The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-09

to tell her that her lover awaited
her, and the very manner in which
she conveyed the message showed
Vernon that she was already more
than half Lioners ally. If she
should be entirely converted-what a
formidable reinforcement for him /.
For the first time the girl felt her
courage sink. She wished that she
had not consented to see him. But
Father Conroy had been of opinion
that this was right.
Slowly she came out Of A<- tc.-
room, and very slowly moved along
the landing to the stairhead. The
cuckoo clock sang out midday as
she stood there hesitating. The house
was very quiet. Then came a sound
which sent her heart to her mouth;
though why this should have been so
is hard to say. The door Of Jem'
room closed sharply. His step sound
ed along the passage. He came out
upon the landing and saw her stand
ing there.
He was not dressed in his everyday
riding-breeches and CATERS, but in
the suit he usually wore on Sundays,
and held a straw hat with a college
ribbon upon it in his hand, instead
of his usual soft felt or Panama
This was SO unwonted sight at that
hour of the day that surprise sent
Vernon's nervousness into the back
ground. "Oh, where are you going 2"
she asked awkwardly.
ITO London" returned Jem, his
waited, as if for her to go down the
stairs.
ITO London?" she echoed stupidity.
with no idea why she said it,
Eyes; only for day or two. Bust
ness for the farm" he answered.
"Oh. said Vernon, "I wish I was
coming tool"
He drew himself up very stiff, and
stood stock still, watching her hand
move aimIessly to and fro upon the
wide, dark, polished rail.
you have visitor" he said.
Yes: that is what mean" she re-
turned. ST wish it was over"
He gave a little start, as though
deeply surprised. do you mean
that you don't intend
The lively feeling in his tones rr
rested Vernon. He must have hoped
that this was a way out-that Glad
wyn's arrival meant that she intend
ed to accept him and go, and leave
the coast clear
"Oh no. she said hurryingly; "of
course I don't mean that only
mean-oh, I don't know what I
mean. Good-bye! I hope you viii
have a jolly time in town.
She turned and began to descend.
Jem moved forward suddenly.
Miss Wilmot!"
She turned, her eyes alight with
anger at that. 1t hurt her more than
she could at all account for. I'm
not Miss Wilmot.!" she replied, with
heat.
yes you are" said Jem, Though
I suppose you won't be much long
err
tentionally or not, had a defiant ring
about it. It'll do my best, I promise
YOU" she said, testing bitterly. who
knows what the news may be when
you come back?"
With this she ran swiftly down,
and fastened to the morning-room
without looking round. Jem waited
where she was until he heard the
distance, and the house was we'll
built. He heard only a very faint
echo of a mans voice raised in a
joyous cry.
The accident of that short meeting
had an effect-perhaps a decisive one
upon Vernon's interview with
Lionel.
AS she stood at the stairhead she
had felt that the thing before her
was Tremendously filled the future,
as it were; it was the main point
round which her mind circled. But,
when she entered the morning-room,
her heart was beating for another
cause. The few unimportant, foolish
words that had passed between her
and Jem-the fact of his absenting
himself, and of the continual tension
between himself and her-f1lled all
the foreground Of her emotions. She
was conscious, as she confronted
Lionel, that he was not the nucleus
of her life. He was something that
lay outside-that could be dealt with
as a side issue.
AS a result, the whole interview
was, to the man, maddeningly incon-
elusive. The girl reiterated all that
her aunt had previously said upon
her behalf. She did not hold that
he was free to marry. Her own feel
ings did not justify her in giving him
any hopes, even could a divorce be
secured, But, until he was legally
free, she would not hear a word Of
his feelings for her, to which he was