Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-11-10
CHAPTER XIV.
rh. EIutter q a Sheer Of Music.


around her white throat and at her
white elbows. sat on the floor of the
music room amid chaos of sheet mu-
sic. She was humming q gay little
song suggested by one of the titles
thr ough which she had leafed. and was
gradually sorting her music for the
yacht party: instrumental pieces here.
popular things there, another little pile
of old-fashioned glees which the as
sembled crowd might sing, just here
little stack of her own solos, nearby
the rector's favorites, between the two
their duets. II was her part in one
of the latter she was humming now,
missing. as she sang. the strong ac-
compartment of Rev. Smith Boyd's
mellow voice. She was more peace
full this morning than she had been
for many days.
The butler came through the hall,
and Gail looked up with a suppressed
giggle as she saw him pass the door
She always had an absurd idea that
his hinges should be oiled.
Miss Gall is not at home, sir" she
heard the butler say, and Gail paused
with a sheet OF music suspended in
her hand, the whole expression of her
face changing She had only given
instructions that one person should re-
ceive that invariable message.
81 beg your pardon, sir!" was the next
observation Gail heard, in tone of as
near startled remonstrance as was
possible to the buffers wooden voice.
There was a sound almost as of a
scuffie, and then Allison, with his top
coat on his arm and his hat In his
hand. strobe to the doorway of the
music room, followed Immediately by
the butler, who looked as II his hair
had been peeled a little bit at the
edges Allison had apparently brushed
roughly past him. and had disturbed
his equanimity for the balance Of his
life.
Gail was on her feet almost instan-
taneously with the apparition in the
doorway. and she still held the sheet
OF music which she had been about to
deposit on one Of the piles. Allison s
eyes had a queer effect Of being
sunken. and there was strange nerv-
Gus tension in him. Gall dismissed
the butler with a nod.
You were informed that / am not
at home" she said.
81 meant to see you" he replied
with a certain determined insolence in
his tone which she could not escape.
There was a triumph in it. too. as If
his having swept the butler aside
we're only a part of his imperious In
IGNITION. 81 have some things to say
to you to which you must listen"
you had better say them all, then,
because this is your last opportunity. %
she told him, pale with anger. and
with a Quaver in her voice which she
would have given much to suppress.
He cast a look on her which blazed
He had not slept since he had seen
her last He smiled. and the smile
was a snarl, displaying his teeth.
Something more than anger crept into
Calls pallor.
Il have come to ask you again to
marry me, Gail. The matter is too
vital to be let pass without the most
serious effort of which ! am capable,
cannot do without you. ! have a
need for you which is greater than
anything of which you could conceive.
come to you humbly, Gail. to ask
you to marry me-"
For just moment his eyes had
softened, and Gail felt a slight trace
of pity for him; but in the pity itself
there was revulsion.
81 cannot, she told him.
You must!" he Immediately re.
joined. "As / would build up en- EN-.
pire to win you, would destroy one
to win you. You spoke last night OF
what you called the cruelty and trick
cry of the building up of my big trans
portaticn monopoly. If 1t is that which
stands between US, ii shall not do so
for a moment longer. Marry me, and
| will stop 1t just where it is. Why,
l only built this for you, and If you
don't like it. ! shall have nothing to
da with it," In that he lied, and con.
sciously He knew that the moment
De udu Uldue sure Oi ueI his AHDillOD
10 conquer would come uppermost
again, and that he would pursue his
dream of conquest with even more ar.
dor than before. because he had been
refreshed
THAT would make no difference, Mr.
Allison" she replied. 81 told you last
night that / would not marry you be.
cause do not. and could not. love you.
There does not need to be any other
reason" There was in her an inexpli-
cable tension, a reflex of his own. but,
though her face was still pale, she
stood very calmly before him.
The savageness which was in him,
held too long in leash. sprang into his
face, his eyes, his lips. the set of his
Jaws. He advanced a step towards
her. His hands contracted.