Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-07-27
CHAPTER XIII.
Continued.

hou would ind 1t hard enough work
TO parse a sentence OF mine. Now.
Aunt Theodore really does write the
most beautiful letter without even
making a rough copy first. Every sen.
timent correctly expressed. every
word"
Mrs. Chester, are you about to nro-
lose that Miss Theodore should be-
come my correspondent instead Of
SourselfT
Correspondent Oh, Sir John, you
snow that | never could be that. OF
tourse, IL promised it. l will write to
Iou once"
"A formal note, hoping that had a
prosperous journey, informing me that
The weather is hot, or cool. that the
harvest prospects continue good, that
The Misses Vanslttart desire their kind
regards. and that Papi remembers me,
not quite as viyidly. on the whole. as
lie remembers the burnt almonds of
Eousin Felix. | understand"
Paul will be m1de to remember you
while my life lasts" says Daphne. Sc.
iiously. "As for letter writing g-why,
} might not write to people for a dozen
twenty years. but l should think Of
them the came in my heart"
Have the good fortune to be In,
cluded " that happy class of peo-
pie?
You know you have. You know
tight bravely without hesitation, she
iiets the words out. that shall think
'rarmly of you, and of Miss Hardcas-
lie, both now and in the long future
iiears to come after your marriage
For a minute or more Severne walks
lTimly on in silence. At last. "It is
pasy for you to speak calmly" he ex-
claims. vibration Of sudden ardor
IN his voice. Easy for you, who feel
nothing, to talk about the long future
;'ears' in which my life is to be made
'vretehed. Nay, Mrs. ChesterT-for
she has stopped. turned away from
him; has raised her hands in mute de
precation of the ayowals she cannot
rscape-''it is too late in the day for
you to refuse to listen to me. You
cannot be ignorant. you cannot AFFECT
90 be ignorant that-I love you? As
we'll my crime. if crime 1t be. should
be acknowledged in plain speech be-
fore we bid each other good-by."
Easy for her who feels nothingi And
Yill the time Daphne's breast is swell
ing to agony; all ike time. were saeri.
Are-al- -sAiG. th-a-aie - A-lip@--------sasLsss--
would 20 70 the other end Of the werld
10 love. to serve him. nay, to minister
10 bis merest whim or caprice. She
dare not trust herself to speak: what
speech Of hers but must inevitably
turn into a confession? And. moved
by quick impulse, Severne takes her
hand. draws her toward him, and sees
tier face.
Her face is wet with tears.
Mrs chester-D Daphne. Tell me
that YOU are not indifferent-that it
rsuses you just one brief pang to bid
Inc good-hy forever?"
Ard though still no actual word. no,
nor even a duiver of the lip, betrays
her. before another minute has passed
by Sir John seTerne guesses her Sc
eret
It is a secret. the barest possibility
Of whose existence he had never. up
to the present moment. reckoned on.
That his own heart should be irrevoea-
bly, given to a woman so sweet and
loyable; that her face, after pursuing
him during every moment of his wax
ing hours. should render his pillow
sleepless; finally, the brief madness of
an explanation and a parting lived
through that he should work out his
destiny. marry Miss Hardcastle, put
love out Of his existence. and look back
to Daphne Chester from the prosaic
paths of middle age, as men. welded
to Rowena do look to the Rebecca OF
their youti.i All this VISA Of personal
loss and disappointment has. during
the last few days. grown gradually
clearer and clearer before seyerne's
vision. That he should have won love
IN retarn, that ihe richest cup human
lips can taste should pe held ont to
hisi. might he sh.,,k thereof Of
lsisHEHes hands of this contingency,
SIM in very truth no coxeomb. lie had
beyer dreamed
u don't think, remembering your en-
.s8gement, you should have spoken to
ae like this
trar faea is white her breast bsaves
.onvu,sivelv and Forgetting every
ihina I'M that sbe Is IN main and tbat
no is the autbor of her main severne
elosns be,. n 4 wild embrace
.yy enosqempnt~ he rpneats. with
growing ogltation "a careless nrom.
tse made wears AGO between a how and
4 eirl ienorant Of love and Of them.
selyest Would Won Iet this weigh
against tbe hanniness or misery of all
onr lives9p
at ,wo,,,a nava 20, t.oon s.;4h ..;.h
,t;ss rIssaoast,o III a oost ,r,ot I,
-. :, ~ s,e',','-,, ~, s,.',.
~sas '. 49," .,.9u - 80. s'st'pts ,,,..
rJas.. 49,, = ,',,,ht Iii ~. ~,
haa,- har -, s,ae5aH, a ois+ ra,, ~ 80 ho