The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-12-09
THE LOVE OF KEITH.


 the movements of man whose men tai state had lost its natural calm His eyes. attracted by the bright col | or, rested on the rhododendrons that 1 fringed the half mile drive from the manor gate to the door. but though l his eyes beheld the purple glory of the blossoms they did so vacantly. as the eyes. of an infant behold a flame.
 Then suddenly into the vacancy a ! gleam of pain-or was it shame? shot: for he remembered that the rhododen- drOns had been in flower when he last l traversed that r0ad-three years ago that month-when he had come to bid farewell to the woman he loved: he re- membered that she had plucked a tiny blossom and given 1t to him, bidding him keep it till the glad hour when he should come back to claim her for his wife.
 Well. he kept it, and there in his pocketbook, where her hands had placed it, the living bloom, it lay still, with cred and dead. He had kept it, and he had come back to her to-day to fulfill his promise and to ask for the fulfill ment of hers. Outwardly he was as unchanged as the scene before him; little sun-tanned. perhaps, and a shade older and more serious in his general air, but outwardly he was still the same Keith Halliston who had held Annice Graythorne in his arms and vowed eternal fidelity to her and their love.
 And she would never know.
 He told himself this bitterly, yet with a feeling of self-satisfaction that amounted almost to triumph. For it was no mean thing Che argued to him. self) to have fought down that other and greater love, to have put woman who was dearer to him out of his life, to have said good-by to all he held most precious in the world. And this he had done-for honor's sake.
 The kiss of that other woman was still throbbing on his lips; her voice still echoed in his ears; the beating of her heart remained insistently on his own. Every word that had been spok- en at their last meeting recurred to him as he went on toward the house.
 If you care for me as you say" she had cried in her blind selfishness of despair, ''you will go to her and tell her the truth-tell her that fate has been too strong, that the years have changed you, that to marry herr now would be to bring misery to you both. "
 He had tried to imagine himself do- ing as she liked, and vision of An nice had arisen before him, her face white with pain, stricken with disap- pointment and despair.
 q cannot do it." at length he had answered. Viola, we must part. Tc take our happiness at the price oi hers would mean to cast shadow on our lives which time could never ef- face. Would to heaven we had never met and loved! Then we should moi have known the agony of this hour for part we must, Viola, and forever '
 You would wreck our two lives for her one?" Viola had said despairingly Tt is not true, then, that you love me most! It is she who holds your heart against all!" My love is yours, and in you lie buried all my hopes in life,'' he had affirmed, passionately; "but I gave Annice Graythorne my promise. and for me she has waited patiently and , faithfully for three long years. Car forget that? Can break my word?' Gan you break your heart and mine?" she had asked
 Heaven help us both, must!" he had cried.
 Then had come the last scene-the |, subbing entreaties, the brief struggle with temptation, the final resolve tc , keep faith with Annice at all costs , that one last look into Viola's eyes, and ', then-good-bye!
 Mechanically he went on his way UT the drive; mechanically he rang tho , bell and inquired for Miss Graythorne mechanically he followed the man into
 the library, where for a few moments he was left alone.
 Those moments were hours of agony to him. His sensations were akin tt U those of 8 criminal awaiting his exc, cution, and he longed for that meeting with Annie even as he dreaded it. longed for it to come and go. Presently the door opened, and ht stood face to face with her at last
 She came toward him with curious halting steps, her sweet face pale ant drawn, her beautiful eyes dimmed witt
 weeping.
 A sudden fear darted through him : Could she have heard? Was it possible
 that some one might have told her an(
 that she already knew what he hat , meant to conceal from her all thefl
 lives? The very thought held hin
 dumb, and for a minute he stood gag
 ing at her and she at him with a silen questioning a host of unuttereC doubts and fears.
 Keith was the first to speak. - "Is this all the welcome you have fol me, Annice?" he said.
 Keith she answered huskily, no meeting his look, Heaven knows
 meant to give you different wei 3 come-but-"
 "Go on," said the man as she paused | ''but what. Annice?'
 His harsh and grating tones seemed to startle her.
 "How can tell you?" she forced out . What have you to tell ms?" he de,
 manded tersely. "That I have been untrue" The words came from her in sham ed whisper as she once more dropped her gaze.
 Pale with surprise and incredulity Keith stared at her. His pulses hat begun to race madly, the blood seemed