The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-14
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to follow her, and my forfeiture had
been sealed by that stolen interview
at the Armstrong;. It was black rec
ord, and the thought of it angered ne
against myself and the world.
Tell Mr.. Donovan that I've gone to
st. Agatha's," 1 said, and I was soon
striding toward the school.
Sister admitted me. Somewhere
IN the building a music lesson was in
progress, and 1 consigned the inventor
or pianos TO hideous torment as scales
were pursued endlessly up and down
the keys. Two girls passing through
the hall made pretext of looking for
q book and came in and exclaimed
over their inability to find it with
much suppressed giggling that added
further to my rage.
The piano pounding continued and I
waited for what seemed an inter
minable time. 1t was growing dark
and maid brought lamps. l took a
book from the table. It was THE Life
of Benvenuto Cellni" and Marian Dew
ereux was written on the fly leaf, by
Enthusiastically the same hand that had
penned the apology for Olivia's per
formances. I sw in the clear, flowing
lines Of the signature, in their lack Of
superf1uity, her own ease, grace and
charm; and, in the deeper stroke with
which the *" was crossed, 1 felt
challenge, a readiness to abide by con-
sequences once her word was given.
Then my own inclination to think we'll
of her angered me, and I dropped the
book impatiently as she crossed the
threshold.
81 am sorry to have kept you wait
ing, Mr. Glenarm. But this is my busy
hour"
81 shall not detain you long. I came"
i hesitated, not knowing why / had
come.
She took a chair near the open door
and bent forward with an air of atten-
ton that was disquieting. She wore
black-perhaps to fit her the better
into the house of a sOmber Slsterhood.
l seemed suddenly to remember her
from a time long gone, and the effort
of memory threw me of guard. Stod-
dard had said there were several
Olivia Armstrong;; there were GER
tainly many Marian Devereuxs. The
silence grew intolerable; she was wait
Ing for me to speak, and I blurted:
81 suppose you have come to take
charge of the property"
do you?" she asked.
And you came back with the execu-
tor to facilitate matters. I'm glad to
see that you lose no time"
"Oh!" she said lingeringly, as though
she were finding with difficulty the
note in which 1 wished to pitch the
conversation. Her ca1mness was mad
dening.
Il suppose you thought it unwise to
wait for the bluebird when you had be-
guiled me into breaking a promise,
when I was trapped, defeated"
Her elbow on the arm of the chair,
her hand resting against her cheek
the light ripping goldenly in her hair,
her eyes bent upon me inquiringly,
mournfully,-mo as had seen
then-where?- once before! My heart
leaped in that moment, with that
thought
Il remember now the first time" 1
said, more angry than had ever been
before in my life.
That is quite remarkable" she said,
and nodded her head ironically.
ut was at Sherry's; you were
with Pickering dropped your fan
and he picked it up, and you turned
toward me for a moment. You were in
black that night; it was the unhappi-
ness in your face, in your eyes, that
made me remember"
] l was intent upon the recollection,
eager to fix and establish it.
You are quite right. It was at
Sherry's. I was wearing black then !;
many things made me unhappy that
night"
Her forehead contracted slightly and
she pressed her lips together
81 suppose that even then the con
spiraoy was thoroughly arranged"
said tauntingly, laughing a little per
haps, in my brutal impulse to wound
her, to take vengeance upon her.
She rose and stood by her chair, one
hand resting upon It. I faced her; her
eyes were like violet seas. She spoke
very quietly.
Mr.. Glenarm, has It occurred to you
that when I talked to you there in the
park. when I risked unpleasant gossip
in receiving you in a house where you
had no possible right to be, that l was
counting upon something,-foolishly
and stupidly.-yet counting upon it?"
You probably thought was fool,
I retorted.
NO, she smiled slightly. "a
thought believe I have said this t.
you before!-that you were a gentle
man. I really did, Mr.. Glenarm.
must say 1t to justify myself relied
upon your chivalry-I even thought
when I played being Olivia.-that yol
had sense of humor. But you are
not the one and you haven't the other
l even went so far, after you knew per