The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30
CHAPTER XXXIx.
Barricrs Burned AWAY.


Teresa came to her feet with a cry.
Her mingled emotions were yet SO re-
cent that she had had no time to re-
cover pose. Gordon's face was as
strangely moved. Surprise edged it.
but overlapping this was a something
lambent, desirous, summoned by sight
of her tears.
In the first swift glimpse, through
the fern fronds, of that agitated form
bent above the fungus, he had noted
the tokens of returning strength-and
knew her present grief was from some
cause nearer than the casa in Raven
ma. These were not tears of mere
womanly sensibility, called forth by
the lines written there. for shadow
of pain was still lurking in her eyes.
Was it grief for him? He tossed aside
gloves and riding crop and drew her
TO a seat on the warm pine needles
before he spoke:
II did not imagine your eyes would
ever see that"
She wiped away the telltale drops
hastily, feeling a guilty relief to think
he had misread them.
This is an old haunt of mine she
said. Il loved it when l was a girl
only year ago. how long it seems!-
in the convent there"
He started. The fact explained her
presence to-day. She had known
those walls that hid Allegra. 1t
seemed to bring them immeasurab bly,
nearer. If he could only tell heri
Reckless, uncaring as she knew part
of his past had been, could he bear to
show her this concrete evidence of its
dishonor?
Looking up at the pallid comeliness
under its slightly graying hair, Tere-
sa was feeling swift, clairvoyant
sense Of the struggle that had kept
him from her. without understanding
all its significance.
II am glad / came in time" she
continued. "a few days and the
words will show no longer. I shall
not need them then" she went on, her
face tinted. Il shall know them by
heart AS soon as / read the first
lines / knew they were yours-that
you had been here
Il am stopping at Bologna" he told
her.
"Ah, Madonna" she said under her
breath. And you have been SO near
Ravenna!"
Better it were a hundred leagues."
he exclaimed. And yet-distant or
near, il is the same. i think of you,
Teresa That IS my punishment.
Every day, as / have ridden through
the pines, every hour as | have sat
on this hill-and that has been Of
ten-I have thought of you!"
Il knew that'-she was gazing past
him to the river and the far dusky
amethyst Of the hills-"when 1 read
what is on the fungus"
Thereafter neither spoke for a mo-
ment. A noisy cicala droned from a
near chestnut bough and from some
where down the slope came the
brooding COO of wooddove. At
length he said:
There were tears on your cheek
when l first saw you. They were not
for the verses. / know
She shook her head slowly. .'It
was something'-she could not tell
him all the something / saw
in that" She pointed to the German
magazine.
He reached and retrieved it. but she
put her hand on his restrainingly.
rs ii about me?"
Yes she admitted; but
May / not see it?"
Nothing in it really matters" she
entreated 1T could not make any
difference to me-now. Not even IL it
were true. Your past is as IL it be-
longed TO some other person / never
can know. You believe that? Tell me
you dol"
Il do" he responded: Il doi''
Then do not read it,"
But suppose it is false. Either
way, I would tell you the truth"
That is just it, Her fingers
clasped his on the cover. know