Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-11-17

had been a peril met that nerved her
to a higher courage. Now she could
walk CALAMITY to the most uncertain
moment of her life. Between the glim-
mering willows down the long avenue
she passed, her flowing draperies
borne backwards as by triumphant
airs. The wind Of her approach
seemed to reach the two still far in
front of her.
They turned and watched her draw
ing nearer, and before she had quite
reached them Kerr stretched out his
hand as If to help her over a last
rough place, and drew her toward him
and held her beside him with his fin
gers lightly clasped around her wrist.
She saw that he looked pale, worn, as
he had not been last night, and, what
struck her most strangely, angry. The
hand that held hers shook with the
violent pulse that was beating in it.
He turned to Clara.
will you pardon US, Mrs. Britton?"
Then after another patient moment,
Miss Gilsey has something to say
to me-" Still he made no motion to
move away, and at last Clara seemed
to understand what was expected of
her. She flushed, and in the middle
Of that color her eyes flashed double
steel. For the first time in Flora's
memory she was at a loss. She passed
them without a word.
Kerr looked after the little brilliant
figure, moving daintily away through
sun and shadow, with deep disgust in
his face. But when he turned to
Flora disgust lifted to high severity.
why didn't you come, last night?"
II couldn't. He was there, Harry,
outside my door,"
"In Gods name! What did you tell
hip%
Nothing. We did not speak--but I
couldn't get past him!" The suspic-
ion in his face was more than she
could bear. "You must believe me
for, if you don't, we're both lost!"
He had her by both wrists, now, and
gently made her face him. IT have
believed in you to the extent of COM
ing alone to a place I know nothing
of, because you wanted me. Now that
I am here, what is 1t you have to say
to me?"
ooh, nothing more than / have said
BEFORE" she pleaded; only that, ten
times lore earnestly"
"You extraordinary child" At first,
he was pure amazement. you've
brought me so far. you've come so far
yourself-you've got us both here in
such danger, to tell me only this?
How could you be SO mad-so cruel?"
She had locked her hands In front
Of her until the nails showed white
with the pressure. ut was more dan
gerous there than here. You don't
know what has happened since 1 saw
you. And I thought If you and I could
only be alone together, without the
fear of them always between us, !
could show you, I could persuade
you" Before his look she broke
down. "Well-you see, they followed
us-they are here"
Grant it, they are" He seemed to
laugh at them. "You have still your
chance. Give everything to me and
/ can save you still"
"'Save me?' Oh, nothing could hap.
pen to me so terrible as having you
break my heart like this! If / should
give the sapphire to you l should
lose you-even the thought of you
for v Nothing could ever be right
with us again! Won't you" she
pleaded, won't you go?" and lifting
, her hands, taking his face between
them, won't you, because I love
you?"
He stood steady to this assault, and
smiled down upon her. Without yor
and without 1t I will not bulge. Come
/ now, this is the end. l never meant
to do another thing"
: She covered her face with hel
/ hands.
Come, come" His voice was urg
: ing her, 10y very gentle. TITS more
for your sake than for the Jewel now
t And his arm around her shoulder wa!
, gently forcing her to walk beside hin
not toward the drive, but away int
the tree-grown sheltered wing Of thu
garden. By interlacing paths, from
) the tremulous gray willows under thu
, somber, clashing eucalyptus spears
under dark wings of cypress the.
were moving. She vas bracing ii
! every nerve against the unnerving o
his presence.
t Where have you got 1t now?" sh,
heard him asking, and she pointed
downward toward where the poucl
at her knee was swinging to and fro
Take 1t up, then" and like a hipno
Q tized creature she gathered 1t into he
hand. But, once she had it, she hel,
i it clenched against him.
8 you're going to give it to me-" h
prompted, "aren't you?-aren't you?
and looking steadily in her face hi
hand shut softly on her wrist, an,
t held out her clenched hand in front o
o her. And still they walked, slowly
Like a pendulum the long gold chail
swung from her clenched fingers. T,
r the tree-top birds they ! seemed a
i quiet as two lovers speaking Of thei
wedding-day. She felt her tension
give way in this quiet-her hand re
lax.
Dearest" The word brought u
her y 9 to his with a start of tender
4 ness. "Open it." he said, and he
i hand, involuntarily, sprung the poucl
wide. They stared together into il
Q The little hollow golden shell wa
empty.
g For a moment it held her incret
ulous, Then, faint and sick, all tn
foundations Of her faith Keeling, sh
a slowly raised her eyes to him in az