Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-02-28

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has LONE TO travel" he said. He will
light ~ for hours yet" and he threw
himself at her feet, while she said,
with light raillery: 81 see you have
caught some Of owatoga's tricks Of
speech"
After a pause he said: you are
cold to me to-day: you are not happy
with me. Won't you tell me why2"
She did not answer
Lavender" (and he fingered over
the name). Tell me why. Is this
then, the time to hate?'"
She looked into his eyes frankly.
NO." she said; mo, not a time to
hate That time will never come.
But it is a time to talk A time to
think. A time to be honest with my
self-and you"
Self-disgust was vibrant in her voice.
Then she opened the bag which again
dangled at her waist, and from it drew
the yellow envelope.
Winslow gave an exclamation Of dis
tressed annoyance, but said nothing.
Then you recognize this?" and
there was naughty distrust again in
her name
81 am sorry to say l do. May ask
how it came in your possession?"
His manner, too, was cold and per-
emptory.
She did not reply, and he continued:
'SThe abominable mystery-for me-
surrounding that letter is bad enough
without your being mixed up in It
too; that l cannot bear"
With flashing eyes she returned:
"It is true that this letter is non Of
my affair unless-unless we are to be
friends. II we are" her voice dropped
lower3 then surely l have the right
to know why she-that half-breed
woman-wrote this?"
She extended the letter toward him
entreaty, reproach and scorn in hel
look and tone.
Winslow took it calmly and, glanc
ing it over with an Indifferent air
said: "She did not write it."
"Did not write it," she repeated
vaguely.
"She did not. I have the best PROOF
In the world. She cannot write at ALL
Then, as she stared at him dunn
founded, he explained further: "Thi:
letter is a forgery-written for wha
purpose, Heaven alone knows. TT
only result was that, in total Ignorance
Of the reason for my summons, o.
Of whom I was going to meet, l CAM
to the place appointed-in time to re
, ceive a stab in the dark. OF course
I was a fool to go, but-well, you SCI
the note is urgent. For the sake o
one l love- the writer says"
He ended with a meaning lool
straight into her eyes, which wer
beginning to droop before the absc
lutte honesty in his.
: "Ihe woman, Belle, has assured m
that she sent me a message o
. any sort; the question is-who did,"
: Who, indeed? A dreadful doubt wa
fomenting in Lavender's brain, but sh
!, ~persevered falteringly: "But the gil
= she who wa in the woods tina
night?"
He laughed. well, l suppose
> must take everybody's word that Their
> was a girl there, but-well, l did nc
u see her. 1t is plain I did not hav
my wits about me. BY the way, I hav
met her since; our estates JOHN" b
added, with mock dignity.
Already penitent, ashamed of que
Q lions which might seem at best a 10
curiosity, at worst a foolish jealous,
Lavender yet persisted: "Then you
you did not know her before?"
"How could / have had that plea
ure? You know that was my first a.
" pearance in st. Charles. Rather a
inauspicious debut, wasn't 1T"
n Quickly over the girls mind fashe
the conversation she had heard at tt
frolic; the gossip o. the "~branch-watt
girl" and her "city beau"
-" In an attempt to make the crooke
straight, she repeated the talk to hi
now, concluding: None Of the goss
of the city cavalier impressed me
|: the time, but later, when l heard
le the meeting in the wood, it seemed re
sonable to think that-that you we,
the man."
l., She faltered through this with 9
at apologize blush, and for a momel
le Winslow was silent.
II. Then: "'Reasonable?'" he echoe
my effort to please you has sure
IS been in vain If you think 1t 'reaso
r. able that l could stoop to secret tri
Id to st. Charles for the sly wooing of
rustic maid"
k Indignation rose with speech, al
ne he finished, sternly: you have do
i'd not only me, but yourself-a gre
he injustice"
She was dumb; stricken with an owe
be whelming Of loss-loss of t
Mt man who was more than worthy Of t
. love which she now realized had
of ways been his-must eve be his.
Dr. And Winslow's name softened
nd she dropped before him in sweet &C
to triton. "Never mind, sweetheart"
said, tenderly; but she interrupted hi
with sudden vehemence: "Then W.
did they remind me over and ov
!. again that you killed her faith
and"
For a moment Charles forgot |
promise to Sue Miller, and burst OF
~? Killed her father"
Then with swift recollection Of
", bond of silence: go on" he sa
~. calmly.