Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-06-04
CHAPTER M-coneInued.

He looked Gs though he expected
nothing. He could only sit back and
wonder why the deuce Sara meant by
behaving like this.
They returned at seven. Dinner
was unusually merry. Sara appeared
to have recovered from her indispo-
sition; there was color in her cheeks
and life in her smile. He took 1t to
be an omen of good fortune. and was
UNNECESSARILY confident The soft,
cool breezes of the starlit night blew
visions Of impending happiness across
his lively imagination; famed his i'm
patience with gentle ardor; filed him
with suppressed signs of contentment,
and made him willing to forego the
delight OF conquest that he might live
the longer in serene anticipation of
It's thrills.
Ten o'clock came. He arose and
stretched himself In a sort of ecstasy.
His heart was humping loudly, his
senses swan. Walking to the veran-
dab rail he looked out across the
moonlit sound. then down at the Sc
1ected nook over against the garden
wall-spot to be immortalixed and
actually shivered. In ten minutes
time or sven less, she would be down
there In his armsl Exquisite medita-
lions!
He turned to her with an engaging
smile, In which she might have dis
cerned . prophecy, and asked her to
come with him for stroll along the
wall And SO he cast the die.
Hetty sent swift, appealing look
af SarR's purposely averted face. Les
lie observed the act. but misinterpret-
ID its meaning.
"Oh, 1t is quite warm" he said
quickly. You won't need a wrap" he
added, and in spite OF himself his
voice trembled OF course she wouldn't
need wrap!
Sara. rising. She deliberately avoid
ed the look in Hetty's eyes. You will
md me In the library"
She stood In the doorway and
watched them descend to the terrace,
. sphinx-like smile on her lips. Hetty
seemed very tall and erect, as one 20.
ing to meet soldiers fate.
Then Sara entered the house and
sat down to wait
A long time after door closed
stealthily In distant part of the
house-the sun-parIor door, she knew
by direction.
A few minutes later an upstairs
door creaked on It's hinges. Some one
had come In from the mellow night
and some one had been left outside
Many minutes passed. She sat
there at her fathers writing table
and waited for the other to come In
At last quick. heavy footballs sounded
on the tiled floor outside and then
came swiftly down the hall toward
the small, remote room In which she
sat. She looked up as he unceremo-
niously burst into the room.
He came across and stood over her
an expression OF utter bewilderment
IN his eyes. There was CHASTITY
smile on his lips.
D-n it all. Sara" he said shrilly,
-she-she turned me down"
He seemed incapable of comprehen.
zion
She was unmoved. Her eyes mar.
rowed. but that was the only sign Of
emotion.
II can't believe" he began
ENORMOUSLY. "oh, what's the use.
She won't have me Cad, I'm trem-
bling Ike leaf Where's Watson
Have him get me something to drink.
Never mind. I'll get it from the side
board. I'm-I'm ID"
He dropped heavily into a chair
at the end of the table and looked At
her with glazed eyes. AS she stared
back at him she had the curious feel
ing that he had shrunk perceptibly.
that his clothes hung rather Imply
on him His face seemed to have lost
ali OF its smart symmetry; there was
q looseness about the mouth and chin
that had never been there before. The