Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-12-04


longer. In the three weeks of your alb
sence you have written me four letters.
and those have evidently been an unwel-
come task. Do you guess what | am GO
ing to say? wish l were sure you
knew, that | might be saved the pain of
writing the words. l think you have
found out that you do not care for me in
the way you thought you did and your
sense of honor alone is keeping you to
the letter of your engagement to me. l
have reasons of which you know nothing
for believing this to be the case; so we
have both made a mistake, and that, if
you are willing, our engagement had bet
ter come to an end.
please don't think I blame you In
any way; it was only one of those mis-
takes that everybody is liable to make.
Ever your sincere friend.
ETHEL MALLETT."
Poor Ethel. How she cried over that
letter. How she hoped against hope that
Jack might not be willing to end the
engagement! How carefully she read the
words through to be sure that she had
not definitely settled the matter-that,
in fact, she had done only what she in
tended--given Jack a chance of accept
ing his freedom if he wished for it.
Had the matter-of-fact little epistle
arrived at a more favorable moment,
had Jack had leisure to read between the
lines and discover the wounded pride
and self-respect that had dictated every
word. his manhood might have asserted
itself in Etheps favor. As 1t was Jack
read the letter impatiently at first, but
do, iv, ho
turned back to the top Of the leaf and
read it again. assured himself of the I'M
equivocal nature Of the offer Of freedom.
thrust it into his pocket and went off
whistling enegetically to meet Miss Mall
ing at the station on her return from
town.
Pauline saw at a glance that some
thing had happened, and, knowing what
she knew, guessed shrewdly what that
something was. She had not been five
minutes In Jacks society before she felt
subtle difference in his manner toward
her
Il am so glad to find you still here,
Mr.. Dornton" she said at luncheon,
glancng at him bewitchingly between the
leaves of palm plant. 1--WE were so
afraid that you would not have been able
to endure fortnight of this terribly dull
place. Weren't we, Mrs. Sefton?"
You forget that Mr.. Dornton has
had real occupation to make the dull
ness endurable. His life is not passed in
killing time, as yours is, dear
ITO be sure. / had forgotten to ask
how the pictures have progressed"
1.-The view of the house from tho
woods is finished as far as I can finish
it here. The rest of the work l must do
in Newman street.
That Is where your studio is. Is it
not? l should like to see some of your
completed pictures. Will you ask us up
some day to look at them?'
ANY day you please. Say the day
after tomorrow"
II cannot go back to dusty London
again so soon. l expect my first batch
of visitors on that day, too. At last |
shall be able to do something in the way
Of entertaining you, Mr.. Dornton, and
show my gratitude to you for enlivenins
our solitude in the past"
"You are too kind. But have made
arrangements for returning to town to-
morrow"
Nonsense. You speak of arrange
ments in such a serious way that one
might imagine you had a wife and chill
dren; instead Of which you are the en-
viable creature-a man without tie"
She paused an instant, dreading his
reply. He made none; but a dull red
crept slowly up his face to the roots OF
his hair. She read this sign to suit her
self, and went on:
THAT being the case. as you have nc
one to claim your presence as right
why not favor me with it as pleasure:
I should advise you to stay, Mr.. Dorm
ton. There are some really charming
people coming ON Thursday whom you
should know"
Mrs. Seton was the embodiment OF
discretion, very model for lady-com
panions. She walked away. and Jack
followed Miss Mailing to the picture
gallery.
They were standing in front Of the
en- sci on which Jack had placed his pal
ing of Mallingford House. 1t was Il
charming picture.
"You must do me a copy of this, Mr.
Dornton," said Pauline, "as mementC
of that first morning when | found yol
| asleep in the wood.
And awakened me-
The words were simple enough, but
| Jack threw great deal of expression
into them, and his eyes conveyed a worlG
of meaning. Miss Mailing flashed q
glance at him as she asked:
did l wake you? 1t was quite unin
territorial on my part"
| And involuntary on mine
Pauline fearing that the conversation
was getting beyond her control. turned
quickly and caught up the first pictur,
that came to her hand from the oper
portfolio.
As was to be expected. Jack had spen
many of his spare hours during the las
lonely fortnight in painting her portal
from memory; and it was this that sh'
caught up in her nervous haste.
"Oh, Mr.. Dornton." she exclaimed. ii
rapturous tones. Even her vanity wa
satisfied. and she blushed genuinely a
the lovely picture Jack had made or her
Il am sorry you found ,.at. You will
perhaps think it gross presumption if so
l can destroy it. l can't wish it undone
for it has given me so many pleasan
hours"
presumption No. indeed. feel as
tonished at the truthfulness and the fiat
terry you have managed to combine il
the picture
N1,N rl-tr