The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-05-12

her, for he knew that If he sought liz
would not find.
Day after day dragged through the
hours, and Florence grew thinned and
torrid. Sometimes he rode past the
villa Ariadne, but he never stopped.
1t was in the middle of June that
one afternoon the concierge handed
him telegram. 1t contained but three
words:
villa SerbeilOni. Bellaggio."
The Villa Serbelloni, now hotel.
stands on wooded promontory among
the Alps and between the lakes. ut
Bellaggio, and all day long the warm
sunshine floods its walls and terraces
and glances from the polished leaves
of the tropical plants.
The 6 O'Clock boat from Como puffed
mp noisily and smokily to the quay.
churning her side paddles. HNlard
stepped ashore impatiently. What
long day it had been! How white the
villa Serbelloni seemed up there on
the little hilltop. He gave his luggage
to the porter from the Grand and fol-
lowed him on foot to the hotel. He
dressed quickly. and In less than nm
hour he stepped forth from the gar
dens and took the path up to the villa.
Afar he saw a table spread under
the great oak. A woman sat by 1t.
1t was still daylight. and he would
have known that head of hair among
the ten thousand houris Of heaven.
She did not rise, but she extended her
hand, grave inquiry in her slum-
brous eyes. With equal gravity he
clasped the hand, but held back the
impulse to kiss it. He sat down oppo-
site her and. smiling, whimsically in
Quired:
"Now. where did we leave OFF,?
At first she did not understand.
He enlightened her. II refer to that
Arabian Nights entertainment in New
York. Where did we leave of that in
teresting discussion?'
She smiled brightly 1--WE shall take
up the thread Of that discourse with
the coffee"
"Why not c0untermand the order
for dinner? am not hungry"
"But am" she replied. She was
wholly herself now. The tact with
which he began his address disembar-
raised her. For two days since she
dispatched the telegram she had lived
In kind Of ecstatlc terror. She had
even regretted the message once It
was beyond recall. II am human
enough to be hungry sometimes" She
summoned the waiter.
The dinner was excellent, but Hill
lard scarcely knew what this or that
plate was. And when the waiter
brought the coffee and fingered for
further orders it was Hillard who dis
missed him rather CURLY.
Ie said musingly: 1--WE had agreed
that 1t would be best never to meet
again, that to keep the memory of
that night fresh in our minds, a SOU
venir for old age, it were wisest to
part then. Well, we can keep the
memory of it for our old age. 1t will
be little secret between us, and we
shall talk it over on just such nights
as this"
He reached for her hand, which Law
upon the cover, but without apparent
notice Of his movement she drew it
back. A flash of pain crossed billiards.
face.
II have waited patiently for weeks"
She faced him with an enigmatical
smile. lighted match, blew it out and
drew q line across the center of the
table.
He laughed. "What! Again."
"Observe"
As rejoinder he smoothed out the
telegram she had sent to him. "Why
did you send this to me"
Her lips had no answer ready.
"There can be but one reason" he
pursued.
Friendship"
The beginning Of the night was cool,
but the fire Of the worlds desire burn
ed in her cheeks. and she was afraid.
She stepped to the railing, faced the
purpling mountains and sang "Die
Zauberhote." Hillard dared not touch
her till the last note was gone.
II did not come here because Of
friendship" he said. "Only one thing
brought me-love and the hope Of
love-"
She stared at him. her hand ut her
throat.
Then he took her In his arms sud-
denly. hungrily, even roughly. "You
are mine, mine. and nothing in the
world shall take you from my arms
again, Sonia"
She pressed her palms against him
and stood away. She looked bravely
into his eyes now.
II sent the message because want
ed you, because l am tired of lying to
my heart. because l have a right to be
happy, becausrbecause I love you!
Take me and, oh, be good and kind to
me. for I have been very lonely and
unhaDnv KiSS yuops With q touch ~