Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

L
did not to make you blame him. You must not
not myself when | rushed here. had had shock.
What do you mean!
Il cannot tell you that either But I'm over it now
You that for yourself.
Mrs. Blair had her convictions in the latter
regard Though she could order her thoughts and curb
She shvcrcd if the mild night wind chilled her to the
heart her eyes intensely bright; her pallor had
given way to a fcvcrish flush.
TRY and rest now" she urged gently. "You shall
sleep here with | wish you had come here IN the
beginning
Ann fumblcd with cold fingers at the fastening of her
dress. IL wish had" she said
I'll unlock you" She freed the gown from her
shoulders and with of tenderness stopped and
kissed the firm young flesh Then, in matter of fact 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 my thngs!" she begged. Don't leave me! You
not leave mel!
But YOU will be uncomfortable if DON'T
81 shall be wretched if you do Please-pcasc don't
go!"
Apprehensive of another outbreak the older woman
yielded and they lay down together the narrow bed
A ms relief for the moment incffable Had her
y aunt come upon Rodoslav she last him, the
situation would have been irretrevable Pity rather
than anger fear colored her feeling toward him
She was rcmorseful that her had betrayed her
into flight and partial confession. Why had she not
held fast to her courage and Selling her advantage
suadcd him to be again his nober self! 1t would surely
have been possible in his softcncd mood. 1t would have
service. He had not reached his blind nfatuaon
aided From the hour he wounded her vanity in
Cadenabbia she had not ceased to ply her arts of
Coquetrv to bring him to her feet. She had SuCCceded
but at what price.
Nor was it Rodoslav alone who paid. She felt if
she bore the stain of cardinal sin. Time might fade;
but it could quite oberatc the thing she had
done. She had sacrificed on the altar of vanity
thing of her self respect Had she not also forfeited her
happiness? Every word her aunt had spoken of Oliver
had been knife thrust Appreciate him. All! Did
he MOdp dcDeut1ablc nd a
of her being she understood, who would
have understood and cherished her. she saw him clothed
in his true character when ght could bring only
bitterness If his love outasted the of her engage
ment it could scarcely survive the explanation of that
engagements unrcality. Like her aunt, he would find
it ncxplicabe. Till Rodosav attempted the deed she
had caused him to abandon, her lips sealed. And
that might be never. Opportunity might not knock
twice at his door. Had he not told her that not for
hundred years had the time seemed SO fit When he
should be prepared, every faculty alert, he
she had seen him.
Her tortured fancy again evoked the stricken figure.
and with the remembrance alarm She had
forestaed discovery by her aunt but what if of the
Truscotts servant should that wide flung door
She thought of OF reasons that might prompt one
any of them the corridor She forgot the
hour Every absurdity of her sick brain took on
plalsbility She pictured the various faces of the
household as they might appear confronting such
sight. They all knew it was 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
mcnt shortened her breath She told herself she would
go mad unless she knew whether Rooslv still kept his
terrible vigil If he gone she could perhaps sleep;
if he still there, she would cntreat 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
of the muon lay in a bright bar the worn
flags 1t soothed her to it thus, and. moving on
sudden impulse to the window, she let the passonlcss
radiance battle her face. Then dropping from the pale
disk to the it TRANSPORTED her gaze travelled the
court from the decayng towers opposite to the shattered
outworks the cliffs far edge Here her startled eyes
halted upOn another warmer glow i'm which the moon