The Bourbon news., 1912-01-09

fair as sunlight on the sea, not in her
eyes of autumnai brown, not in the
wonderful fineness of her skin or in
the daintiness of her features, not In
the graciousness of her body did he
ind the beauty of her that surpassed
,xpression, but in the love she bore
,im. in the sweetness of her inviolate
:oul, in the steadfastness of her i'm
)regnable hear,. -
But it's doubtful IL ever he had an
llyzed his passion for her so minute
Y. Mostly, | think, at that moment of
her abrupt disclosure to him, he long
ed unutterably for her lips and the
pronered wreath round his neck of her
slim, round, white arms.
Yet he would not. Trembling though
ne was, with every instinct and every
iiber OF his being straining toward her,
With the hunger for her keen pain in
nls heart, he held himself back; or his
conception of honor held him back.
That which he had voluntarily forfeit,
ed and put away from him for his hon.
or's sake, he would not take back
though it were offered freely to him.
So" he said after a bit, shakiIy:
then pulled himself together, and
controlling his voice-"So twas your
self, after all, Beatrix, Me heart told
me no other woman could have sung
that song as We did"
The woman dropped her arms. "Your
heart, Terence?" she asked a little hit.
terly.
What else? Do We doubt it."
She shook her head sadly, wistful.
ly. How do know? How can l tell?
Surely, dear, no two people were ever
happier than we-yet within a year
from our wedding you you left
me, ran away from me. .. Why?"
Well We know why, dearest, and
well ye know twas love of We alone
that drove me from ye Could | let
1t be said ye had husband who was
| incapable of supporting ye? Could 1
| let 1t be said that your husband lived
| like leech upon your fortunes?
Faith, didn't I have to go for your
sake?"
No" she dissented with a second
weary shake Of her pretty head; 81
think it was love of yourself, little,
Terence-that and your pride.
Why should any of our world
nave guessed you We're not the rich
man you fancied yourself when we
We're married? Who would have told
them that your landed heritage in
Ireland had turned out profitless? Not
| |, my dear"
i know that" he contended Stub
bornly, but l know, too, sooner or
later it would have come out, and
| they would have said: There she
goes with her fortune-hunter, the ad-
] venturer who married her for her
money"
And If so? What earthly differ
ence could it make to us, sweetheart?
What can gossip matter to us-if you
love me?"
"If!" he cried, almost angrily. eff!
All but no, darling! tbs your
self knows there is no If about 1T, that
I'm sick with love Of ye this very
minute-sick and mad for We :"
Then" she pleaded, with a desper-
ate little break in her Incompatible
voice; and again held out her arms
to him-"then have pity on me, oh, my
| dearest one-have pity on me if only
| for little while"
And suddenly he had caught her to
nd cA4 low hnr
| young strong body nodded to his, her
I lips to his, her eyes half-veiled, the
| sweet fragrance Of her-too well re.
! membered-intoxicati him; lay SUI
! pine in his embrace, yet held him
| strongly to her. and trembled in sym
pathy with the deep, hurried pounding
| of his heart
| In the south the horizon famed
| livid to the zenith, revealing a great,
black wall of cloud that had stolen
| up out of Africa; beneath lit the sea
| shone momentarily with sick1y silk
en- luster. Then the dense blackness
| Of the night reigned again, as pro-
| found as though impenetrable, eternal
Later dull growl of thunder rolled
! in across the waste With it came the
| first fitful warnings of the impending
| wind storm.
| Twas We who sang to me, dear
est?"
Who else, you great silly boy?
And when you followed me to
the door, making as much noise as a
| young elephant, Terence was mind
ed to punish you a little, a very little,
my dear. So I merely opened mine
and closed it sharply"
There was woman in the hall"
Il saw her, dear, and laughed, think
| ing how puzzled you would be. 4.
| Was l cruel my heart? But did not
| mean to be. I'd planned this surprise,
you know, from the minute l found
our rooms adjoined."
| "And this letter"-O'Rourke fumbled
in his pocket and got it out-'ye