Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-01-18

I had meant t. show you about
the cliffs, the kennels and stables. I'm
sorry she concluded, lingering.
I'm awfully sorry" he rejoined with
out meaning anything in particular
That was the trouble-whatever he said
apparently meant so much
With the agreeable sensation Of be-
ing regretted she leisurely gloved her
SELF then walked through the gunroom
and hall, Siward strolling beside her.
The dog followed them as they turn
ed toward the door and passed out
across the terraced veranda to the
driveway, where tandem cart was
drawn up, fauItlessly appointed. Quar-
riers mania was tandem. She thought
it rather nice of her to remember this.
She inspected the ensemble without
visible interest for Il few moments
The wind freshened from the sea, flut
tering her veil, and she turned toward
the east to face it, In the golden
splendOr of declining day the white
sails of yachts crowded landward on
the last leg before beating westward
cruiser steaming south left a mile long
stratum of rose tinted smoke hanging
parallel to the horizons plane. The
WeStering sun struck sparks from her
bright work.
They had turned their backs to the
tandem, The grooms looked after
them, standing motionless at the
horses heads.
MIR. Siward, this is too fine to miss"
she said. II will walk as far as the
headland with you. Please smoke if
you care to-"
The breeze blown conversation be.
came fragmentary, veering as capri
ciously as the purple wind flaws that
spread across the shoals. But always
to her question or comment she found
in his response the charm of freshness,
of quick intelligence or of a humorous
and idle perversity which stimulates
without demanding.
Once, glancing back at the house
where the L cart and horses stood. she
said that she had better return, or per-
haps she only thought she said it. for
he made no response that time, and a
few moments later they reached the
headland, and the Atlantic lay below,
flowing azure from horizon to horizon
under a universe of depthless blue
And for long while neither spoke.
With her the spell endured until con-
science began to stir. Then she awole
uneasy, as always, under the shadow of
restraint or pressure until her eyes
fell on him and fingered
A subtle change had come into his
face. It's leanness struck her for the
first time-that and an utter detach-
ment from his surroundings, a somber
oblivion to everything and to her.
How curiously had his face altered!
How shadowy it had grown, effacing
the charm of youth in it!
The slight amusement with which
she had become conscious of her own
personal exclusion grew to an interest
tinged with curiosity
The interest continued, but when his
silence became irksome to her she said
so very frankly. His absent eyes, still
clOuded, met hers unsmiling.
Il was thinking of men | knew-fOr
example, a man who through genera
tons has inherited every impulse and
desire that he should not harbOr; q
man with intellect enough to be aware
of it, with decency enough to desire
decency. What chance has he with
the storms which have been brewing
for him even before he opened his eyes
on earth? Is that square deal?"
The troubled concentration of her
face was reflected now in his own.
The wind came whipping and Ticking
at them from league wide tossing
wastes. The steady thunder of the
sea accented the silence.
Turning to the sea, he lad become
engrossed in his own thoughts again,
impatient, at the ease with which he
excluded her. She remembered, too,
that the cart was waiting; that she
had scarcely time now 10 make the
train.
She stood irresolute, inert disin-
clined to bestir herself. An Unborn
aptitude for drifting, which threatened
10 UIcOuG ldlGuL lOI lnuGCIolOll, ndu
always alternated in her with sudden
impulsive conclusions and when her
pride was involved in decisions which
sometimes scarcely withstood the anal
ysis of reason.
Physically healthy, mentally una
Weakened, sentimentally incredulous,
totally ignorant of any master passion
and conventionally drilled, her beauty
and sweet temper had carried her cas-
lily on the frothy crest Of her first sea
son over the eligible and ineligible
alike, leaving her at LenoX a rather
tired and GREATNESS girl in love with
pleasure and the world which treated
her so we'll
The death of her mother abroad had
made little impression upon her, her
uncle, Major Belwether, having cared
for her since her fathers death, when
she was ten years old So, although
tho scandal Of har mothers self exile