The San Francisco call., 1909-09-19

Look here, Flora" he began; Il
know you've been trying to give me
the slip ever since night before last. 1
frightened you then. 1 didn't mean to-
but you had no business to keep the
ring after what 1 told you. No, I'm
not going to touch you," as she shrank
back against the pampas swords. "but
I want you to give it to me. yourself.
right here and now
She looked up into his face, burning
fiery In the sun beating down on his
bare head. NO. no. Harry; I shah't
give it to you. Last time 1 said 4
would give it to you for a good reason.
but now I won't give it to you for any
thing"
You don't know what you're doing.
he cried.
Il do; l know as well as you that
this is a part of the Crew idol I've
known 1t all along. and when the time
comes I'm going to give it myself to
Mr.. Purdie. but not until that time"
Harry passed his hand over his face
with an inarticulate sound Then, You
will ruin usI" he choked.
Il shall tell the truth. whatever
comes" she exulted. To tell the truth
and keep on telling it-that. in her
passion OF relief at speaking out at
last, was all she wanted, But Harry
fell back. He changed countenance.
He recovered himself.
ssY
ing to leave you. I'm going to leave
you to what you've chosen"
She met it steadily. I'm glad you
say so. I've been thinking for days
that 1t would be better So"
Have you?" he said in a low voice,
/ know the reason of that. 1 meant it
to be different, but now there's no
help. T."
With a motion too quick for her to
escape he stopped and kissed her light
ly. To that moment she had pitied
him, but his touch she loathed. She
thBust him away with both hands. He
turned. Without speaking, without
looking at her again. he walked away.
She watched him with desperate feel
Ing Of being abandoned. of losing some
thing powerful and valuable. The faint.
thin screech of a locomotive from a
station far down the line made him
pause. and turn, and gaze under his
hand in the strong sun. So for a mo-
ment she saw him, lowering, peer
ing figure moving away from her over
the lawn between broad flower beds
berry.
This encounter, that had stopped her
in full open field. had not been the
fatal thing she had feared. 1t had
been a peril met that nerved her to
higher courage. Now she could walk
gallantly to the most uncertain moment
of her life Between the glimmering
willows down the long still avenue
she passed. her flowing draperies borne
backward as by triumphant airs. The
wind of her approach seemed to reach
the two still far in front of her
They turned and watched her draw
ing nearer, and before she had quite
reached them Kerr stretched out his
hand as IL to help her over last rough
place and drew her toward him and
held her beside him with his fingers
lightly clasped around her wrist. She
saw that he looked pale, worn. as he
had not been last night, and, what
struck her most strangely. angry. The
hand that held hers shook with the
violent pulse that was beating in it. He
turned to Clara.
.'will you pardon US. Mrs. Britton?'
Then. after another patient moment.
Miss Gilsey has something to say to
me-" Still he made no motion to move
away. and at last Clara seemed to un-
derstand what was expected of her. She
flushed, and in the middle Of that color
her eyes flashed double steel. For the
first time in Flora's memory she was at
loss She passed them without a
word.
Kerr looked after the little brilliant
figure moving daintily away through
his face. But when he turned to Flora
disgust lifted to high severity. 1t was
she who appeared the guilty one and
he the accuser.
why didn't you come last night?"
'I couldn't. He was there Harry, out
side my door,
In Gods name. What did you tell
himg
Nothing. We didn't speak-but I
couldn't get past himr' The suspicion.
in his face was more than she could
bear. You must believe me-for IL you
don't we're both lostr
He had her by both wrists now. and
gently made her face him. II have be-
lieved In you to the extent of coming
alone to a place know nothing of. be-
cause you wanted me- Now that am
here. what is it you have to say to
me?"
"Oh, nothing more than I have said
before" she pleaded; "only that-ten
times more earnestly"
You extraordinary child" At first
he was pure amazement. You've