Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-07-02

as he looked the fear that was hateful
took on something of definite shape.
Did you know her husband?' he
asked, and somehow he knew what the
answer would be.
yes" she replied, efter a moment.
She was startled. Her lips remained
parted
He watched her closely. HAS this
this secret anything to do with Chal-
lis Wrandall?"
1T has" said she, meeting his gaze
steadily.
His hands clutched the edge Of the
table in grip that turned the knuckles
white.
"Hetty!" he cried. In hoarse whis-
per. "You-can't mean that you"
you must go to Sara" she cried
hurriedly. Haven't told you that she
is the one"
Were you In love with that Internal
scoundrel?" he demanded fiercely.
Sara knows everything. She will
tell you"
Were you carrying on an affair
with him while protesting to be the
friend of his wife? Tell me that! Did
she find you out and"
"Oh, Brandon, why will you per
sist?" she cried, her eyes afiame. Il
can tell you NO more. Why do you
glare at me as If / were the meanest
thing on earth? Is this love? Is this
your idea of greatness Isn't 1t enough
for you to know that Sara is my loyal,
devoted friend; that She"
"Wait!" he commanded darkly Is
1t possible that she did not discover
your secret until the day you left her
house so abruptly? Does that explain
your sudden departure?"
Il can answer that" she said quiet
~ She has known everything from
the day met her. have not said
anything, Brandon. to lead you to be-
Heye that was In love with Challis
Wrandall, have II"
His eyes softened. mo, you haven't.
FL hope you will forget what / said.
You see, knew Wrandalls reputation.
He had no sense Of honor. He"
We'll, havel" she said levelly.
He flushed. II am beasti I'll put
1t in this way. then: Was he in love
with your
"You are still unfair. / shall not an
swer."
He was silent for a long time. And
Sara's lips are sealed" he unused. still
possessed of doubts and fears.
Until she elects to tell the story,
dearest love, my lips are also sealed.
love you better than anything else In
all this world. l could willingly offer
up my life for you, but--welI. my life
does not belong to me. It is Sara,s"
For heavens sake, Hetty, what ia
all this?" he cried in desperation.
can say no more. 1t is useless to
insist, Brandon If you can wrest the
story from her, all well and good. You
will hate me then, dear love. But it
cannot be helped. I am prepared"
Tell me this much: When you re-
fused to marry Leslie, was your
course inspired by what had hap
pened in--in connection with Challis
Wrandall?"
You forget that 1t is you that
love-" she responded simply.
But why should Sara urge you to
marry Leslie If there is anything"
Hush! There is the waiter. Come
to my sitting-room after breakfast.
have something to say to you. We
must come to definite understanding.
This cannot go on"
He was with her for an hour In that
pinched little sitting-room, and left her
there without vestige Of rancour In
his soul. She would not give an inch
in the stand she had taken, but some
thing UNNECESSARILY great in his make
up rose to the occasion and he went
forth with the conviction that he had
no right to demand more of her than
she was ready to give. He was salts
fed to abide by her decision. The
spell of her was over him more COM
pletely than ever before.
Two days later ne saw her of at the
Care de Lyons, bound for Interlaken.
There was complete understanding
between them. She wanted to be quite
alone In the Alpine town; he was not
to follow her there. She had reserved
rooms at the Schweitzerhof, and the
windows Of her sitting-room looked
straight up the valley to the snow-cov-
cred crest of the Jungfrau. She re-
membered these rooms; az young girl
she had occupied them with her father
and mother. BY some hook or crook,
Booth arranged by wire for her to have
them again, not an easy matter at that
season Of the year. Later she was to
go to Lucerne, and then to Venice.
| The slightest shred of hope was left
for Booth. Even though he might ac-
complish the task he had set unto him.
| self-the conquest of Sara In respect
| to the untold story-he still had Het-
| tvs dismal prophecy that after he
learned tho truth he would come to
see why they could not be married
But ne would not despair.
Wen see," was all that he said In
response to her forlorn cry that they