The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-27

! misinterpreted your tace. You look
&c as though you were angry with
me, and angry at what | said"
81 am exceedingly sorry if any
act or look of mine gave pain to
a guest in my fathers house Moth
ing could be further from my wishes.
Neither did | interpret your refusal
to accept what was offered in that
light"
And yet you grew pale when l
refused to take whisky"
Olive was silent.
Il will admit | should have done
that under ordinary circumstances.
he went on. There the Mohamme-
dams have much superiority over
Christians. Not that | am a Moham-
medan-what religion ] believe in is
Christian. but whisky, no. The depths
into which it has dragged so many
are too deep. Nevertheless you grew
pale as | mentioned it. wondered
why"
Still Olive did not speak The dead
past was rising all around her again,
and yet, strange to say, she did not
think of Leicester with tenderness.
Rather, although the memories asso-
ciated with him rose thick and fast,
he himself receded into the dim dis
tance
Il am glad | was mistaken" went
on Ricordo; and may | also accept
that as your consent to my approach
ing your father, with view to my
becoming your neighbor?"
Il am sure, if you decide to live
here, hope you will be happy" said
Olive.
Thank you, you make my sun
shine brightly" was the response
Whether | shall live here much.
cannot tell. for the East always
claims the man upon whom it has
cast its spell. And it has cast its
spell upon me. Yes, some time | must
claim your consent to tell you about
my life there. ] may, may | not?"
Before she realized what she was
doing, she had given her consent.
The mans presence suggested mys-
teries which she desired to know
They had now turned down the hill,
and We're walking to Vale Linden.
She was almost sorry that their
walk would so soon come to an end,
and she wished that he would tell
her something of the past as they
walked. But as they neared the vii
lage Signor Rcordo became moody
ana silent, so silent that their walk
became almost painful When they
came to the park gates however,
he spoke again
1T is kind of you TO have pity
on lonely man. he said, lay, and
one who is a stranger grown old be
fore his time
old, signore?" she said, with Il
laugh that was almost forced.
Yes, old, signorina. How old
should you think"
She lifted her eyes to his face,
and as she looked she felt shiver
pass through her.
Il should not like to hazard a
guess" she said.
NO." he replied, 81 suppose not;
and yet, would you believe it, | am
but little older than you. As | told
You when | first saw you. have
been in hell down in its very
depths. And it ages a man-yes, it
ages him. 1t gives him not years, but
it gives MIN wisdom. Good day, sig
norma"
Olive felt strangely depressed as
he parted from her, and she found
herself wondering at many things
he said. Indeed, he was in her
thoughts during the rest of the day.
She was strangely interested in him,
and yet she mad a kind Of fear OF
him. He was different from the rest
OF her world, different from her
fatehr, different from Herbert Bri-
arfield, different from any of the
guests who mad come to the house.
Leicester, and yet from that day Lei
cester became more and more n
memory to her.
A few days later she heard that
Signor Ricordo had taken rooms
Linden Manor Farm, rather fine