The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-08-09
(Continued.)

rithout an invitation, signorina?" he aid. "But, truth to tell, I saw omething this evening which com eIled me-"
 She looked up at him with a fast eating heart, for there was some hing in his voice which struck her s strange.
 z "You wonder what it was," he went n. T will tell you. I met MT. Ierbert Briarfield a little while ago."
 In spite of herself she felt the blood ush to her cheeks, but she retained Ter self-control.
 "Surely there is nothing so won- Ierful in that" she said.
 "No, not in seeing him; the won- Ter was in what read in his face"
 At this she was silent, while Ricor- 10 went on:
 "Yes, I saw love, hope, there, more han hope, I saw what looked like onquest, certainty. Am right, sig .orina?"
 Again she felt the kind of mastery which his presence always exercised wer her; but she determined not to field to it. Rather, she was almost ngry with him.
 'I am at loss to know why you hould ask me what you saw in his ace," she said.
 Because what saw depends on ,ou," he answered quietly.
 And what then, signore ?"
 'I know that, if saw truly, you rave spoken words of hope. know hat he believes you have given him eason to think himself a victor. That is why, signorina."
 'StiIl, I can scarcely understand vhy such a matter can interest you, ignore.'
 'cNo?. That is why I came, sig iorina. When saw his face wreath I'd with smiles; when I looked into lis eyes, lit up with the thought of rictory; when I heard his voice ring ng with gladness, it revealed some hing to me. An, you have not guess d it. Who am Ia poor alien hat I should think such thoughts? But no 1man is master of his heart. Miss Castlemaine. For, if I saw ruly, and he is lifted into heaven, hen I am hurled into hell. No, 1cu do not think of this. Why mould you? You regarded me as a nild-mannered foreigner, who had come to live in your beautiful neigh ,orhood. But did you think when told you that wanted to stay here, hat it was because of your scenery, rour climate? You did not think hat the fires of love could burn in ny heart. Why should you? I Jared not tell you. But your hills md dales are nothing to me; your 1ealthfu1 climate does not affect me; t was you-you who are everything. At first tried to believe there was 10 danger. laughed at myself for thinking of it; but when I saw the young squire's face, could laugh no onger. I knew then that he had old you that he loved you, knew hat he had asked you to be his wife; 10 nothing, but come to you and tell Fou.s Listen, signorina, and of your goodness listen with kindness in your heart. You think of me as a man past his prime, as one who is middle aged, cold-hearted. But you may remember that told you I was but little older than you. It is true; am but young in years; I have my fife yet to live. and you will believe me, I am sure, when I tell you that never man felt towards a woman as feel towards you. Signor'na, I think of you always. Ever since first saw you I have thought of you. Never for an hour have you been absent from my thoughts, never for but one face, one form which haunts me. Only one voice rings in my ears. I have fought against this feeling-only God knows how-but all in vain. Before I saw Herbert Briarfield today, before-ah, long be- fore-I had dreamed of our future, dreamed with a joy which is unknown to you, and which you cannot un- derstand, and rather than give up those dreams, I would die Oh, yes, would much rather die."
 His voice quivered with passion, his eyes blazed with a strange light. All his cynical indifference was gone There could be no doubt about it, he was fearfully, terribly in earnest. Olive felt this, and the very earnest ness of his appeal moved her. But more than that, the mans personal ity mastered her. He seemed to fill the whole of her horizon. At that moment Herbert Briarfield faded in- to nothing; it was as though he did not exist, while the past was dim, far-far away.
 For the last hour, no one knows what I have suffered" he went on; flor the very thought of you being his wife is terrible to me- You do not know what all this means to me;