The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-22
 LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1908, by BRAM STOKER Entered Stationers Hall-An rights reserved


sssSsssessssssseseesS eeeaeSeeoe90 se | not even try to look for them. Had l ne chosen a position for the purpose pL slvins Joy pleasure he could not | nave done better than this. From be- | hind her window curtain she could see him plainly. To her he made a ! beautiful picture. of which the natural | setting was complete: the background oI sweet pale lilac. the dropping gold or the labrunm and the full red scarlet hawthorn; his feet in the uncut era ss starred with daisies She had a long
 Ions view of him. watching every movement and expression with eager
 eyes: One thing he did which she could rot understand. He took from ms breast pocket an envelope: this he 1 opened and took from it a letter. In stead of reading it. however, he sat
 TOT long time with it in his hand Ihen Withea quick movement he put II pack in the envelope. moistened the
 nap with his lips and closed it. Joys
 1dea had been that it might have been
 Judy's letter which he had intended to
 re-read: but this could not be. For an
 instant spasm of pain-had gripped
 her heart as the thought came that it
 mIsht nave been from some other
 woman. But this idea she swept aside
 lmperiously. Now she knew that it
 was some letter of his own and the
 questioning of her brain began to as-
 sail her heart:
 Whom could he be writing too What
 could he be writing about? Why did
 he have a finished letter in his pocket,
 not even sealed up?
 If she had known the truth she
 would have sat quiet. not with per-
 urbatfon but in a silent ecstacy. Ath-
 lyne had made up his mind that if oc-
 casion did not serve for his seeing Joy
 alone he would send the letter to
 Colonel Ogilvie and risk being refused
 In such case he would have to take another course, and try to obtain her
 consent in spite of her fathers wishes
 lie did not. however. intend to send the letter yet. His first hope was too sweet to abandon without good cause
 His closing the letter was but an inn
 pulsive expression of his feeling
 Suddenly he stood up and moved out
 Of the garden. This did not puzzle her
 but awoke all her curiosity. She had a wild desire to see where he was go- ing: but as she could not follow him she made up her mind to present patti ence. She watched from her window till he had passed out of sight She was glad that she was concealed be- hind the curtain when she saw him at the furthest point of sight turn and give long look back at the hotel. Then she went to her room to get ready for lunch.
 Athlyne felt that he must do some thing to let off steam. Movement of some kind was necessary in his present frame of mind. For his pleasure was not unmixed. He had seen Joy, and she was looking more radiantly beauti- full than ever. But she had said one thing that sent a pang through him:
 if ever fall in love-" There could hardly be any doubt of her sincerity; she was talking to her father quite alone and unconscious that he of all men was within earshot. ''If I ever fall in love-" that meant that she had not yet done so. It would be wise to wait before sending the letter so that he might see if that happy time had come or had even began to peep above Tho Jtcyxy I,a r. from his pocket the letter and his pocket-book. put the former into the latter and returned it to it's place.
 Athlyne was no fool: but he was only a man. and as such took for gospel ev- cry word spoken by the woman he loved. Had Joy been present and known his difficulty. and had cared to express herself then she would have him and said:
 ''Why you dear old goose how could I fall in love with you when I had done that alreadyr'
 Had Aunt Judy been commenting on the comment she would have said in her genial .cynicism:
 "A woman-or man either-can only fall in love once in life time; with the same personi"
 Athlyne telephOned his chauffeur to whom he had already sent a wire to be prepared. and in a time to be com puted by minutes met him outside In6re ne LOOK the Whe6l telling the man to meet him a little before five o'clock He felt that he must be alone. He went slow ly so long as he was near town: but when he found himself on a clear road. over which he could see for a long way ahead. the index went round to 'speed" and as the car swept over the ground its rush kept pace with his ! own thoughts.
 He went about a hundred miles be- fore ha raPainad anvthinp like calm l Trying afterwards to reca1 lthe se- quence of his thoughts he never could | arrive at any sort of conclusion re- l garding them.
 The cnly thing definite in his mind l was that he wanted to see Joy again, l and soon. He knew they would be | starting out after tea time which l he knew. something after five l o'clock; and not for world of chrySo- | lite would he miss being there. Out | side Anbleside he met the chauffeur | whom he sent back to Bowness; he l did not want his car to be much en evidence at Ambleside at present. He had a wash and cup of tea at an other hotel: and at five Stro1led back to his nook in the garden.
 By this time JoyS had made up her mind that he might come back that | evening though-with still her protec- tive instinct, partly for herself but | more for him-she had quite made up her mind that even if he should not come she would not be disappointed. l He was not to be blamed in any way, now or hereafter. How could he be? | It would not be fair. few minutes before five she took her place at the but sitting so far back this time that she could not be seen from She herself could see out out only by raising her head high. | This she did now and again, but very She felt a sort of diffidence, B certain measure of shamefacednesS est he should see her again and sus- oect anything. We are very sensitive as to the discovery of truth by others when we are ourselves trying to de- ceive ourselveSi The few minutes pass ed slowly. very slowly Then when once more she looked out a great thrill 1f joy shook her. He had come. If 1oubt there had beer i+ could no long