The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-01-02
present title passed through Helena's

II Will take charge OF tnlS, Salu she.
glancing at the envelope, upon which
might be seen faint mark at the close
of the address.
The heavy door that had stood ajar
between the anteroom and the study
opened slowly, and Sir Frederick ap-
peared. He had not acquired the man.
ner of the blind. He stood in the door
way graceful and at ease. totally with
out that visible and pitiable trepidation
characterizing the sightless. Only the |
great black shades by which his eyes |
were shielded from all light made OBJ |
vious his infirmity. He was erect as
ever and seemed strong. but his face
had taken on pallOr. steadily increas- |
ing. and his hair had grown quite gray.
Sometimes it had seemed to Helena
that the worst of his affection was that
he had grown SO old. and she with him,
in spirit at least. She was one VINO
loved youth. She should not yet have
been Mt the end of it. and he. though
nearly fifty, had seemed young until
darkness had begun to wither him. 1t
was that which had put her heart to
fight away from him-the fear Of age.
Sir Frederick had great facility in
finding his way without light. He
could walk confidently throughout the
great house, and, observing the reaGi-
ness Of his movements, it was some
times impossible to realize that he was
blind. He came forward without hest
tation and took Helena's right hand,
which he raised to his lips. She had
shifted the envelope to her left hand,
and she must have put some pressure
upon it, for the heavy seal Of wax fell
to the floor 1t may have been dis
lodged by contact with the rough cover
of the volume which Helena also held.
The blind man, seeking both his wife's
hands, felt the book and asked what 1t
was. Being Informed, he seemed pleas
| ed, even quite deeply touched.
There was an interval of silence, and
then Sir Frederick, conscious OF Hal
lam's presence, turned his mind upon
the business of the day.
"Is there any word from the French
men?' he asked 81 fancied that l
heard you speak of D'Epinay.'
II have a message from the embas-
sy," said Helena and at that Sir Fred
erick stood back from the door, inclin-
ing his head with homage fit to touch
ones heart as the dainty rustlng of his
wife's garments and the faint. eXuui-
site fragrance of her hair passed before
him through the dark.
Lets begin with monsieur rambas-
sadeur," said Sir Frederick. II think
his communication cannot be of much
importance-a nicely of diplomatic eva
sion, I've no doubt"
"EvasiOn-' echoed Helena softly
"The easy refuge of dishonesty"
He inclined his head, smiling, and
then:
Read it, dearest" he said.
Helena drew forth the contents OF
the envelope, consisting of the usua
fine parchment paper sheet and ont
small slip adhering SO gently to Thu
other that it could be pulled away aux
leave no perceptiblc mark. Then sh
began to read the ambassadors note
emitting not a syllable of the fantastic
., courtesies of diplomacy, and so on t.
the body of the document, wherein tn
, writer begged to reply to the mos
highly valued communication, etc, an,
did reply, with nothing in particula
:, very finely expressed.
lis that ALL" asked Sir Frederick
, "Well, we could have written it oul
selves, couldn't we?'
Was 1t possible that the clock while
licked so loudly was n very small on
;, at the far end of this long room
, Why did Helena hear Eunicc's Vol,
so plainly In the anteroom? She coul
not remember ever before to han
. heard articulate words through til:
~ heavy door. yet there was no indicatio
that Eunice was speaking loudly.
/. must he that there was Il peculi;
u quality of stiffness at the moment.
IL wish to see my brother direct
u he is at liberty" said Eunicc.
. Helena looked ut her husband kcenl
. 1t is hard to read a face when the ey'
J. are covered, yet Helena was as sure :
! of her own existence that Sir Frederic
\ suspected nothing. that he never Won
| know that his QueStion-'ls that ALP
| had been mere form of words.
> What is VOW? To the superstition
I it may be much to Eunice. perhaps.
4 con. polling force having its spring
II seliishness and fear. But when one
II free from all that? Why act again
II ones own interests without Il mott,
y without Il reward?
4 1t was moment when the forces
"a war within her arraycd thcmselv
III | Shorplv l,uOn opDOSitp sides She h
81 wished to live, really to live She h
q coveted her youth and the natural
4 wards of her beauty. She had wish
Z for eyes that could see her. for livi
admiration. not mere memory.
81 Her husbands hopeless atiliction h
weighed upon her mtolerably. She h
81 felt Il panic terror of 1t. an almost
comfortable desire for flight. 1t h
III seemed to her in certain hours of
hi .,y,t v,.r