The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-08-10
CHAPTER XVII.
Love In Allegiance.

was oO ludt uc dl-
most betrayed himself. 1t
seemed profoundly personal. He
will be in very hot water, l fear"
He regarded her coldly. And you
want to be on hand to see him squirm,
l suppose"
She took instant alarm. Was she
going too far? His query was some
what disconcerting.
ITO be perfectly frank with you, MI.
Schmidt, l am going to Graustark be-
cause nc one will ever think Of look.
ing for me in such an out of the way
place. / am serious now, SO you must
MOI laugh at me. Circumstances are
such that / prefer to seek happiness
after a fashion of my own. My parents
love me, but they will not understand
me. You know hat my father fears
that l may marry a man distasteful
to him. and l suppose to my mother,
although she Is not so"-
Are his fears well founded?" he
asked. rudely i~nterrupting her. us
there a man that he has cause to fear?
Are-are you in love with some one,
Bedelia?"
do not interrupt me. l want you to
know that l am not running away
from home, that / shall return to 1t
when l see fit and that / am not in
love with the man they suspect.
She was very serious, very intense.
He laid his hand on hers, and she did
not withdraw it. Emboldened, his
hand closed upon the dainty fingers,
and an instant later they were borne
to his hot lips.
You have said that I came here in
search of a light adventure" he whis-
pered, holding her hand close to his
cheek as he bent nearer to her. You
imply that / am a tri1er, a light O.
love. / want you to understand me
better. l came here because p
"Stop!" she pleaded. you must not
say it. l am serious-yes, l know that
you are serious too. But you must
wait. If you were to say 1t to me now
I should have to send you away and
oh, believe me. l do not want to do
that. II"
you love no one else?" he cried
rapturously.
She swayed slightly, as If incapable
Of resisting the appeal that called her
to his heart, and she scarcely breath
ed the words:
81 love no n else."
A less noble nature than this would
have seized upon the advantage offer
ed by her sudden weakness. Instead,
he drew a long. deep breath, straight
ened his figure, and he gently released
the imprisoned hand.
She spoke softly. 1T is too soon
for us to judge each other. / must be
sure-oh, l must be sure of myself.
Can you understand? Now, l must go
in. No; do not ask me to stay-and
let me go alone. l prefer it SO. Good
night, my comrade."
He stood up and let her pass. Good
night, my princess" he said, clearly
and distinctly. She shot a swift glance
into his eyes, smiled family and
moved away.
Two days went by, but there was
not a word Of love passed between
these two who waited for the fruit
to ripen. They were never alone
together. Always they were attended
by the calm, keen eyed Mrs. CASTOR.
On the third day he was convicted
of duplicity. She went off for a walk
alone. When she came In after an
absence of at least two hours the girl
unnt ~ m hnr r0or, without o.. ,~,,oL
as a word with him. Her face was
flushed and she carried her head dis
painfully. He was greatly puzzled.
The puzzle was soon explained. He
waited for her on the stairway as she
came down alone to dinner.
You told me that your friends were
not in Interlaken, Mr.. Schmidt" she
said coldly. Why did you feel called
upon to deceive me?"
He bit his lip. For an instant he re-
fiected. and then gave an evasive an.
swer. II think / told you that l was
alone in this hotel, Miss Guile. My
friends are at another hotel. l am MOI
aware that
II was morally certain that they
were here. Today my suspicious were
justified. encountered Mr.. Totten in
the park beyond the Jungfraublick.
He was very much upset, l can assure
you. but he recovered with amazing
swiftness. We sat on one of the
benches in a nice little nook and had
a long, long talk. He is a charming
man. l have asked him to come to
luncheon with US tomorrow and to
bring Mr.. Dank."
Good Lord, will wonders never
She laid her hand gently upon his
arm and a ooriOuo awootuooo ce~o