New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-14
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOX MAJ ~

Ann. BE sorry for him: but don think Ill ol MN;
did not mean 10 make YOU blame HIM You mus hol; l.
was not myself when rushed here iiu "'i Il '"oo'
What do you mean n, 70, or :, ,o,,
:" | cannot tell you that either. p"' "
You can that for yourself -. :; ,bo t,,r
Mrs Blair had her own CONVICTIONS II, 'ne i'..J'
regard Though she could order her thoust, u eu,o
her speech, Ann was far iron % Hill br r. ,h
She sbivered as if the mild night wind chiled ne, 10 'T
heart her ewes were intensely bright; her pallor had
given way TO a fevcriSh flush III "yo,, eb,u
sleep here with me. wish you had Co'e 'e'o III 'o
beginning. Il, f.,o,;,,, g Lor
Ann frmbled with cold fingers at the fastening oil her
dress. 81 wish had, she SAID. ....,., from hor
"I1l unlock YOU" She freed the gown uo,i ,.ei
shoulders and with wave OF endc',es, - ft ' rn
kissed the firm Young flesh Then IN matter OF Ct re-
action. Did YOU leave light in your room? she asked
81 want to fetch your things. .|
Ann imprisoned her with desperate arms Never
mind NV things' she begged Don't leave me! You
must not leave mel -.
But YOU will be uncomfortable il don t;
Il Shall be wretched if YOU do. Please-please don
Apprehensive of another outbreak, the older woman
,cddd and thew law down together on the narrow bed
A ms relief was for the moment ineifaoe' iad ier
n amt come upon RodoSlav she last saw hlih the
situation would have been rretrevable Pity rather
than ANGER or fear colored her feeling toward him now
She was remorseful that her nerves had betrayed ic
into flight md partial confession why had she llo'
held fast to her courage and Selling her advantage per
shaded him TO be again his nobcr sell; IL WOULD surely
have been possibe in his softencd mood 1t would have
been in lis way a PREPARATION. She owed him some Such
service He had reached his blind ntatuaton ul
aided From the hour he wounded her vanity III
Cadenabba she had not ceased to ply her arts Oh
ooucr, TO bring him to her feet She had succeeded;
but at what price. =,
Nor was il Rodoslav alone who paid. She felt as II
she bore the stain OF a cardinal sin ine might iade;
but il could never quite oblterate the thing she mad
done She had sacrificed on the altar Of vanity some
bnq Of her self respect Had she not also forfeited her
happiness? Every word her aunt had spoken OF oVeI
had been a knife thrust Appreciate HIM; An! 'ld
She not? Modest, dependable, long suffering KIND a
man Of her own race being she UNDERSTOOD VINO would
have understood and cherished her she him clothed
in his true character when insight could DrlS only
bitterness If his love ouaSed the news OF her engage
ncn il could scarcely survive the explanation Oh INA.
enqagements unrcality. Like her aunt, ne would lnd
il inexplicable Till Rodoslav attempted the deed She
had caused him to abandon, her lips were sealed Ana
tha, might be never. Opportunity might not knock
tvicc Al his door Had he not told her that not for
hundred wears had the time seemed 50 INT: When ne
should be prepared, every faculty alert ne was
as she had seen him.
Her tortured fancy again evoked the stricken inquire,
and with the remembrance came new alarm She had
orcstaled discovery by her aunt but what one OF the
Trscots or a servant should pass that wide flung door
She thought Of Of reasons that might prompt one
hour Every absurdtv of her sick brain took on
plausibitv. She pictured the various faces OF the
household as they might appear confronting such
sight They all knew it her room. What would
they think? What would they say? She lifted herself
upon her elbow and with Straning waited for the
dreaded football Every faint noise OF the ancient
structure. every whisper of the ivy outside the
mcn shortened her breath. She told herself She would
90 mad unless she knew whether Rodosav still kept his
terrible vigil If he gone, she could perhaps sleep;
il he was still there she would entreat him to go away
SHE crept from bed and dressed without rousng
~ her aunt who had long since fallen asleep. The
moon had swung low, and its light broken by the
cross OF the mulon lay in a bright bar the
flags 1t soothcd her to it thus, and, moving on
sudden impulse 10 the window she let the paSonlcSS