Middletown transcript., 1904-10-22

terly, she had become poor sleeper, and
the whole night after her meeting with
Chris she had lain wide awake thinking
thinking, until she felt as if her brain
must reel She had hidden herself this
evening, when dinner was over, in the
cool quietude among the flowers, aud as
she sat there, her throbbing brow resting
ON the arm of the chair, sleep had stolen
over her for few merciful moments.
Lady Penryth's voice had awakened
her, and she had kept quiet, in order that
her retreat might not be discovered.
There, as she listened, every cruel word
had reached her-every pitiess syllable
in which her secret had been held up to
ridicule. In the tumult of her anger and
suffering she was unable to think con-
nectedly, or to remember anything eX-
cept that she must do something to show
all the world that this hateful, shameful
accusation was false, that she had done
with Christopher Warrender, and had by
her own deed broken with him forever.
Anything-anything to escape from
this house and near nsighborhood to
him. Anything to drive childhoods
and girlhood's memories from her mind,
tortured beyond her strength! She could
never go back to her old home, where
everything would be a fresh wound she
could not remain where she was, with
| the continual chance Of meeting Christie
pher. Kilmeny laid her head down
again on the arm of the chair, her mind
filled with wild longing to escape by
some means or other, and to show to all
the world that she was not trying to force
her love on a man who was unworthy
of it,
Mingled with the pain OF her heart was
a burning anger against Lady Penryth.
A wish to show her that she was not to
be trampled on or despisd possessed her.
II have been looking for you, Miss
Daryl" Lord de Bruyne'S voice said,
close beside her.
1t was very gentle voice, with some
thing strong about it which arrested Kill
meny. He sat down near her, and she
lifted her eyes slowly and looked at him.
She had been wishing for way of escape
and for a means of triumphing over Lady
Penryth. She knew now that both were
possible.
| "What has that woman been saying ?"
Lord de Bruyne asked, with contained
force OF anger in his voice. 81 saw her
and that Mrs. Marsh come away together
from this place, and I missed you, SO
| knew that she was at some mischief.
Tell me what she has been saying"
''Oh, it is no matterp' cried Kilmeny.
She had already forgotten Lady Penryth's
| words in the certainty that something
else was before her, more momentous and
fateful than any deed of her life. Her
eyes were fixed on Lord de Bruyne's.
and the magnetic power in his held hers
as by kind Of fascination. "What did
she say? Something that l want to for J
get-something that was lie. She did |
not know that was here"
Lord de Bruyne laughed scornfully.
''She knew that you were here well
enoughr' he said, and stretched out his |
hand to take Kilmeny's. LADY Pen
ryth" he added, "hates you. A girl like
you never could tell or have any notion
of what woman like her would say or
do to stab or ruin you. There is no lie |
Which she would not invent, no cruelty |
Which she would hesitate at. The only
thing for you is to let me manage her |
and everything else. I want you for my |
wife. Agree to marry me, and in few |
days l will take you away from all this.
Lady Penryth is afraid of me she knows
me thoroughly, and, however she may
dare to iniure Nina Daryl, she will know
better than to say word against Lady
de Bruyne. Before fortnight is over
you will be where can protect you.
Say that you will do it,
He knew better than to speak Of love.
She wanted escape only, and he offered
her that As Kilmeny saw the glitter in
his blue eyes and marked the firm set |
OF his square jaw, she recognized that, if
he chose to put himself between her and
the world, it would not dare to injure
her. He could take her away at once
from this horrible web of lies and mis-
representation which tangled her feet
now so that she could not extricate her.
self. Life with Lord de Bruyne would
be as tolerable as life anywhere else, and
he had promised to take her away at
once. That was all that seemed clear
to her.
"Well ?" he said, and his hold on her
hand frightened. "You will consent? l
may tell your grandfather and everybody
else this evening that you will marry me
and leave them all in fortnight's time
Just say the word-that is all that !
want"
He had risen, and stood close to her,
tall and strong and resolute. In his
heart was exultatian, but he was wise
enough not to show it. Kilmeny was
looking at him with desperate eyes, nerv-
ing herself for the great decision.
"Well p he repeated, smiling at her.
SIT is not such great thing after ALL
You have known me too short time to
be in love with me, and | do not ask
anything OF that kind from you. We
shall be just the same as long as we are
here. All:that you have to do is to leave
your hand in mine, and say, i promise
to marry you as soon as everything can
be got ready After that make your
mind easy, and leave all to me. What
do you say p
Then Kilmeny spoke the fatal words.
81 will marry you," she said.
Bravo" cried Lord de Bruyne. laugh
ing "Now, Miss Daryl, are you the
least bit different from what you were
before you spoke those dreadful syllables
All the change is that you may feel, safe
and leave me to- manage. What do you