The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-01-10
THE HATIir,DUKG NEWS !


look that made him liken her eyes to
wells of light. At the aimile he put
his hands over his own that burned
| and stung.
III could only steep them in those
cool depths, battle them there, kindle
their torch. as my minds torch has
been relit Henly." he ordered, when
the housekeeper appeared in answer
to the bell he had rung, II wish to
dine here"
Yes, Mr.. Basil"-as she would have
said 1t had he expressed the inteu-
ton of dining on the Trafalgar monu-
ment.
And serve me yourself, will you?
Put few things on a tray, you know,
and clear off little table. Don't let
servant come near me-"
mo, Mr. BASIL" She looked fur.
lively about the gay box of a room
as II, In spite of her eyes, which had
seen Miss Carew drive away, she fam
cied her encornered somewhere; there
was sense of intimacy and cosey.
ness In the little room where the fire
had slowly devoured every ugly black
ash OF the discarded picture. The
pungent odors of the roses, drawn
out by the warmth, still hung on the
air. This sweet-box," as Mrs. Henly
dubbed it. seemed suddenly to have
become very sweet indeed!
You're tagged out with the long
trip, Sir. It's too much for a day,
isn't it,"
IT'S enough and to spare. shall
rest here. l want never to see Lon
don again" He had said this before
and 1t did not dismay her.
She noiselessly and quickly cleared
on little stand and put it before the
divan where Tempest had thrown him.
self.
You'll like early supper, sir?"
Yes, when you choose"
Wouldn't you 60 and have your
bath and get freshed up. Mr.. Basil?
I've laid out your things" In the
good creatures eyes that rested on
Tempest. with the respect that de-
corum demanded. any woman would
have seen the mute caress that could
never be expressed, as she passed
back Of him, close to him-one could
fancy she laid her hand on his hair.
When, an hour later, Tempest re-
turned to the asylum he had chosen
IN which to follow out a train Of
thought whose spell he didwaot wish
broken, frightened blaze, a bunch of
pale violets in vase beside tempt
Ing little meal already spread met his
eye-just the repast to please his fas-
tidious palate and stimulate without
the full, heavy sense of having as
usual dined; cold pheasant, we'll
made salad, cooled champagne; then
Henly with an ice, and later his coffee.
She had with true unbending, as If to
cater to his sight, even put on
little apron with bows at the pockets.
"Henly in an apron! What things
l make you do"
mot half enough. I never see you
these days, Mr.. BASIL"
He said gloomily: mo, and you
are better not to-"
He lit a cigar from the box that
she fetched, and she went away with
the coffee-tray and left him to dream
Ito muse-to take after little while
from his pocket a packet he had
brought downstairs with him-to I'M
fold it-consider it with certain ten
der skepticism. In the packet of
letters were several Photographs
Lady Ormond in riding-dress, Lady
Ormond in fancy dress. After look
ing once at each he put them in the
fire with the pile of letters which he
did not unite. Then he sat heaped
in corner of the sofa and brooded-
brooded-watching the fire eat and
consume, protestations whose feeble
ness his great need had found sweet
because forbidden-all the long link of
association with dishonor for three
years. He had never idealized her-a
sparkling wit. a good humor, and
grace had acted as a gentle counter
frritant to his moods. She had never
been indispensable. and when her re-
fusal came he had been glad. Whyf
only because new interest had, like
a fine ray from an unexpected beacon,
cut across the lonely, ragged promon-
tory, and his ship was sailing along
its path.
Otherwise, God knows how DESC
late it would have left me-" he said
aloud, and with the word smiled q