Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-07-04
CHAPTER XVIII.
"A n

When the servant came to her
room, Marian said: you needn't
bring anything more. 1 think l shall
soon go for a, little walk. Say this
to the young ladies If they should
come, up and find me absent"
Soon ,afterward. she slipped from
the house by a side door. and, stole
to the windows of the dining-room.
Through the ~lace-curtains. she saw
both the girls rise from the table and
slowly disappear. Leander remained
seated for some time; then, at
length, quilted his chair with nerv"
Gus haste. Suddenly, he stood quite
still, and then-in an absent way
approached one of the open windows.
While he was drawing back its cur
tain Marian glided are
Will you join me out here?" She
asked. II have something to tell
you
She moved quickly away. not wait
ing for his answer. She began to
walk round the spacious. circular
flower-bed. keenly remembering at
each new step the marrying interview
held lot long ago with Lord Usk.
Leander Joined her sooner than
she had expected. AS they began to
move onward side by side. she .ques-
toned:
Shall you go now with the girls %
II shall go without the girls" he
answered. "1'll leave them in your
charge. If you'll let me-"
of course; but the telegram"
"Ernestine told me every word of
,it. a He drew in a deep breath. THE
relief has been enormous"
t}ss" And yet&you are going?"
a"YessI shalasmake4 .thems a visit.
I--Ithink it, best. l." He stopped,
dead short.
All said Marian. touching his
arm for a second. you are going be-
cause of Annie Shelton"
He did not respond, SO she went on.
This alarm. this furry of fear and
dread, has turned your mind toward
a lei anxiety. Tell me that I'm
right, Lee. said to you not long ago
that you still loved her. You've
thought of what might happen to
her. The old are not all of US who
are threatened. What calamity might
at any moment overtake annie? You
love her: You know YOU love her;
You know you're secretly ashamed OF
the way you've treated her.
They moved or in silence for a lit
SASISPoSO. .- aI.o'aSCl gill ESpOI. WnGTe
Marian recalled that there stood a
rustice bench, she reached forth
dizzily in the dubious gloom, and
caught n of its arms. A faintness
had assailed her. but it was transient,
soon yielding to her effort at govern
,ance.
Leander looked down at the place
that he might have taken beside her,
but remained standing.
81 must do til rsust do it, II
shall be done-if everything else
fails"
Thus hurriedly spoke Marian to
her own agitated heart. Next instant
she heard Leander saying, $50 this 6
the something you wanted to tell me /?
But I've heard at all from YOU be.
foBe." \,
you can't hear it too often. And
you can't deny its truth. Tel. me. de
you intend to return from Strattor
without bringing her here as your
wife,?"
He turned away. "oh, perhap.
she's married TO another sweethear,
by now" g,
Everything else, IS / called It,
swept through Marian's ythought
has failed! Now for my last at.
ESSAi Pt'fsSEas stEfE.t&tES5H. t2&@tf g ~ fL
ALOUD she said: Suppose you werk
told that she was lying. at@the pres.
ent moment, very dangerously ill?"
What do youggmean??"" ~ he demand.
ed, sharply.
Marian let a sequence Of second,
go flying by. She seemed to b.
counting them. Suppose Annie wer,
dead she murrnured.
Dead He flung himself into n.
seat at her side. That telegram >,
he ,demanded. What did you d.
81 burned it,,
H.Burnedssit??s.ssf .S
Yes, by mistake. I threw int
the crate some old letters and pAner,
Il wished to destroy, and somehow til,
telegram must have got itself mixed
up with these. Ernestine had left i
on my table instead OF bringing i
downstairs. Everything that / reat
Ito her from IT was true. But ther.
was something added that did no
wanted to- spare them. ~,
the prevent at east further distress
wanted to spare them these words
will be sorrySto learn that yor,
old friend, Annie Shelton. has q ter.
'rible attack Of typhoid In its wora
form. She isEnow very low, and DR.