Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-06-04


OF fact. She's dear girl, but reckless
with her tongue, as l suppose you heard.
She would have made quite a sensational
story out of it. And Miss Hesslerigge
her aunt, would have been frightened"
1t was true, but it was not all the
truth. In her heart of hearts Verona
knew that she had not wanted to men
ton him to Laura. More chan that, she
did not mean, if she could help it, to
mention him at all Not even to Robert
She would have denied Indignantly that
she meant to deceive any one, least of
all the man whose wife she had prom
lsed to be; it was only that she shrank
from sharing this glimpse of romance
with any other. She wanted to keep it
TO herself, as something of which only
she herself knew. 1t could make no
difference; he would go away directly
tonight, most likely; she would never see
or hear OF him again; but in her
thoughts she would always be able to
return to the episode unsupported. and
could dream of it as she would. She did
not try to analyze herself-she was not
given to introspection; she only knew
that this was her desire. And she had
never felt so young, so happy, as she
had done in the last two DAYS. She
knew herself to be retieent. reserved, shy
with strangers; she had not been in the
least so with him. She told herself, with
a sense of amusement, that it was quite
odd to think how well they seemed to
understand each other. In the whole
five years of their understanding" she
had never talked to Robert as she had
talked to him.
Not at all necessary" he assented.
so | thought" She glanced up with
touch of amusement in her smile. BE.
sides, if | had spoken of you she would
certainly have wanted to know your
name, and | could not have told her"
is it possible that l have given you
no name?" He looked genuinely aston
ished. did really not do soY"
Certainly not! You asked for mine.
but you did not give me yours"
"And you have been wondering what
it might beG"
eyes, naturally"
why did you not tell me how abomi-
nably remiss l had been? am ashamed
OF myself, believe" He laughed with a
sound of irritation. "And / am rather
in a quandary too" he proceeded. "for
L have string of names, and you would
certainly never recollect them all. Nav
l give you the one l am mostly called
by and like best-Oswald? 2"
"Oswald?" she repeated, and waited.
"Yes?"
Stuart" he said slowly.
Oswald Stuart. Thank you!" said
Verona.
They were by the low gray garden
wall, and she rested her hand upon it,
looking out over the moor.
For a moment his hand clasped over
hers as it lay on the wall.
You used my name just now" he
said; "you will pardon me, but think
that gives me the right to use yours
once. | am thinking, Verona, that a
man, in most cases, gets very few per-
feet homes in his life, and therefore he
is foo if he deliberately spoils them.
With which cryptic remark / will leave
the subject, if 1 may" His tone lost
its momentary gravity for lightness as
he let her hand go. "How wonderfully
beautiful and serene it all is-and how
solitary! Since Miss Hesslerigge and her
carriage vanished we might be alone in
the world. don't wonder you love the
moor. We might walk miles, I suppose,
and not encounter a creature"
81 often do" said Verona quietly.
81 know you do; but that's alone.
Would it spoil all the after-charm if for
once you had companion? | should like
to see some of the spots you have told
me of; the Gwenyon Morass, for in
stance"
ut lies over there" She pointed. She
had not looked at him-she did not real.
ize how often her eyes avoided his. But
it is nearly two miles away Could you
walk so fart"
"Easily-or further Compared with
yesterday, I am my own self again Will
you come, them"
Eyes" She turned towards the cot
tage. "But you must put on your coat.
The wind is nearly always keen on the
moor"
He was waiting in the porch for her
when presently she came down ready,
with the great mastiff at her side. She
looked at him reprovingly.
you should have waited for me to
help you" she said.
with the coat? / managed quite cas-
lily, thanks!"
"But you might have wrenched your
arm" as sis looked at him she smiled,
and spoke her involuntary thought
How utterly different it makes you look
somehow"
THE coat Does it,"
"Yes; about twice your right bulk, for
one thing. Really, it and your cap to-
gether are almost disguise"
do you think so? We are hardly like
ly to meet any of my friends or ac-
quaintances on the moor, luckily, or we
might test it." He watched her as she
closed the door. DO we not leave Mar
Gus in charge them"
ooh, no! he likes to come"
''But that leaves the house quite I'M
protected"
THAT doesn't matter If any of my
very few visitors should chance to APP
pear they viii knock, find l am out, and
go away again"
"And a stranger ?'
Strangers never comet"
'Never?" He looked at her smiling, as
he held open the gate Yet / came-a