The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-27
LADY ATHLYNE
Copyright, 1908, by BRAM STOKER
Entered at Stationer's Hall
 All rights reserved
fcontinued from page g.,


 CTS of Bassonthwaite Lake and on amongst the frowning hills to Cocker mouth
 Joy was in transport of delight the whole time. Her soul seemed to De lifted by the ever-varying beauty of the panorama as they swept along; and the rushing speed stirred her blood. She was silent. save at ecstatic moments when she was quite unaoie to control herself. Athlyne was silent too. He had been over the ground all ready, and besides such drlvlns re- Ieslired constant care and attention. He was more than ever carefui III ms work, for was not Joy-h1s Joy!-his passenger.
 They did not stop at Cockermouth but turned into the main road ana, passing Bride-kirk-and Bothel, new uP to Carlisle. As he slowed down at the city wall Athlyne looking at ms WalSA said quietly:
 '.An hour and half and some fifty miles. Let us go and eat our lunch in Scotland.''
 forgot to tell you that I have had wire; they don't get in till seven: so we have two more hours, cried Joy enthusiastically. This time she used and without a pause. /''Practice makes perfect'' says the old saw.
 Athlyne controlled himself and went at quiet pace through the Cumberlano capital. He would like to have put the engine at full speed: the last word had fired him afresh- However, he did not want to get into police trouble when he came out on the Northern roao and climbed the steep hill to StanWix he felt freer. The road was almost dead level and there was little traffic, only a stray cart here and there. Then he let go, and the car Jumped forwaru like an eager horse Athlyne felt proud of 1t, just as though it had an intention of it's own-that it wanted to show Joy how to carry her. Joy almost held her breath as they swept along here. The wind whistled around her head and she had to keep her neck stiff against the pressure of the fifty mile breeze. They slowed at the fork fn- of the road between Kingston; and at the Esk bridge and it's approaches; otherwise they went at terrific speed till they reached the border where the road crossed the Sark. Then. keeping the .Lockberie road to the right, they rushed away through Amman towards Dun1frieS.
 Joy did not know that at that turn ing of to Amman they were almost in ouch,with Gretna Green. Athlyne did not think of it at the time Had the knowledge or the thought of either been engaged on the subject the temptation it would have brought might have been too much for lovers in their rapturous condition :. and the course of this history might
 
 The run to the outskirts of Dumfries. where the traffic increased, was an other wild rush which wrought both the occupants of the car to 8 high pitch of excitement.
 To Joy it seemed sort of realiza- ton. On the drive to Carlisle, and from that on over the Border, the fringfng hills of the Solway had been But now the hills were at hand, before them and to the north; whilst far across the waste of banks and shoals of Solway Firth rose the Cumberland serrated blue haze. 1t was a con- vincing recognition of the situation; this was Scotland, and England was far behind! Instinctively she leaned closer to her companion at the thought.
 Between Dumfries and Castle Doug las was a long hill to climb within stretch of seven miles. But the De- lauany-Belleville breasted it nobly and went up with unyielding energy. Then, with the summit at CrOcketford was reached. she ran down the hill to Urr Water with mighty rush which seemed to carry her over the lesser hin. to Castle Douglas. From thence the road to Dairy was magnificent for scenery. At Crossmicheal it came close to the Ken whose left bank: it followed right up by Parton to "St Johns Town of Dalry'' where it cross ed the river. Athlyne had intended to rest a while somewhere about here; but the old coach road. winding with the curves of the river. locked so in viting that he ran few miles up north towards Carsphairn. Coming to a bye-roada where grew many fine trees of beech and stone pine which gave welcome shade. he ran up a few hundred yards to where the road curved a little. Here was an ideal spot for a picnic. and especially for a picnic of two like the present.
 The curving of the road made an open space which the spreading trees above shaded. Deep grass was on the wide margin of the flat road which presently dipped to cross a shallow Till of bright water which fell from a little rocky ledge, tinkling happily through the hum of summer insect life. Wild flowers grew everywhere. It was idyllic and delightful and beautiful in every way, even to where, towering high above a Druidic ruin in the fore ground. the lofty hills of Carsphairn rose far away between them and the western sky. In itself the scene want ed for absolute perfection some figures |, in the foreground And presently it had them in very perfect form. Joy clapped her hands with delight like a happy child as she glanced around her. Athlyne drew up sharp. and jumping from his seat held out his hand to Joy who sprang beside him on the road. As they stood together when Joys wrap had been removed they made a handsome couple. Both tall and slim and elegant and strong. Both straight at lanees: both bright and eager; with the light of love and happiness shining g on them more notably than even the flicker of sunlight between the great stems and branches of the trees. His brown hair seemed to match her black; the brown eyes and the grey both were lit with Tight that never came from land or sear' Joys eyes fell un- der the burning glances of her lover; the time had not yet come for that absolutely fearless recognition which, being a@man's unconscious demand, a woman instinctively resists. Athlyne recognized the delicacy and acquiesced. All this without single spoken word. Then he spoke:
 Was there ever such a magnificent run in the world. More than a hun dred miles on end without a break or rause. And every moment a lifetime of sbliss-to me at all events-Darlingr
 t'And to mel" Joys eyes flashed grey lightning as she raised them for mo-
 It,