Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-12-12

I1eTS NOWs
hem her very closely in-too closely
as, drawing back, she touched the hard
rocky wall! 4
"Why?" Still endeavoring to regard
him as if the charge could only be pre-
posterous, too unreasonable to an
swer, she was, nevertheless, conscious
of the flame on her face-tacit refuta-
ton of the denials in her eyes!
"Why?" she repeated.
"That is just what was asking my
self when saw you, my Lady"
"And, Of course, knowing there
could be no-that it was too senseless
=" The words she was searching for
failed her; she looked toward the path
over the neck Of rock, but he con-
tinued to stand between it and her
II have heard the story in all its de-
tails; all that passed at the Mount,
while Nanette was there. And" in
stead of having undermined his belief,
she felt she had only strengthened 1t,
Il am sure you went to the Monastery
st. Ranulphe, knowing"
"You are sure!" she interrupted
quickly. "1t wasn't long ago you were
sure 1t was who betrayed you, and"
Il was wrong, then; but" his eyes
continued to meet hers, 81 am not
wrong now."
Behind her, my lady's hand closed
hard on the rock.
DENY It'll" his voice went on. "In
SO many words!"
"Why should II" She caught her
breath quickly. II denied something
to you once, and you did not believe"
"I'll believe you now!"
II should feel very much flattered,
am sure; but after" A spark of de-
fiance began to gleam in her eyes.
"You are sure one moment, and not,
the next! You are ready to believe,
or not to believed" More certain now,
she lifted her head; she, whose assur-
ance and wit had never failed her at
court, would not be put to confusion
by him!
His answer was unexpected; to her;
to himself. Perhaps it was the peas
ant-the untamed half-peasant-in his
blood that caused it; that made sud-
den, unceremonious act, his reply! He
caught both her hands; drew her to
him. He knew she could never care
for him-she, the beautiful lady! But
he forgot himself for 1.-The moment;
thought only of what she had done;
her courage, her fineness, her delicate
loveliness! Her life for his. To pay
fancied debt, perhaps? And all the
while he had thought Self-reproach.
es fell from his lips; were followed by
bolder, more daring words. All he
would have said the night on the
beach, when he had borne her from
the fiery rock to the ship, now burst
from him; all he had felt when he
had held her in his arms-motionless
unresisting, the still, white face up
turned, Offering itself freely to hil
gaze!
At the neck of the rock, beneath hi
feet, the waves thundered; near them
wild birds circled, wheeled and wer.
J borne on by the strong breath Of tn,
wind. Had he spoken; what had h,
. said? A gradual consciousness of tn,
beating Of the sea smote his senses
as with rhythmical regularity it arose
He listened; slowly in his eyes tina
: light that demanded-claimed, as 1
were, its own-was replaced by an
other; his hands released hers. M
r lady made no sound; her proud lip
trembled. Very pale, she leaned bach
/ So silence heightened. Pardon, m
l Lady," he said at last, very humbly
Z "It had not occurred to me my secre
{ was not safe; that l. master Of ship
3 and men, should not be master of my
3 self! But had not expected to b