The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-15


nothing serious In the Morris boys at |
tentfOns.
1t was the last night OF their star. |
All day heavy clouds had been piling
up In the west, threatening masses Of |
violet The sun had sunk below the
horizon In a sullen blaze Of dull red.
The stiffness and the heat were In
tense. Margaret. restless and wea-
ried. had slipped outside, seeking a ref
uge, breath among the stately pines.
Above her head they murmured IN
endless cadence, musical and mysteri-
ous But to her troubled mind the tran
Quillity of the woods brought no peace.
As yet the pain was too fresh for ma
lures Arrangement And twisted
through the tangle Of her own per
sistent thoughts ran teasing little
question of BeIen's. Before dinner the
girl had come to her room. The ca
mellia-like face was pale; the dusky
eyes had an odd look of suffering. She
had picked up Margaret's silver hand
glass and stood balancing 1t absently.
"Mr. Townsend. he Is a very great
man, IL he notY' She had put the
question wistfully. and Margaret had
I answered yes.
Tit is strange that he can care for
One-one so young, so ignorant, so I'M
trained" faltered the young voice.
do you-do you think he really does
reallyT The big eyes had searched
Margaret's face with an eager. almost
supplicating intensity.
For a moment Margaret's heart had
almost stopped its beating What
could the child meant Then she had
forced herself to calmness.
II know he does" she had an
Bwered steadily. HE cares very
much"
But the question fingered in Marga-
rets mind, touched to a poignant sig
nificance by the memory OF that small
white face OF what was the child
thinking? Whence came the hidden
feeling which prompted the query?
Margaret, despite the close atmOs-
phere, shivered. Why had Lassiter re-
turned and why, oh, why, had he come
here to destroy, this time forever. the
peace Of mind which Margaret had be-
lieved so secure at last? And this poor
child who loved her! Involuntary
Margaret wrupg her hands. How
hard, how complicated, was life! But.
thank Heaven. tomorrow they would
all separate. After tomorrow she need
see him no more.
There was a step behind her on the
, soft carpet of fallen needless quick
hHVP ly
, path. Margaret turned. 1t was dusky
, under the thick sheltering boughs, but
she recognized at once that it was Las
/ siter At sight Of the white figure be
fore him the man started.
} Margaret" he calculated sharply
t Margaret But he caught himself
} at once. II beg your pardon" b.
j smiled. "You looked almost like |
} ghost there among the trees. | am OF
my way to the boathouse," explaining
, easily. "Belen and young Morris ar
/ on the lake, and 1t looks so like
storm"
t Come" she said quickly. 1t haC
! grown very dark. The sultry air wa
/, breathless. Not a sigh stirred tn
/ branches above. The slippery, over
( grown path was difficult to find, bu
r Margaret sped unheedingly on. Tha
] little frail canoe out on the tumblin
e waters! Oh, why was the boathous
J, SO far? And then all at once a gnarle'
{ old root thrust boldly out caught he
foot. She tripped, stumbled, and tn
/ next instant she had fallen into Las
:. elter's arms.
l Il was emily for one brief fraction Q
e time, one half anguished moment, duI
d ing which the man, his stern self cor
a troll shaken, had gathered her clos
; Then Margaret broke from him.
'BeIeRt~ she gasped. The line
around LAssiter's mouth whitened.
t 81 know" he said. II know" BU
l. despite his effort at self mastery th
r emotion reused was not to be so easil
d leashed. The bitterness of years surge
It to the surface.
u Margaret he cried "Oh, Margi
Is ret, why did you send me awayr
K IL didn't know" murmured II
IT woman unsteadily. Il thought
r didn't care, and then It was too late
II you had gone But-but you are happ
l. new" she urged. "Belen"-
r "BeIen Is a child" said Lassit'
Z quietly. when she was left so aloE
with only me for guardian there seen
r ed nothing else to do. / shall try
make her a good husband. But 20
IT Margaret"-his voice suddenly drops
n to an unconscious entreaty-"Marg
+. ret
" Then out Of the gloom a voice echO'
d clearly across the water.
e, mo. no." It sobbed, and both ms
er and woman, stopping suddenly, reco
ct nIzed the voice as Belen's. "fs
II mustn't talk so. can't marry 20
d Oh, can'tl He loves me. Miss Alst'
20 says so. And he has been too good
re me. / must not break his heart, b
er / love Billy"
III Across the murky darkness ieaped
Is white Fash Of fire. tremendo
ed crashing peal seemed to split the We