Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-25

She trembled, and then, as if deciding quickly.
touched the bell by her side while 1 rose and
walked to the window.
Can one of the grooms take message into
Wlndleton" she asked, as a servant entered
Very good viii you give him your message.
Ar-Mr. Blackwood?"
lei him to go to DR.. Legrand at Wimbledon,
please said, "and say that am waiting for
him here"
Oh thank you, dearest" cried, when the
servant sel, had gone Il feel happier than l have
felt for many long day" And then | crossed
quickly to her again, for saw that she had bur
led her face in her hands, and was sobbine VIC
lently "
Elsie" l cried, my love, what is it?" and
throwing myself on my knees, I tried to draw
ner hands away. But the terror in her ewes
MADE me desst, and l could only gaze heplessly
at her.
AT last she put out her little hand and clasped
mine so hercely that the strength in her fingers
surprised me-
Oh, stay with me, stay with me-" she cried
SO lonely"
vi course will stay, Elsie, nv sweet" ! said
seeing she was hardly conscious of what she
salo; put don't be frightened; there is nothing
TO lear; Joseph is the most harmless of men,"
Oh' IL is not that" she said calming herself
mind seeing him. But / am coward. l sup
pose There are times when I cannot help Civ
ing way. And then too Arthur. I feel that all
this is wrong. You should not be here. I should
not have allowed you to come. l am deceiving
my guardian, and shall be deceivinp him in
seeing DR.. Legrand and he has been so very
good to me- DO you know 1 fear he is not we'll
himself; he has been strange to me lately and
sometimes for whole day l see nothing of him
And, oh, the loneliness is so hard to bear. Ar
thur"
my poor little grill"
"Ihere seems sometmes-T nan barJl.- o-,l,:.
ito be dark and terrible cloud hanging over
me and over all around me. Sometimes | long
oh, how [ long for my mother Is it not strange
that, though / have but the faintest recollection
of her, of late l think about her constantly.
and dream of her so often You see Arthur a
woman wants other women around her, and [
have no women friends here. Guardian
does not care for society nowadays, and Mary
Winterton, whom | asked to come and stay.
could not. If it were not for poor Mrs Cathcart
whom you dislike, you strange boy, l could not
bear it. She has been so good to me- Arthur. so
kind, attentive, and thoughtful. She seems to
watch me and anticipate my slightest wish. She
insists on doing everything for me, even to
bringing up my food when 1 am not well enough
to get up, and seeing that I take my medicine
regularly"
God! I felt myself turn white and / dug MY
nails into the palm of my hands to force myself
to listen calmly, while words that Joseph had
read out to came back to my memory: "Be
careful to note if any one seems anxious to ad-
minister the patients food and medicine"
'It is Mrs. Cathcart who gives you your medl-
cine darling?" I asked, trying to speak careless
ly 81 am glad she is kind to you
"No one could be kinder dear. You will try
and like her now you know this, for my sake,
won't you Arthur? She is so fond of me-"
What I should have said or dope ! know not.
but at that moment knock came at the door
and Joseph Legrand was announced.
There was no expression on his swarthy feat
ures. which could tell me what his first glimpse
of his patient said to him, and I had to gather
what consolation 1 could from that fact.
He turned to after moments easy chat.
noone arms 'teuf-teuf. " he said, pinching my
arm good-naturedly "I ave left i'm in road
at re gate, and I should not like re leetle boys to
put pins in lis tyres and bust i'm, nor would e.
Will you be my very good friendT'
] nodded, and with glance at Elsie who
smiled back at me- left them together
Hardly outside the door, l stopped suddenly,
arrested by the sight of Mrs. Cathcart pacing up
and down the passage. her hands pressed to her
forehead her eyes staring wildly in front of
her. .t
So fixed was her gaze, so deep her thoughts,
that she did not see me until I was almost upon
her. AS she almost brushed my sleeve and start
ed back [ saw the old look of fear come into
her dark eyes. and felt rather than heard the
cry that sprang to her lips but never passed
them
"You," she said at last as looked down to
her gloomily. "Was it you who brought that
doctor to her?' o,
"What business is that OF yours! SAID
harshly. eyes, it was I"
Strange in her every action this strange wo-
man drew near to me now, drew near till her
dull black dress rustled against my coat and
looked into my eyes.
"Ab'' she said at last, softly, and then with
ont another word she turned and commenced
AGAIN her walk up and down the passage.
| let her pass me twice. wondering what Gagged
.nin,aI she reminded me of, with her wild, hunt
cd owes and short breathess PAGES; and then,
es che came by for the third time, spoke. $50
vou are still here?" asked,
She met my gaze fxedly. eyes, am still here,
Mr. Blackwood," she said. Eyes, thank God,
am still here nv
sst the remark
She swung round on me fercely as if about
~ break out into fit of passion such as had
| startled me that night outside Elsie's room.
put with an effort she restrained herself.
HDon't make an enemy of me, Mr.. Blackwood' -
| che said quietly; and then with repressed vic.
ience almost terrible to listen to: "For Gods
cake don't make an enemy of me. / am trying
to like you"
Amazed stood watching her for moment or
two longer, but she never raised her eyes to me
again continuing her restless pacing up and
down. as il unconscious of my presence; and, at
last, turned and left her, making my way down
to the gate.
II was a quarter of an hour before Joseph Join
ed me. but saw him coming down the avenue
at last, and / almost to meet him.
'Well?" l cried, what do you think of her?