The Yale expositor., 1913-10-02

Thanks for your candor! If her
spirit is destined TO stand like an i'm
movable shadow between you and me.
you do right to warn me. But this in
terview must end all allusion 10 the
subject. | will seek and find another
man to share my fortunes! Gas he said
this he approached suddenly, and took
his papers from the others hand) or
=" Here he hastily retraced his steps
to the door which he softly opened.
Or" he repeated-but though Oswald
listened for the rest, it did not come.
While he waited, the other had given
him one deeply concentrated look and
passed out.
No heartfelt understanding was pos
sible between these two men.
Crossing the hall, Orlando knocked
at the door of Doris little sitting
room.
No answer, yet she was there. He
knew it in every throbbing fiber of his
body. She was there and quite aware
of his presence; of this he felt sure;
yet she did not bid him enter. Should
he knock again? Never! but he would
not quit the threshold, not if she kept
him waiting there for hours. Perhaps
she realized this. Perhaps she had
meant to open the door to him from
the very first, who can tell? What
avails is that she did ultimately open
it, and he. meeting her soft eye.
wished from his very heart that his
impulse had led him another way,
even if that way had been to the edge
OF the precipice-and over.
For the face he looked upon was Sc
rene, and there was no serenity in
him; rather a confusion of Embossed
passions fearful of barrier and yearn-
ing unanimously for freedom. But,
whatever his revolt, the secret revolt
which makes no show in look or
movement, he kept his ground and
forced a smile of greeting. II her face
was quiet. 1t was also lovely-too love-
ly. he felt, for a man to leave it, what
ever might come of his lingering.
Nothing in all his life had ever af-
fected him like 1t. For him there was
no other woman in the past, the pres
ent or the future, and, realizing this
taking in to the full what her affection
and her trust might be to him in
those fearsome days to come, he so
dreaded a rebuff-he, who had been
the courted of women and the admired
Of men ever since he could remember
that he failed to respond to her vel
come and the simple congratulations
he Col RI NnnId
neither speak the commonplace, nor
listen to it, This was his crucial
hour. He must find support here, or
yield hopelessly to the maelstrom in
whose whirl he was caught.
She saw his excitement and faltered
back a step-a move which she regret
ted the next minute. for he took ad-
vantage Of it to enter and close behind
him the door which she would never
have shut of her own accord. Then
he spoke, abruptly, passionately, but
in those golden tones which no emo
ton could render other than alluring:
81 am an unhappy man, Miss Scott.
see that my presence here Is not
welcome, yet am sure that 1t would be
so If IL were not for prejudice
which your generous nature should
be the first to cast aside, in face OF the
outspoken confidence of my brother
Oswald Doris, little Doris, love you.
/ have loved you from the moment OF
our first meeting. Not to many men
is 1t given to find his heart so late,
and when he does, il is for his whole
life; no second passion can follow 1t.
! know that / am premature in saying
this; that you are not prepared to
hear such words from me and that II
might be wiser for me to withhold
them, but l must leave Derby soon,
and cannot go until know whether
there is the least hope that you will
yet lend light to my career or
whether that career must burn itself
to ashes at your feet. Oswald-nay.
hear me out--Oswald lives In his
memories; but / must have an active
hope-a tangible expectation-if ] am
to be the man was meant to be. Will
you, then, coldly dismiss me, or will
you let my whole future life prove to
you the innocence of my past? / will
not hasten anything; all ask is some
indulgence. Time will do the rest"
Impossible" she murmured.
But that was a word for which he
had no ear He saw that she was
moved, Unexpectedly SO; that while
her eyes wandered restlessly at times
towards the door. they ever came back
In girllsh wonder II not fascination, to
his face, emboldening him so that he
ventured at last, to add:
Doris, little Doris, ! will teach you
marvellous lesson, II you will only
turn your dainty ear my way. Love
such as mine carries infinite treasure
with It. VIII you have that treasure
heaped, piled before your feet? Your
lips say no. but your eyes-the truest
eyes I ever saw-whisper different
language. The day will come when
you will find your Joy in the breast Of
him you are now afraid to trust" And
not waiting for disclaimer or even a
glance of reproach from the eyes he
had so wilfully misread, he withdrew