Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-04-16
CHAPTER Y.-Continned.

She tried bravely to steady her voice,
ant there was a ring in it that made the
nan beside her bite his lip.
sYou know how it ended"
81 know-Ned died"
aOf pneumonia three days ILL.,
,ess He was only 10. 1 think it broke
nv heart. But l know now he was
aiken away from the evil to come"
eHe was delicate chap always"
Eyes. He could never have borne the
lardships of the life out there"
And your His voice was more I'M
certain than her own.
81 married Col. Gerard"
81 had never heard of him"
NO. He was home from India on fur
ough-an old college friend of my
lather's-and Ned's godfather. He
he pitied me-"
lenly.
you never thought of mel" he said
She turned her sad dark eyes to his
lace. only half revealed in the lamplight
"Oh, yes" she said, 81 thought of
gou! Ned often spoke of you. But we
lid not know where you were"
He muttered tiercely, under his
breath
But you-you were happy-after-
vards?"
81 was content" she said quietly, her
Eance passing out to the black water
igain, while l had my baby with me-
But afterwards. when we were obliged
10 send her home"
But he was good to your"
HE was very good to me. He was
The best friend ever had in the world
aext to Ned"
you leave me out" he said little
bitterly
"You!" She turned her melancholy
Eyes to his face again at the question,
surprised. 'We only knew you for
lew weeks. You came and went"
"And was forgotten!"
81 don't say that" she said, and
'miled a little.
You will hardly believe me-" he said,
Gaming beside her on the balcony, his
eyes on the water, "but when left Ire
and that time | was as much in love
with you as boy of 30 can be in love.
It is Improbable work raking up the
past like this-a past so utterly ire
.laimable, but let us have it out tonight
and be done with it. I think when one
talks an old grievance over it generally
Fanishes into thin air somehow. Per-
laps putting it into so many words
exercises the poor ghost! Anyhow, l
have often wished to put myself right
about this business, for / fancied"-rest-
ing the elbow furthest from her upon
The balcony, he turned his head in his
palm to look at her-"that perhaps you
lid not know"
She was silent for moment If she
grew white he did not notice it; he was
not looking for any change of expression
N her face. He was speaking more to
slay ghost" as he had said, than for
any effect his words could have on the
woman beside him. 1t was the boy and
girl Of twenty years ago he was thinking
II, not the man and woman who stood
here, divided from those shadowy mem
ories by such impossible CULTS of time.
For time she was silent, putting up
her hand to shade her eyes from the
iazzle of the searchlight, just then cast
ng Its prying beam over the castle from
terrace to terrace, then, seeing that he
still seemed to expect an answer, she
said lightly
How could l know? You never even
said you would come to Finnoe again"
Il thought my infatuation was plain
tor all who ran to read" He laughed
little bitterly. Il thought you read it,
but | knew you did not care All the
same, l intended to go to Finnoe again,
when | could call myself a man / did
hlat 1o4o
YES" she said, st was too late And
aow glad''-she could not resist the gibe,
remembering ancient heartaches. pillows
wet with tears-the facile tears of IT!
how glad you must have been
afterwards-how glad you are now-that
1t was too late!"
AS he spoke, and though the words
may have been fippant, even bitter, her
Eolce was soft and gracious as ever, she
turned to go indoors, letting the white
cloak fall from her shoulders as she
went.
Lord Trefoil remained where she left
nm, leaning over the balustrade, his
eyes on the dancing water with its
myriad reflected lights. Was he glad?
II ne had married twenty years ago he
and his wife would have had nearly
twenty years of povert, of obscurity, to
i've through; and could she have roughed
It In the Australian bush as he had
done? Yes, he certainly was glad that
he had never made a fool of himself,
especially as she had never cared. He
pulled out his cigarette case, but the
cigarette remained unlighted between
his lips. Yes, he was very glad. He
would 60 and look for Mona presently.
and if he could find chance he would
ask her to marry him; he would ask
her TO be his wife this very night.
CHAPTER VI.