The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1914-09-24

a
sand times more attractive. He's no
fool. Know what ! taink7 As sba
was coming out she saw you at your
door; and the devil In her got busy"
Nora rose. nuns her arms around
him and kissed him.
Look out for that tin earl"
"Oh, you great big. loyal. true
hearted mani Open that door and
let me get out to the terrace. I want
to sing, singl"
He said he wes going to Milan in
the morning"
She danced to the door and was
gone.
Moral" he called, impatiently. He
listened In vain for the sound of her
return. well, I'll take the count when
IT. comes to guessing what woman's
going to do. I'll go out and square
up with the old girl. Wonder how this
news win harness up with her social
bug?"
Courtlandt got into his compartment
at Varenna. He had tipped the guard
| literally not to open the door for any.
one else, unless the train was crowded.
| As the shrill blast of the conductors
| aboard" the door opened and a heavily
yelled woman got in hurriedly. The
train began to move instantly. The
| guard slammed the door and latched
it. Courtlandt sighed the utility OF
trusting these Italians, OF trying to
buy their loyalty! The woman was
without any luggage whatever, not
even the usual magazine. She was
dressed in brown, her hat was brown
her veil, her gloves, her shoes But
whether she was young or old was
| beyond his deduction He opened his
Corriere and held 1t before his eyess
but he found reading impossible. The
newspaper finally slipped from his
hands to the floor, where it swayed
and rustled unnoticed He was star
ing at the promontory across Lecco,
the green and restful hill, thexlittle
earthly paradise out of which he had
been unjustly cast He couldn't under
stand. He had lived clearly and de-
Gently; he had wronged no manor
woman, nor himself. And yet. through
some evil twist OF fate, he had lost
all there was In life worth having.
The train lurched around a shoulder
Of the mountain. He leaned against
the window. In a moment more the
villa was gone.
What was It? He felt irresistibly
! drawn. Without intending to do so,
he turned and stared at the woman
in brown. Her hand went to the veil
and swept it aside. Nora was as full
of romance as child She could
have stopped him before he made the
boat but she wanted to be alone with
him.
Moral"
She flung herself on her knees in
front of him. II am a wretch" she
said.
He could only repeat her name.
Il am not worth my salt. All, why
did you run away? Why did you not
pursue me, importune me until
wearied? perhaps gladly?
There were times when | would have
opened my arms had you been the
worst scoundrel in the world instead
of the dearest lover. the patientest!
All, can you forgive me?"
Forgive you, Nora?" He was
numb
Il am miserable wretch! | doubt
ed you. ]! When all | had to do was
to recall the way people misrepresent-
ed things | had donei | sent back
your letters and read and re-
read the old blue ones. Don't you
remember how you used to write them
on blue paper? Flora told me
everything. 1t was only because she
hated me, not that she cared anything
about you She told me that night
at the ball. She was at the bottom
of the abduction. When you kissed
me :. didn't you know that
kissed you back Edward, am miser-
able wretch, but | shall follow you
wherever you go, and | haven't even
! a vanity box in my handbag!" There
} were tears in her eyes. Say that l
am a wretch"
| He drew her up beside him. His
! arms closed around her so hungrily,
so strongly, that she gasped little.
He looked into her eyes, his glance
, travelled here and there over her face,
searching for the familiar dimple at
/ one corner of her mouth.
Moral" he whispered.
Kiss mel
And then the train came to stand
. jerkily. They fell back against the
t cushions.
"Lecco!" cried the guard through
t the window
k They laughed like children.
+ 81 bribed him." she said gaily. "Ant
now
: Eyes, and now?' eagerly, If still be
c wildered.
r Let's go back!".
y THE END.
Il