Evening star., 1909-04-23
CHAPTER XIV.
UStopio

Under the shading trees the time flew
fast. 1t Is ever thus in the sylvan glades
where love abides:
And in the splendor of Arcadan summers
The quicker climb the coursers Of the sun.
Athlyne and Joy sat in a gentle rapture
Of happiness. She had made him draw
up his cushion close to her so that she
| could lean against him. They sat hand
in hand for while. and then one arm
| stole around her and drew her close to
him. She came yieldingly. as though such
| a moment had been ordained since the
| beginning of the world. Her hand stole
inside his arm and held him tight. And
so they sat locked together. with their
faces SO close that their mouths now and
again met In long. sweet kisses. More
than once was asked by either the old
question Of lovers. which has no ade-
quate or final answer: do you love me?"
And at such time the answer was given
in the fashion which ruled In Eden-and
ever since.
Presently Athlyne. drawing Joy closer
than ever to him. said
Joy, darling. there Is something 1 want
to say to you" He paused. She drew him
closer to her and held him tighter. She
realized that his voice had changed a
| little. He was under some nervousness
or anxiety. This woke the protective in
! stinct which Is part Of woman's love-
I'VE love each other?'
II do!' AS she spoke she looked at
him with her great gray eyes blazing.
| He kissed her.
"And love you, my darling. more than
| I have words to say-more than words
| can express. I am lost in you. You are
my world, my hope, my heaven! Beyond
measure. l love you and honor you and
| trust you, and now that l, feel you love
me, too-my dear-my dear-the whole
world seems to swim around me and the
heavens to open.
Dear, go on. 1t is music to me-all
music-that / have so longed for!''
Darling! 1t seems like q sacrilege to
Snov say ANYTHING in1a You Just no~-out-0u'-Sou
"Yes!' The simple word was stronger
| than any embellishments: 1t was Of the
| completeness. the majesty. Of sincerity In
| its expression.
| that now. But before I say something
else which I 1ong. to hear-in words.
dear, for its truth Is already IN my
| heart
| ingly as though grudging that its saying
| must end.
before such time 1 must speak with
your father" He spoke the words with
gravity which brought chill to her
heart; her face blanched suddenly as does
liquid in the final crystallization of frost.
Her voice was faint-she was only a girl
after all, despite her pride and bravery
as she asked:
'Oh. I hope it is nothing"
Nothing, darling he said. as he
stroked tenderly the hand that lay In
his-he had taken his arm from her waist
to do H-"except the courtesy which is
due to an old man, and one other thing,
small in itself-absolutely nothing In my
own mind-which makes 1t necessary In
respect to his-his-his convictions that
j should speak to him before" He
stopped suddenly, remembering that If he
he had wished to keep. Not on his own
account did he wish to keep 1t. But
there was Joys happiness to be con-
| sidered. Until he knew how Col. Ogilvie
| would take the knowledge Of his having
introduced himself under a false name
he must not do or say anything which
might ultimately make difference between
her and her father.
Joy erred in her Interpretation Of his
embarrassment Of his sudden stopping.
Again the paNor grew over her face.
| which had. under her lovers earlier
words, regained its normal color. More
| family even than before she whispered:
1T Is nothing. hope, that would keep
quickly into her question::
mo! No! No! Nothing that could ever
come between you and me. 1t Is only
| this. Joy. darling. Your fatner belongs
Il
older generation than mine. His life has
| been different, and the ideas that govern
| him are very 'masterful In their conven-
| ton. Were to neglect this l might make
| trouble which would, without our wish
or part, come between US. Believe me,
dear. that In this I am WISE" Then see
| ing the trouble still In her eyes he went
on: "I know well, Joy. that 1t is not
necessary for me to justify myself in
your eyes" Here she strained him q
| little closer and held his arm and his
hand harder. But my dearest, l am go
! ing to do it all the same. I want to say
something, but which I mustn't say yet,
1 so that YOU must be tolerant with me If
| say unneeded things which are still
open to me. Truly, darling. there is alb
| solutely nothing which could possibly
come between you and me. I have done
| no wrong-in that way, at all events.
| There should be no more difference be-
| tween you and me for anything that Is
now in my mind than there Is between
| your soul and the blue sky above US; be-
| tween you and heaven" She put her
| hand over his mouth.
"Oh, hush. hush. dear. BY the way,
what am to call you. darling?" For the
moment he was taken aback. To give
her his own name as yet would be to
| break the resolution of present secrecy;
| to give her a false name now would be
| sacrilege. His native Irish wit stood him
| in good stead.
| THAT is the name for today-darling
There can be none like that-for today.
| We began with it. 1t took me on its
Il h@~ YAA~ At>w ~.