Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-10-12

! doubt. After saying so much, was he
going to say nothing more? She had
feeling that she had not heard the
worst yet, and when he turned back
to her from the other end of the room
there was something so haggard, SC
harassed, so fairly guilty about him
that if she had ever thought of tell
ing him the truth of how she came by
the ring she put it away from her
now.
But beneath his distress she recog
nized desperate earnestness. There
was something he wanted at any cost
but he was going to be gentle with
her. She had felt before the poten
TALLY OF his gentleness, and she
doubted her power to resist it. She
famed up all the flame of anger that
had swept her into the room. She re
minded herself that the greatest gen
tleness might only be a blind; that
there was nothing stronger than want.
ing something very much, and that
the protection of the jewel was very
thin. But when he stood beside her
she realized he held a stronger
weapon against her than his gentle
ness, something apart from his inten-
ton
He was speaking, almost coaxingly,
as if to a child. Il understand" he
was saying. II know all about it. It's
a mistake. But surely you don't ex.
pect to keep it now. 1t will only be
an annoyance to you
She turned on him. What could 1t
be to your"
Kerr, planted before her, with his
head dropped, looked, looked, looked
as if he gave silence leave to answer
for him what it would. It answered
with hundred echoes ringing up to
her from long corridors of conjecture
half-articulated words breathing OF
how extraordinary the answer must
be that he did not dare to make.
What will you take for it?" he said
at last.
She was silent. With a sick dis
trust it came to her that it was the
very worst thing he could have said
after that speaking silence.
She stepped away from him. "This
thing is not for sale"
He stared at her with amazement;
then threw back his head and laughed
as if something had amused him
above all tragedy.
"You are an extraordinary crea
ture," he said, "but really / must
have it. I can't explain the why of it;
only give the sapphire to me, and
you'll never be sorry for having done
that for me. Whatever happens, you
may be sure / won't talk. Even il
the thing comes out, you shan't be
mixed up in it." He had come near
her again, and the point of his long
forefinger rested on her arm. She
was motionless, overwhelmed with
pure terror, with despair.
why not give it to me now" he
urged, "since, of course, you can't
keep it? 1 could have it now in spite
of you"
Everything in her sprang up in
antagonism to meet him. 81 know
what you are" she cried, "but you
shan't have it. You have no more
right to it than l. You can't get il
away from me, and / shan't give it to
| you"
He had grown suddenly paler; his
eyes were dancing, fastened upon hel
breast. His long hands closed and
opened. She looked down, arrested
at the sight of her hand clenched just
where her breath was shortest, over
the sapphire's hiding place.
| He smiled. How easily she had be
| trayed herselfi But she abated not g
jot of her defiance, challenging him
now he knew it's hidding-place tc
| take the sapphire if he could. But he
| did not move. And it came to hel
then that she had been ridiculous to
| think for an instant that this mar
would take anything from her by
force. What she had to fear was his
will at work upon hers, his persuasion
his ingenuity. She thought of the pur
pie irises, and how he had drawn
them toward him in the crook of his
cane-and her dread was lest he
meant to overcome her with some
subtlety she could not combat.
The click of moving latch brought
his eyes from hers to the door.
Some one is coming in," he said IN
a guarded voice 1t warned her that
her face showed too much, but she
could not hope to recover her com
posture. She hardly wanted to. She
was in a state to fancy that a secret
could be kept by main force; and she
turned without abatement of her reck
less mood and took her hand from
where she had held it clenched upon
her breast and stretched it out to
Mrs. Herrick.
The lady had stood in the doorway
a moment-a long-featured, whitish
modelled face, draped in dull green
veil, a tall figure whose flowing skirts
of black melted away into the back
ground of the hall-before she came
forward and met her hostess hand
with clasp firm and ready.
I'm so glad to find you here" she
said. She looked directly into Flora S
eyes, into the very center of her agi-
tation. She held her tremulous hand