, 1912-12-05

fo'S S"e nau' III use u In reserve
No power could have made her turn
back willingly Her anxious ewes
were set ahead In the blackness. Her
runaway feet were eager In obedience
to her will.
why couldn't | have put 1t OF until
morning?' she was saying to herself
as she passed down the graveled drive
and advanced to meet the wall OF
trees that frowned blackly in her face.
what will he think? What viii he
say? Oh. he'll think I'm such a silly,
romantic fool! No, he won't. He'll
understand. He'll help me on to
Plattsburs tomorrow. But will he
think I've done this for effect? Won't
he think I'm actually throwing my
self at his head? No, l can't turn
back. I'd rather die than go back to
that house. 1t won't matter what he
thinks. I'll be away from all Of 1t to-
morrow. I'll be out of his life. and l
won't care what he thinks. England!
Goodness! What's thatr She had
turned a bend in the drive, and Just
ahead there was a light. A sigh Of re-
lief followed the question. 1t came
from the lantern which hung to a
stake In the road where the new stone
gate posts were being built by work
men from town. B%azelhurst villa was
q quarter Of a mile, through the park.
behind her: the forest was ahead.
At the gate she stopped between the
half finished stone posts and looked
AhnoA u,fkh tho Arct uhtunR nf dtoDnov
Her limbs seemed ready to collapse.
The flush of anger and excitement left
her face. A white. desolate look came
In its stead. Her eyes grew wide. and
she blinked her lashes with an awed
uncertainty that BODIED Ill for the sta
bility Of her adventure. An owl boot
ed In mournful cadence close by. and
she felt her hair was going straight on
end. The tense fingers of n hand
gripped the handle of the travelling
bag. while the other went spasmod-
ically to her heart.
"Ohr' she gasped. moving over quick
~ to the stake on which the lantern
hung. The wind was rushing through
the treetops with increased fervor. the
air was cool and wet with the signs Of
rain. a swirl of dust flew up into her
face. the swish of leaves sounded like
the splashing of water in the air.
Holding her heart for minutes. she at
last regained some of the lost com
posture. A h~ysterical laugh fell from
her lips. What a goose. 1t was an
owl. and I've heard hundreds Of them
up here. Still, they do sound different
outside Of ones W room. It's going
to rain. What wretched luck! Dear
me, l can't stand here all night! How
black 1t is ahead there! O-o-o-h! Really.
now. 1t does seem a bit terrifying. II !
only had a lantern it wouldn't be So
Her gaze fell upon the laborers' Ian
terri that clattered aimlessly. uselessly,
against the stake. An instant later she
had jerked it from its ~fastenings with
a cry of joy. "I'll send 1t back when
they go for my trunks. What luckv'
Without a seconds hesitation she
started of briskly into the woodland
road. striding along with the splendid
swing of the healthy Englishwoman
who has no been trained to -dawdle.
Her walking skirt gave free play to her
limbs. She was far past the well
known "line in the road before she
paused to take a full breath and to re.
%capitulate. Her heart beat faster. and
the sudden glow in her cheek was not
from the exercise. Somehow, out there
alone in the world. the most amazing
feeling Of tenderness sped on ahead to
Randolph Shaw. She tried to putt
from her. but 1t grew and grew. Then
she blushed deep within herself. and
her eyes grew sweet with the memory
of those stolen, reprehensible hours
along the frontier. Something within
her breast cried out for those shining
gone by moments, something seemed
to close down on her throat. something