The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-06-04


straight to where. across the shaven ten
mis- courts, the slender figure is bending
over the bank.
After all, in spite of your unfrienily
wish, you see we have met again." says
he, in low Tone
She starts as one might who has been
suddenly reused from a dream filled with
the saddest import, and some light leaves
that she had been holding. drop with a
little jerk into the stream and sail away
hurriedly, as If in desperate haste TO get
to the end of all things. This momentary
sign of agitation is all she shows. Her
face is calm, if smileless, as she turns it
to him.
What strange task you have sllot-
ted yourself" he goes on, pleasantly
land on such an important occasion. too
Casting leaves into a river Is this do
ing your duty to your neighbor? Is there
then, no one here to whom you will deigr.
to speak,"
There are only q very few here" says
she, with clear enunciation born of
great courage, and perhaps greater pride,
who would deign to notice me-"
''What folly is this:" asks he, with a
frown. "Who is there here who would
dare
"Ah. you forget" The pale pink of
her face grows paler. "All the county
knows of the loss of these jewels, that,
after my mother, should have come TO Sir
Luciel. That knowledge has branded my
fathers name with infamy, and r.
spreading her hands little abroad-"as
| reminded you before, am my father's
Daughter
This must be put an end to-
1T is very difficult to put an end to
SANDERS" says the girl. gently. if bitter
ly MANY here believe in that stupid
lie
But this is monstrous." says Adare.
II thought his-this-idea-this old
story-was confined to our family alone
A mere diseased fancy of Sir Lucien's
brain. as of late I have learned to re-
gard it, You mean to tell me that the
people-the idiots-round here hold you
responsible for"
"Oh, no, you must not run away with
things l really do not know what they
hold me responsible for: but / do know
that they will not receive me-
Yet you are here to-day?" He ques-
tons her gravely. anxiously; it would be
impossible to find fault with him.
Madam is a sort of cousin of mine,
you know, as she is a cousin of yours,
too. Let US say she has a more liberal
spirit than most The very fact of her
being connected with me should have
initiated against her being attentive to
me. l don't know why | accepted her
invitation, Why / came here to-day. The
moment | answered it / regretted so mad
step. But Madam insisted on it."
"Then she-?"
-She is the one kind friend l have
on earth,' says Amber, her earnest eyes
on his. Adare is conscious of shock
of surprise That big, awful, ungainly.
inauisitive creature, to pose as protector
to this desolate little thing-surely hui
man nature is strange to the verge of
comedy Anyway, Hilary tells himself
he will never forget Madam's kindness to
this poor little cousin of his.
"It's abominable," says he. "I'n take
care it shan't continue Fll'-;n his We
: hemence, his rage, his pain he goes e.
little too far-"ma1e the old man ac-
knowledge you
She winces slightly: then with fash
There is no Acknowledgements to be
made. / am his niece, quite as much as
you are his nephew. He can't lie about
that
Il know know" hastily, seeing his
mistake But this scandal That can
be put an end to by his receiving you
'0h, don'tw cries she, fercely-if in
n very low tone Her face has lost all
it's color You mean to be kind know
you do; but every word--it hurts so +. Oh
can't you see that will not be received
as favor by the man who has made my
fathers name byword in the county,"
81 can sec. iriecd. But look here,
Amber; sit down here for moment"
pointing TO the grassy bank. land let us
talk it over. None of us, you know,
can afford to defy fate. We are almost
strangers, and I feel 1 have no right to
in spite Of what | say, implore you
for your own good-yon-s only-to &C.
cept any olive branch that Sir Lucien
may hold out to you"
II beg you will take no trouble of any
sort about me-" She rises. Her face
is clouded, and her beautiful lips show
sense of great resentment at would
be the merest waste of time. | should
never accept apology, or hospitality oil
any sc>t. from the man who, so cruelty
and openly, maligned my father
"You are sure he did so openly?"
"Quite sure
And your mother?'
"She was spared, though the Jewels
were always in her possession not in my
fathers. Bat, then" with curl Of her
lip. my mother CHANGED 10 be Sir Lu
cien's sister, and of course no suspicion oil
disgrace could be allowed 20 touch her.
as that so bad sentiment, after all"
says Adare, purposely ignoring her rea
meaning-the selfish regard of Sir Lucier
for his own respectability. "She was hi,
sister. OF course he would protec- her
that is the meaning of kinship DO you
think, to take another case that finding
you now TO be my cousin, I woull moi
protect yo'l?"
Is there. touch of passion in his tone
For a moment they stand looking into
each others eyes, and thsn. slowly, Am
Der gives way; her glance falls from hi,
face to his shoulder, and then to tb.
ground
Il must go back to Esther" she says
quietly, taking a step forward, that show.
him even more than her words that she /.
bent on leaving him.
Miss Deane is hereY
Eyes. she is over there.
Adare glances in the direction indi
'ated, and looks hard at small, fragile
woman sitting on a garden chair. Sh'
ooks entirely harmless, but a secont
thought conveys to him the impression
that she cor Id be obstinate, or firm, OF
determined there are so many terms fol
1t. Certainly her chin, short and upturn
I'd, looks a little interruptions. His glanc,
ganders idly from Miss Deane to thu
man standing next to her. 1t is Deane
That strange. unpleasant fellow whom
Sir Lucien will persist in believing is in
league with the purloiner of those abom
Unable and troublesome lost stones.
1o..-:.. I