The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1915-03-19

Nora rose. hung her arms arounl
him and kissed him.
Look out for that tin earl.
"Oh. you great big. loyal. true
hearted man! Open that door and
let me get out to the terrace. l wan,
to sing. sing!"
He said he was going to Milan IL
the morning."
She danced to the door and was
gone.
Moral" he called. impatiently. He
listened IN vain for the sound OF her
return. We'll. I'll take the count when
it m to guessing what a 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 Varenr.a. He had tipped the guard
literally not to open the door for any
n else, unless the train was crowded.
AS the shrill blast OF the conductors
norm sounded the warning of "all
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
1t. C%our,landt sighed: the futility OF
trusting these Italians. OF trying to
buy Their loyalty! The m wac
without any luggage whatever, not
even the usual magazine. She was
dressed ia 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 it before hts eyes:
but he found reading impossible. The
newspaper finally slipped from his
hancs tc the floor, where it swayed
and rustled unnoticed. He was star.
ing at the promontory across Lecco,
the green and restful hill, the little
earthly paradise out of which be had
been unjIstly cast. He couldn't under.
stand. He had lived clearly and do
Gently; he had wronged no man or
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
ann QuIln ~ 00fAn No~n ~x,nn ~~ f..l1
OF rom n as a child. She could
have stopped him before he made the
boat, but she wanted to be alone with
him.
Moral"
She aung herself on her knees Ii
front Of him. Il am a wretch" she
said.
He could only repeat her name.
Il arm not worth my salt. All. why
did yoa run away? Why did you not
pursue me. importune me until l
wearisd? perhaps gladly?
There were times when l would have
opened my arms had you been tie
worst s%coundrel In the world instead
OF tire dearest lover. the ~patientest!
All, can you forgive me-"
forgive you. Nora?" He waa
numb.
Il am a miserable wretch! doubt
ed you. I! When all I had to do was
TO recall the way people misrepresent.
ed things l had done. l 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 rae that night
at the ball. She was ut the bottom
OF the abduction. When you kissed
me didn't you know that I
kissed you back. Edward, l am a miser-
able wretch. but l shall follow you
wherever you 60, and l haven't even
a vanity box in my handbag" There
were tears in her eyes. Say that I
am a wretch"
He drew her up beside him. His
arms closed around her SO hungrily,
so strongly, that she gasped a little.
He looked into her eyes: his glance
travelled here and there over her face.
searching for the familiar dimple 1t
one corner of her mouth.
Moral" he whispered.
Kiss mel"
And then the train came to 4 stand. |
jerkily. They fell back against the
cushions.
"Lecco!" cried the guard through
the window.
They laughed like children.
Il bribed him." she said gaily. And
now j.
Yes. and now ?" eagerly, II still be
wildered.
Let's 20 back"
THE END.