Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-05-08
copyright 1905 By Bobbs-Merrill Co.
CHAPTER xx.-continued.

waited for what seemed an inter-
minable time It was growing dark
and q maid brought lamps. / took a
book from the table. 1t was 1.-THE Life
of Benvenuto Celllni" 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. saw in the clear, flowing
lines OF the signature, In their lack of
superfuity, her own ease, grace and
charm; and, in the deeper stroke with
which the *" was crossed, felt
challenge, q readiness to abide by con-
sequences once her word was given.
Then my own inclination to think well
of her angered me, and / 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. Icame,"
II hesitated, not knowing why l had
come.
She took 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 somber Slsterhood
] seemed suddenly to remember her
from time long gone, and the effort
of memory threw me off 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 blurted:
Il suppose you have come to take
charge of the property"
do your" 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 / wished to pitch the
conversation. Her calmness was mad
dening.
Il suppose you thought 1t unwise to
wait for the bluebird when you had be-
guiled me into breaking promise,
when was trapped, defeated"
Her elbow on the arm of the chair,
her hand resting against her cheek,
>
her eyes bent upon me inquiringly,
mournfully as had seen
them-where?- before! MY heart
leaped in that moment, with that
thought.
81 remember now the first time" l
said, more angry than had ever been
before in my life.
THAT is quite remarkable" she said,
and nodded her head ironically.
1T was at Sherry's; you were
with Pickering-you dropped your, fan
and he picked it up, and you turned
toward me for moment. You were in
black that night; 1t 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 1t.
You are quite right It was at
Sherry's. | was wearing black then
many things made me unhappy that
night"
Her forehead contracted slightly and
she pressed her lips together.
Il suppose that even then the con-
spiracy was thoroughly arranged" !
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. l faced her; her
eyes were like violet seas. She spoke
very quietly.
Mr.. Glenarm, has it occurred to you
that when talked to you there in the
park, when | risked unpleasant gossip
in receiving you in house where you
had no possible right to be, that was
counting upon something,-foolishly
and stupidly,-yet counting upon it?"
''You probably thought | was fool,
retorted.
No, she smiled slightly q
thought believe have said this tt
you beforel-that you were a gentle
man. / really did, Mr.. Glenarm.
must say it to justify myself. relied
upon your chivalry,-I even thought
when / played being Olivia,-that yol
had a sense Of humor. But you ar,
not the one and you haven't the other
even went SO far, after you knew per
fectly well who was, TO try to hell
you-to encourage you to prove your
self the mas yo1.r grandfather wishet
you to be- And now yon come to M
in a shocking bad huhlor,--I reall.
think you would like to be insulting
Mr.. Glenarm, if you could"
but Pickering came bacl
with him; he is here and he is going t
stay! And now that the property be
longs to you, there is not the slightes
reason why we should make any pre-
tense of anything but enmity. Whe
you and Arthur Pickering stand tt
gether take the other side of the ba
ricadel I suppose chivalry would r.
quire me to vaeate, SO that yon ma
enjoy at once the spoils of war"
stormed with growing heat.
q fancy it would not be very diff
cult to eliminate you as a factor in th