Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1905-1906, 1906-02-20
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CASTLE OF ROMANCE.

Drook no longer murmured, the rustic
u the leaves was without sound. A
spar OF sunshine, filtering through the
ragged limbs of the trees, fell aslant
her, and she stood In an aureola. As
ior my hero, a species Of paralysis had
stricken him motionless and dumb.
IL was all 30 unexpected, all SO sud-
den, that he had the sensation of be-
Ing whirled away from reality and
bundled unceremoniously into the un-
real. She knew, and had known!
A leaf brushed his face, but he was
senseless to the touch of it. All he had
the power to do was to stare at her.
She knew, and had known!
Dick stepped into the brook and be-
gan to paw the water, and the inter-
mission Of speech and action came to
an end.
"You-and you knew What
strange sound his voice had in his own
ears!
Eyes. From the very beginning
knew you to be a gentleman in mas
Querade: that Is to say, when 1 saw
you In the poliee-court The absence
OF the beard confused me at first, but
presently I recognized the gentleman
whom had noticed on board the
ship" So she had noticed him!
That night you believed me to be
your sister Nancy. But did not know
this till lately. And the night visited
her she exhibited some photographs
Among them was portrait of you
without a beard"
Warburton started And the thought
that this might be the case had never
trickled through his thick skull! How
she must have laughed at him secretly!
She continued: Even then l was
not sure. But when Col Raleigh de-
clared that you resembled a former
lieutenant Of his, then I knew" She
ceased. She turned to her horse as If
TO gather the courage to go on; but
Jane had her nose hidden in the
stream, and was oblivious Of her mis-
tress' need.
He waited DULY for her to resume,
for he supposed that she had not yet
done.
81 have Inundated you in hundred
ways, and for this want you to for
give me. I sent the butler away for
the very purpose of making you serve
In his stead. But you were so good
about 1t all. with never a murmur Of
rebellion, that ! grew ashamed of my
part in the comedy. But now" Her
eyes closed and her body swayed; but
she clenched her hands, and the faint
ness passed away. But for you, my
poor father would have been dishon-
ored and l should have been forced
into the arms Of man whom despise.
Whenever | have Inundated you, you
have returned the gift Of a kind deed.
You will forgive me?"
Forgive you! There is nothing
for me to forgive on my side. much on
yours. 1t Is you who should forgive
me- What you have done have de-
served His tongue was thick and
dry. How much did she know?
mo, not wholly deserved It." She
her eyes were So full that she could
not see. She produced an oblong slip
of paper.
When he saw It breath as OF ice
enveloped him. The thing she held
out toward him was the Cancelled note.
For while he did me the honor to
believe that l had betrayed him.
81 understand the kind and generous
impulse which prompted this deed. Oh,
admire 1t, and | say to you. God bless
you! But don't you see how impos-
sible II Is? 1t can not be: no. no!
My father and are proud. What we
owe we shall pay. Poverty. to be ac-
copied without plant. must be with
out debts of gratitude. But 1t was
noble and great of you: and I knew
that you intended to run away without
ever letting any one know"
WHO told you?'
mo one. guessed IT.
And he might have denied all knowl-
edge OF It!
Wont you-won't you let 1t be as
It is? have never done anything
worth while before, and this has made
me happy Won't you let me do this
Only you need know. I am going away
on Monday. and 1t will be years be-
fore see Washington again. No one
need ever know"
at Is impossible!"
"Why?"
She looked away In her minds eye
she could see this man leading a
troop through a snow-storm. How the
wind roared! How the snow whirled
and eddied about them, or suddenly
blotted them from Sight! But on and
on, resolutely, courageously. hopeful
" he led them on to safety. :.
He was speaking. and the picture dis
solved
Won't you let 1t remain just a.
II is?" he pleaded.
Her head moved negatively. and once
more she extended the note. He took
II and slowly tore It into shreds With
Il he was tearing up the dream and
tossing Il down the Winds.
"The money win be placed to your
credit at the bank on Monday. We can
not accept such . gift from any ono,
Ysvt n1x~~N