Mower County transcript., 1904-01-27


i to say tnas you've tried to as ne hand-
some thing, as told Sir Arthur. i
cant quite make it out, Kane. BY
rights, suppose ! ought to hate you,
and all that sort Of thing, dom you
know, but for. the life OF me I'm not
able! and the speaker gave q dissat-
listed sort Of chuckle. 81 Perhaps it's the
life out yonder; one gets used Sto giving
1 and taking hard knocks and running
all sorts of risks. It's part Of the
great game. won't say but what If
I'd come up with you at the Cape
there'd been lively sort Of reckoning
between us; I but somehow i can't call
you down here at: home when we've
eaten each others salt and been such
uncommonly good friends = ~
| He paused and puffed his cigar. as
II to give Kane a chance to speak, but
all the latter's old audacity had de-
serted him, and he paced slowly back
and forth by Rick's side, his gaze
clouded and his brain dulled. Il ~
perhaps it's on account of Stella"
Dysart went on musingly, as if loath
to cease wondering at his own pacific
state of mind. ''She's hard hit. Kane
worse than any of us, I'm afraid
What's to be done?" stopping short in
his walk and facing him.
Kane groaned and staggered, and
i would have fallen but for the help of
a friendly tree trunk, against which
he leaned his hand heavily in an ex-
cess of bodily weakness and mental
abandon. 81 ''
81 won't insult you by asking if you
love her," Rick went on. "It's plain
to be seen the little woman loves you
with all her heart and SOUL"
''Do not keep her from met" burst
| from the tortured breast Of the other.
II have no, right to ask It'll know,
but if do not see her it will kill us
BOTH" ~
''That's about it, I imagine" said
Rick, sententiously. "I'm up the same
tree myself" he continued with a con-
scious laugh, "and I know how it
would feel"
'fOf course, relinquish all claim to
her, said Kane. II know that's hope
less after what has happened, but"
''Now, look here, Kane" interrupt
ed Rick, "Ill undertake to square Sir
Arthur, and seeing that I'm the in
jured party fancy he won't have much
to say Suppose Stella agrees to marry
you-in view of the facts you WON'T
want to live in England?''
"The world is wide,' answered Kane,
raising his head, gleam of hope new
| born in his eyes. II dare not ask you
to be my friend, but do ask you to
trust me! l have had a bitter lesson,
and have paid dearly for my crime
Like most healthy and sane English
speaking men, Richard Dysart hated
heroics or anything approaching a
scene. So he simply clapped the other
| on the shoulder and said blufly:
| ''That's all right, old man! Good-by
and good luck! Wait here and I'll
send Stella to talk to you!" And
whistling to his dogs, who had been
nuzzling each other by the old lych-
gate, Rick strobe away into the fast
gathering dusk. ~
Soon Kane saw the little cloaked and
hooded figure approaching through the
private woodland path that led from
the Denecroft domain. Slowly she
| came towards him, her veil down, nor
would he seem to presume or PREJUDICE
her attitude by advancing to meet her.
Bitter sorrow and vain regret had
set their seal upon his finely chiseled
features, while affection unutterable
and unspeakable cleaned in his eyes.
With an inarticulate cry she tottered
into his arms; shaking with sobs, her
head sunk on his breast.
With self-accusing words he strove
to soothe her, putting back the re-
bellious tendrils of hair that fringed
her temples. BY degrees he calmed
her agitation, and poured balm into
her aching heart. He told her anew
of his undying love, and that it was
because of this ennobling- passion he
| had schooled himself to the confession
| which had raised up a well-nigh inn
passable barrier between them.
*''If l had not loved you so we'll, dear
est" he concluded, II could not have
brought myself to face it." :n@% 80
"And now'I love you all the BETTER"
she exclaimed, smiling upon him
proudly through her tears. 'sYour
noble heart was revealed to me them"
"You must forget me, Stella" he
urged, trying to put her away from
him.
"Never!" she asserted, nesting the
closer to his side. IS ~ =
But I leave England at once,' he
insisted. - yf@5@s. ,s'
|'Then you must take me with you,"
she cried, ''for I cannot live without