The Montgomery tribune., 1909-09-24

"Thank you, but l am leaving the
avenue block or two up"
"Ah, too bad! Bless me, look at
this, pray! Here is Cecilia now--my
cousin Miss Streeter, you know--and
the bishop"
"The bishop?" echoed. what
bishop?"
She laurhed gaily.
II don't wonder you are surprised"
she said; Bishop Winstanley." and,
as we turned to look at them, she
could not help the complacent little
tuck her lips took. did not blame
her for It.
How she fits her name, doesn't
she?" exclaimed.
"Cecelia? Why, yes, suppose 70
Oh, and the bishop is such a dear!
Cecilia Is an ardent horsewoman, and
when he found we had no good mount
in our stable--I never ride, you know
what does he do but insist upon
bringing her one of his. Splendid
fellow"
"The mount?" inquired.
"And the bishop" she smiled back
at me. Now, If you will. you may
hand my dog up. almost forgot him
in the excitement of the minute"
] chased him over the grass and
captured him finally, tongue out.
Poor dear, you must forgive him
the exercise he made you take. He
Is SO playful. He doesn't know how
tiresome playfulness is"
/ handed him up with caress.
was remembering the turn he had
served me.
81 do believe you like him" she de-
clared.
81 do. But am killing little time,
If must acknowledge the truth; am
waiting to see the bishop and Miss
Streeter 60 by. How slowly they
comet"
"They look well together, don't
they?" she murmured critically.
"The ensemble is perfect" / said.
"How quaint you are!" she laughed.
We turned with smiles and bows to
the bishop and his companion. They
were indeed imposing. The Sistine
bowed guardedly, as If she feared to
| disarrange her halo. and the bishop
beamed, a little guiltily, it seemed to
me. Later l found it to be another
case of the mouse and the absent cat
Mrs. Ankony whirled along in the
opposite direction after they had gone,
and in a blur of emotions l hurried
| down the avenue, not sure where
meant to bring up, but presently find
ing myself ascending the Winstanley
steps. l was not clearly conscious of
my reason for wanting to see Henri
eta Winstanley just then except that
she always clarified things for me-
and certainly they had never needed
it worse than now.
To my great disappointment, found
that she had gone out of town to Join
an invalid friend, and that her return
and destination were not known at
home. depending as they did upon the
caprice of the friend. Her servant
thought it probable, however, that she
would not be back in town for several
weeks, perhaps a month
/ turned from her door in the deep
est regret, but my tumbling thoughts
had already begun to steady them
selves into something resembling
calm, and I saw things little more
clearly: One thing l perceived with
startling clearness, and that was that
Barbara had given herself for Dams
liberty and good name.
What 1t meant to her drove away.
for the moment. all thought of what 1t
meant to me, but later my own rebel
lion arose and rioted-to no end. 1t
was indeed the hopelessness of 1t all
that smote me from. the beginning. |
felt like a paralyzed man in a fire.
But he listens for the sound of his
rescuers, and for me there could be
no help. There had been but one way
to save Dana way so hideous 1t had
not even suggested itself to me, but
Barbara, loving him as she did and
determined to save him, had thought
Of it at once and had not hesitated to
take it, monstrous as 1t was in its
cruelty.
That Dan could accept SO high a
price of her astonished me, but I
knew that she dominated him in the
affairs of their everyday life, and ]
could understand that, sick as he was
with despair and remorse, he would
yield to her fierce persuasion, with
out at first realizing just what she
was offering for his honor.
CTO BE CONTINUED.)
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