The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-12-23

sence you have written me four letters
and those have evidently been an unwel.
come task. Do you guess what I am 60
ing to say? wish were sure You
knew, that might be saved the pain Of
wrltins the words. think you have
1uuno OUT tnat you do not care for me in
the way you thought you did, and your
sense OF honor alone is keeping you to
tne letter OF your engagement to me. I
nave reasons Of which you know nothing
tor beileving this to be the case: 80 we
nave both made a mistake, and that, if
you are willing, our engagement had bet
ter come to an end.
flease don't think I blame you In
any way; 1t was only one of those mis-
taxes that everybody is liable to make.
Ever your sincere friend.
ETHEL MALLETT."
Foor BthelI How she cried over that
letterI How she hoped against hone 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 tact, she had done only what she in
tended-given Jack a chance of accent
ing his freedom IL he wished for it!
Had the matter-of-fact little epistle
arrived at a more favorable moment,
mad Jack had leisure to read between the
lines and discover the wounded pride
and selt-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
az Its meaning dawned upon him he
turned back to the top of the leaf and
read 1t again, assured himself of the I'M
equivocal nature Of the offer of freedom,
thrust 1t 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 Eve
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,
glancing at him bewitchingly between the
leaves of a palm plant. eve were so
afraid that you would not have been able
to endure fortnight of this terribly dull
place. Weren't we, Mrs. Seton"
"You forget that Mr.. Dornton has
had a 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 the
woods IL finished as far as l can finish
1t here. The rest Of the work I must do
in Newman street.
'"That 10 where your studio Is, is 1t
not? I should like to see some of your
completed pictures. Will you ask us up
some day to look at themT'
ANY day you please. Say the day
after tomorrow"
II cannot 60 back to dusty London
again 80 soon. I 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 enlivening
our solitude In the past"
"You are too kind. But I 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-
viabls 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 no
one to claim your presence as right,
why not favor me with it as a 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, a 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
easel on which Jack had placed his paint
ing of Mallingford House. 1t was a
charming picture.
"You must do me a copy of this, Mr..
Dornton," said Pauline, ''as a memento
of that first morning when I found you
asleep in the wood"
And aWakeuSO AeI
The words were simple enough, but
Jack threw a great deal of expression
into them, and his eyes conveyed a world
of meaning. AAlss Mailing flashed a
glance at him as she asked:
Ibid 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 picture
that came to her hand from the open
portfolio.
As was to be expected, Jack had spent
many Of his spare hours during the last
lonely fortnight in painting her portrait
from memory; and 1t was this that she
caught up in her nervous haste.
"Oh, Mr.. Dornton" she exclaimed, In
rapturous tones. Even her vanity was
satisfied, and she blushed genuinely at
the lovely picture Jack had made or her.
81 am sorry you found saat. You viii
perhaps think 1t gross presumption; II 80,
can destroy 1t. I can't wish 1t undone,
for 1t has given me so many pleasant
hours"
"Presumption7 No, indeedl I feel as
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