The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1910-01-13

edge Of how much she loved him, tina.
ehe bit her lips. felt her cheeks burr.
with shame. and sharply she turned b
leave Craven forever.
Here the rustic Of leaves in the ter
race close at hand made her con
ncious Of the indignity Of q flight In
.he sight possibly Of some servant t.
whom she was already too familiar,
and as she looked for another refuge
the long window Of the empire room
caught her attention. At sight Of the
room the last words of Lady Ormonu
came to her ears She would 60 in II
1t were open. leave the sonnets there
On the table, and then slip away. A
turn to the window knob and It yieio-
ed, and Miss Carew opened the door
and stepped quickly and silently in.
At first she thought she had mis-.
taken the room among the many win.
dows as she looked hurriedly around
for the bright, dazzling welcome q:
yellow color. She seemed to have
been transported back to a period
which. although far nearer her own
time, in reality had an air more an.
cient than the court days of France
She was standing in the center of ar
octagon, old, faded room, its walls
hung in shining chintz, its furniture
covered with the same material, the
pale color Of the background soften
ing the gay blue Of the flowers and
the plumage Of the miraculous birds
On q mahogany table was a brass
lamp under q shade with silken
fringe. workable - open - held
woods and tapestries; there was o
tapestry frame by its side and a low.
seated Chippendale chair. Lucy
caught her breath. and almost held
It lest she breathe against q SPELL
against an image on a glass. Across
the brass are-dog lay the red embers
Of . half.burned-out IRE. The room
was fragrant with the scent Of ola
time things-of . past to which the
wide-open flowers q the roses IN ne
bowl by the lamp lent their fresh edos
OF day. Nothing in the world could
have spoken 20 tenderiy to the aching
heart Of Lucy Carew as this changed
room. altered in her absence BY the
lonely man who had tried to win back
to him his past. and to efface from
between himself and the woman he
loved memories that might do her
wrong.
The sonnets were in her hand.
Gould aho 1oova thoro hero ana uoS
Could she leave him a prey to a fu-
ture she did not dare to picture for
any human creature-still less for
Tempest whom she loved?
With the Transformation around her,
the influence Of the old.faashioned
room, Lady Ormond's impression
ceased to dominate. When in another
minute she heard Tempest's step in
the hall and his voice she waited for
him breathless, with a beating heart
In which there was but one feeling.
He opened the door and slowly came
in. As he did not speak and his eyes
were on her. she spoke quickly:
"Mr. Tempest"
He gave cry and started forward.
Stand STILL" he said. eagerly.
Don't move. hear you-let me feel
my way to you"
Her heart seemed to stop beating.
Speak again."
"Mr. Tempest"
AS he touched her hand, then hey
arm, his grasp folded on it, and he
held her with grip of iron and
looked down into her face:
rs the room pitch dark"
NO" she replied. steadying hel
voice, ut is gloomy day. but moi
quite dark"
mot quite dark" he repeated. mo
for I can see you still! come to the
window. please" He drew her there
and turned her face with both hands
up to what light there was. His clsse
bending to her, the intensity Of his
face, its passion and suffering. ovel
which love rode like = king. trans
hxed the girl, who lifted her OWL
swimming eyes and trembling lips In
compassion. looking at him in turn
as II she would aid his sight, Of hel
own free will stamp her features or
his failing vision.
THAT lovely hair!" he touched IL
1T has light all along it like sun In
the reeds-on the leaves; 1t can hold
the light SO. dearest. Why can't my
eyes? Those lovely eyes! Sometimes
I think they are wells where all the
light is held In inexhaustible depths
I would drain them dry. Those lovely
lips! I have no likeness for them.
only know mine long for them.
have looked at you often enough, God
knows, and yet to-day feel l have
never seen you before. Because
am losing you, shall soon have only
remembrance to feed upon"
Lose me? Oh, whyr she whis
psred. and unable to control her emo
ton hid her face on HIS braaat
Don't cry SO, don't Lucy" After
few minutes, in which he soothed hel
tenderly, she mastered herself and
withdrawing little. laid her coo
palms against his eyelids:
"You need never lose me unless YOU
WISH"