Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-08-31
Continued.

her marvellous beauty, lne UldDlOUut
flashing on her white bosom, the violet
eyes cleaning with the light Of long
ing love, and his eyes fall.
sit down." he says, end he moved
chair toward her. Il have only
just returned. You were going out
tonight?"
Yes; but not now. oh, Heron, Il
you only knew how we have longed
for your return!"
And she puts her hand on his arm.
with gentle but firm gesture he
puts the white hand from him and as
1t falls TO her side she knows that all
is lost.
Il have only just returned he says
u have been down to WiltBhire-to
Warloy. You do not know It? ! had
n companion; his name Is Sydney Dial
ton--he Is May Dalton's brother. II
was he who was In tho woods with her
You remember"
White and motionloss she confronta
him
YOU have been to herr? she says,
almost beneath her breath.
Yes. TO whom else should | go?''
he answers Then. ns she stands 81.
lent and motlonless, he says:
Rose, ! haye one desire one wish
and that is that you should never,
from this hour, tell the story Of that
nights work II you will grant me
that one favor shall be your dcbtoI?"
She looks at him for n moment,
then, with avcrted head, says almost
inaudihly:
when does tho marriage take
place."
Immediately" he answers.
There Is moments silence; then,
as II with an effort, she raises her
eyes and regards him with a proud
Calmness.
Heron" she says, and her voice
It, you are generous, or YOU think
you are, and cold smile curls her
lip. You would have M part without
humilipling NE MS you think but |
will not have It SO, There can be no
humiliation for me- What | have
done | would do over again"
He looks up, and his eyes are rigid
with mingled anger and pain,
spare me" he says haughtily
She smiles and waves her fan to
and fro; the self-possession she has
fought so hard for has come back. and
she will fight to the laBt--will at least
stab him with the dagger Of womanly
malice, though she cannot STAY him as
she would Hike to do. She waves her
fan and leans back,
do not begrudge me the few mo.
mcnts the last few minutes we shall
have-for If ! know YOU and myself
Heron, We part for good tonight We'll
you wish to spare mo. You forget that
1t Is | who consider myself ignored
Oh. stop, she says with a scornful
smile. u know what YOU woulG say
] Will save you the trouble OF putting
the question | was In the WOOD before
| fetched YOU. and knew from the
flst that il was her brother"
Heron rises and looks down on her
cal mCiOugh hut for the angry HIGHT in
his eyes
"Oh, yes, | knew IT," she goes on,
with II faint almost amused smile
lowering about her beautiful eyeR and
lips Us II the memory of that even
ma's work rather amused her than
otherwise "and. did not think hut
that you would know It. When YOU
heard them talking | thought that
though YOU were prepared to swallow
the girls vulgar antecodonte and her
incNprtssihly horrible father, YOU
would shrink from vngWhond brother,
common soldier, a dcserter flying
from the lash, | thought that the
pride with which the world has gen
orally but, II appears, wrongly credited
The letChiords, WOULD step In and
break OF this mosallianCe But chance
did moro toi mo. As Il happened,
thcy said On word denoting their rela.
tionship, and YOU left them with the
impression that YOU had been Il wit
ncss to n clandestino meeting Of
lovers, that YOU had found her to be
troachcrous and fnithless."
She pauses he does not speak, but
stands looking down AZ her with q
strange expression ON HIS hagGard
face; hel voice. soft and low and sub
lily mtlodious. scarcely reaches him
He Is looking back to that awful even
ing and wondering Why the chanc,
she speaks OF should have played into
her hands STo are We. the sons o.
ren, the sport of the malicious gods
She pauscs aud touches her lips with
the edge of her handkerchief
You wonder why | did this No
You think that was anxious 10 he
come Lady l.otchford, mistress Ct til,
Wold, that was schCming for wealtt
and position. You are wrong, partl,
wrong, 1t least was scneming foi
the title and the wealth; how els,
could II be? What is the aim Of wo
manlike ne? They call me a beauty