Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29

why do you follow me?" she burst out
almost petulantly.
II couldn't help it. Oh. don't under
stand it at all. Iona what is it? Tell me
why can't / Gomez"
IF l say it's death If you persist she
whispered intensely, rs that enough?'
Death to your
Then it's not enough he burst out with
passion. IT'S not enough" By sudden
impulse he caught her In arms.
"Oh, Iona" he cried, torrent of passion
rushing over him, Il love you'll love you!
She made a movement to free herself, but
he held her fast.
mo, no, no." she cried. as If in alarm.
II mustn't mustn't"
why mustn't you, Iona? Why can't you
crushed her to him almost fiercely and tried
to look down into her eyes. She did not
struggle now; she looked up into his face
suddenly.
YES" she whispered
"What?-What?-Yo love me?"
I'D die for you, Tom
"Why.-why, Lona!-Do You mean It?
and looked into her eyes.
YES Tom" Then suddenly he felt her
shudder as If with the cold; she threw up
her hands to her face. 'Oh. what have
done?' she sobbed bewilderedly, "oh. what
have I done?" She broke away almost
violently.
"No, no. no." she cried. MY God, you
mustn't. / didn't mean it, didn't say it,"
"Lonan'
IT'S too late Tom" Instantly she was
calm again.
TITS impossible! You must go. I can't
tell you why, but you must. If you love
me at all, you'll do 1t. Promise me that
you'll not try to see me again"
Iona. you don't know what you're say
ing-I can't, won't"
Promise me-" she repeated. Her eyes,
black and compelling. were on him again.
Somehow he felt himself strangely helpless
But But why. Iona? Tell me why" he
gasped.
Promise me-
Butch, Iona"
Il promise he said family But
Iona
You have promised. Remember. I shall
hold you to your promise
Iona, you're cruel.-you're hurting me-"
I'm kind, Tom. You'll know some time.
Goodbye, Tom He fancied there was a
choke in the voice.
Iona" he burst out passionately. Tell
me about it,-now. Lonal'
Goodbye. Tom. Remember, you've
promised" She glided suddenly from him
and disappeared into the rhododendron. 1t
was dusk where he stood; the night was
creeping on rapidly; the shadow of the
mountain lay heavily over the little glen.
But Iona" he cried, forgetting every
thing and splinging after her, not yet;
not just yet" He caught a glimpse Of
white ahead and toward It.
Iona" he cried In real alarm. where
are you, Iona? Let me go with you. It's
dark" There was no sound save the
echo of his voice in the hollow
gap. He rushed hther and thither in the
dusk amid the rocks and the scrub oaks,
calling her name.
Then he leaped upon a jut Of weathered
limestone and listened. No sound save the
snarl of the run and the jerky strain of a
whiD- p0Or-wiu in the There "
not breath of air. The fragrance of clover
fields stole up to him mingled with the mist
him in the gloom he saw the old cabin of
the Hellers, black and silent. An involun-
tary shudder, fear of he knew not what,
made a clutch at his heart. But 1t was
only for a moment. Was that a flicker OF
white. down there near the house? He
leaped from the rock. crying. "Lona"
moment and she was right by his elbow
as If she had sprung from the earth.
Please don't" she pleaded in awful
earnestness. Hush h-h-h-h. You prom
ised, You must go--quick. It's death to
stay here another minute"
81 don't care II II is. I'm going to stay
with you" he. cried recklessly. Ira die
for you, Iona
"oh,. no. no. no, no. she gasped. don't
say that Hush-h-h-h. Now go, Tom
please. For my sake. Tom, CO."
There was no mistaking her tone. He
saw her waver moment. then cast
shuddering glance behind her. and again
on him; he had but a single thought He
ran htther and thither, eagerly, insaneiy.
He looked behind every bush and rock and
projection. In vain. She had disappeared
like moth.
He ran to the old cabin: the door was
locked. She could not have been there he
would have seen her cross the open. He
stopped and listened intently. He was
within the black ring. though he did not
know II.
There was a sound like a stealthy rustic
near him. and as he turned he caught a
glimpse Of white face-a face Al Of the
dead. framed In intense black. right within
two feet of him. II was pressed against
the window pane from the inside. and the
eyes were sharp ana glitterins. A sicksn-