The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-03

rge Barr Mccuteheon.
 down into the corner of the seat, ands with her back half turned toward me- gazed steadfastIy at the panoramic vslll ley which we were skirting. From time to time I glanced at her out of the corners of my eyes, and eventually was somewhat relieved to see that she had closed her own and was dozing.i My soul was in despair. She loathed.i despised me. could not blame her.4 I despised myself.
 And yet my heart Quickened every time I allowed myself to think of thei act I had committed.
 The day was a glorious one and thei road more than passably good. Wei bowled along at a eteady rate of speed! and sundown found us about twenty Eve miles from our destination. Not caring to run the risk of prolonged stay in the town, we drew up at al roadside inn and had cur dinner in the quaint little garden, afterward pro eeeding 1eisurely by moonlight down the slopfng highway. esat2
 Billy Smith met us six or eight miles gut, and we stopped 10 parley- He ex-i am1ned the countess skiI1fuIIy pre- pared passports, pronounced them gen uine and then gave us the cheerful news that "eveything was lovely ana the goose hung high.'' The train for the coast was due teae47e the Staats- rahnhof at 1o.O5, and we had an hOuS to spare. He proposed that we spend it quite comfortably at the roadside while Rritton went through the pre- tense of repairing our tires. This seemed an agreeable arrangement for every one but Britton, who looked Sc sIum that I, glad of the excuse, offered to help him.
 No sooner was I out of the car ana Billy Smith in my place -pessde the countess than she became quite gay and vivacious once more. She laughed and chatted with him in a manner that promptly convinced me that propln- quity so far as was concerned had had most depressing effect upen her and that she reYeled in the eAange of companions
 was so disturbed by the discovery that Britton had to caution me several times to handle the inner tubes less roughly or would damage them and we might suffer a blowout after all. Every one appeared to be gay ana frivolous, even Blake, who ciEattereo sotto voce with Br1tton, that excellent | l ing against the spare tires in order to l catch what she was saying for his ben eft. All, efforts to draw me into the I general conversation were unaYafling- I I was as nnorose and unresponsive as an Egyptian mummy, and for a very 1 excellent reason, submit The count .ess deliberately refused to address a single remark to me. Indeed, when seemed periIousIy near to being drawn into the conversation she relapsed into a silence that was most forbidding- My cup of misery was overdoWing.
 | wondered if she would feel called upon at some distant confessional to tell the fortunate Lord Amberdale that 1 I had brutalIy kissed her. And Lord 1 Amberdale would grin in his beastly ] supercilious English way and say, eeWhat else could you have expected from baIly American bounder2" She I would no doubt smile indulgently.
 All things come to an end, however. We found ourselves at last utteEing 1 our goodbys in the railway station sur i rounded by hurrying travellers and at tended by eager porters.
 The countess did not lift her veil 1 deliberately drew her aside. My hot hand cIasped hers and found it as cold as ice and trembling.
 AFor Gods sake I whispered hoarse- ly in my humbleness. Etsay that -you forgive me!''
 She did not speak for many seconds. Then her voice was very low and tremuIous. I felt that her sOmber eyes were accusing me even as they tried to meet my own with a steadiness that l was meant to be reassuring. l "of course I forgive you" she sad -eYou have been 50 good % ma
 "GoodP' I cried bitterly. I've been harsh, unreasoning5 supercritieal from the day met''-
 eHush!1 she said, laying her free hand upon my arm. eI shall. never forget all that you have done for me. I-I can say no more"
 tContinued.1