The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06

Life is happy after all" she said, "and
l was beginning TO think that it was too
John said Mrs. Liversedge as she
poured out her husbands fourth cup OF
tea, 'yOns a gentleman, yOn new friend
of Miss Essie's, and 1 shouldn't be sur
prised, John, if there was wedding from
this house, and more in it than meets the
eye"
Mind the young spark don't break her
heart" said John. Oracularly. There's a
deal of suchlike work in the world.
If folks minded their own business re,
turned Mrs. Liversedge, tartiy, there d
be less trOuble'-which argument proved
10 be Unanswerable.
III.
In the picture gallery of the big house in
Hill street. Esther MelhUish sat, with her
pencil and notebook on her knee. gazing
in rapt silence at the portrait OF a fair
woman in white gown standing on a
marble terrace. The sun through the Oriel
window at the end of the gallery fell upon
her upturned face and her aureole of ruddy
hair. ard Garstine coming in upon her,
stood for an instant in silence. too alb
sorbed by the scene to speak or move, till
she turned and saw him.
I'm not really lazy" she cried. 81 have
done a great deal Of work in the week, but
Garstine came forward into the patch Of
sunlight, and took the book and pencil
from her hand and laid it down. For a
week she had been working in Hill street.
with Mrs Stainby TO give her lunch and
tea, and for that week he had only had
rare, blissfuI moments with her, for she
told him with a pretty pretense at earnest
business that she had a duty to perform to
his friend, and that she must not waste
her time in idle conversation.
lie saw now that she looked all the better
for her quiet week, and for the chicken
and champagne that he had ordered for
her luncheon.
81 was not blaming you" he said, softly.
How could you think 1 could be so I'M
just to you?"
The light touched her downcast face and
wandered off to a nymph BY Greuze, dane
ing against a sapphire background of for
get-me-nOts.
III was only laughing" said Esther, and
paused suddenly. for she felt that the air
was charged with passion, and before it she
was helpless,
II want to tell you''-he began hoarsely-
Il want 10 tell you that love you, and
want you to be my wife,
Esther tried TO speak, but the words died
upon her lips. There was the dawn of a
wonderful new sensation rising up within
her. She loved him, and she had not
guessed it before. Oh. joy-oh. happiness
unspeakable TO realize the world held but
her for him, that she had not given her
heart in vain,
The Silence of the house seemed very
strange as they stood there, and when Gar
stine spoke, his voice was harsh and
| broken-not the voice OF happy lover
but the voice of man in doubt and pain.
II love you more than the whole world
he said. but yet. before L ask you to be
my wife-befOre l dare 10 touch even your
dear hand-I want you 10 knOw-that my
! surname is not Franc. / am Sir Anthony
! Francis Garstine."
A faint cry broke from Esther's lips, and
| she shrank from him-her face white and
| her eyes full OF fear.
You are-Sir Anthony Garstine?"
How well she knew that name. connected
| in her mind as 1t was with time OF horror
and despair. and now she had given her
TRUTH
"Because-with the thought of your broth.
| er between u.s." he said. steadily chow
| could have ever hoped to win you? loved
| you from the moment / saw you at Dark
field and tried TO comfort you. and since
| fate brought us together there, could 1 have
been the one 10 risk anything coming be-
| tween me and my happiness? Call me cow
ard If you will-but you know that 1 love
you.
Then" said Esther. slowly, like a woman
| in dream, this house is yours. l know
| it-and you are a rich man."
| 81 cannot help, it," he returned misera.
bly,. II have never hated my money til
! now. and / wish with all my heart that
was the poor man you have thought me II
it could have given me your love-
| II did love YOU" said Esther, "but there
| is Frome between us-Frome-in prison."
| What else could L do? | was Obliged
to prosecute him for the sake of the ex'
| ample, since every one knew it,
Her eyes flashed suddenly with a hard
light
You could have been kinder" she said
| HE was so young and so poor. 1t would
never have happened again, and you migh
have saved him, body and SOUL
| He stood looking at her irresolutely, low
| ing her for the warm Indignation that shool
| her like reed watching her glowine
| beauty until he knew every feature by
| heart. printing ii on his mind for the las
| time as he told himself. Her faith in hel
brother was absolute that he could no
destroy it, and he stood there with word,
surging up within him. but silent as the
| grave.
How could 1 be sure that a man who
had been so mercilessly just TO a first of
| Tense would not be cruel husband?" sale
the remorseless. rosy lips.
| VIII you DO me one favor-will you ash
| some one who knew the circumstances a.
the time whether l was merciless?" he en-
| treated
pencil, and he saw the resoute line OF hel
mouth. the pale purity OF her stern youns
| face.
II have no one to ask" sine said. ST hav,
had no friends since-Since Frome was con
| victed"
He stood aside TO let her pass as she sweep
by him, but when she was at the door h,
| sprang TO her and caught her wrist in his
| Tell me-" he cried, could YOU have love-
me?''
She looked at him. and he read the trutl
| of her love in her blue eyes. but read ais,
the invincible sternness of her resolut,
| mind.
1T is too late" she said. and the por
there dropped between them. and he wal
| alone.
The despair of his face haunted her a!
she hurried home. but she steeled her hear
| resolutely against him, and remembered he
brother
HE might we'll say that he would hell
| Frome," she cried TO herself in the solitud,
| of her own room. ut was all ne could q,
To atone Frome had never in his life sin
ned before. and little kindness and gentle
ness would have saved him at that crucia
time"
She was so angry that she forgot TO b.
sorry for the man who loved her-forgo
that his very presence had grown TO be al
the light of her life TO her-forgot that sh
had allowed him to help her, and was unde
so many obligations TO him that life wou
be very different now that she could neve
see him again Her work In Hill stree
uncut Jewels had all been a sham, and sh
flushed holly In the lamplight as she re
membered how delicately he had treate
her. She glanced round her room, an
everything that met her eyes reminded he
! OF PRONE. There was his writing-table an