
I'VE may as we'll go in through my
| room" said MelNille Il wonder who