HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Advocate, 1914-10-8, Page 6TCAPTER VIII,—(Continuetie
he called at the Oarwerdines' Kitt
ties foilowing aftemoon, elelterbet wa
eliown into a. drewing-room. which, Mk
peered to be Kull of small dogs 'who. bare
ed liire furiouille. A very smiling au
eelepoeeeeeed Dulcie oaane forward an
greeted Jenabiddine the doge be q,uiet
See wae quite unemberre.ssed, end pre-
sented the vietor to Mrs- Templemore
introduced the tiny toy doge, and dealer
ed he must wade until Printroee, who bad
001111 pleturaegellery with eom
frienae, returned.
Be:turbot felt' elightly dazzled by D'ul
teets gaiety tend the etaartuese of her
dress. "'What it butterfly she 'IS I" he
thought. "And not altogether improved
by London, ROW I =1St have been
ever to have thought ebe wae the wiee for
mer
Be had not long to wart before Prim
rose came in. She was wearing a, long
Week dress, and a, Week velvet het which
made her complexion more like wild roses
than ever. Belturbet went forward to
meet her, and as they shook Imelda Print
resets sraile wee yery sweet. eyee
held her gray one for it Emceed, but they
greeted each other quietly.
The yoane squire's visit ' lab -tad- about
half -an -hour, during which time he had
to wateh Dulcie'e eloge go through their
tricks, au& listen to telee of their pre-
tereatural clovernese, for Duleeeeeeraze
at the time was toy Pommel:Jens. Be-
fore he left, however, he had ebteined
promise thee the sisters and Mrs. Term
plemore would join his party the fol.
lowine week.
When. the door closed on him, Duleie
turned to Primaries
Be ie duller than evert" ehe excladra-
ed. "/ expeet Philippa, -will have a shot
at him now; it heart is often caught on
the x-eheund, you know.',,
She spoke with a sneer, for her temper
was not improving. Primrose did. not an-
swer, hut her heart fell at the mention
of Philippa. Wee ,some one always to
come between her and Belturbet? Then
ehe told herself that if he .wero ,so easily
Influenced, he was not worth her love.
She held her head high, but her heart
was ear% for Duloie's idle words had
wounded her.
Dulde spent the afternoon before Bel-
tnrbet's dinner -party trying to decide
which of her innumerable dresses the
ebould wear. Jim had not yet seen her
in evening dress, so there wae a pleasant
surprise ia store for him. Rut what an
intolerable waisence it was to have to
wear blackl Dulcie loaned pettishly at
her dresses of nearly every material un-
der the sun, finally selecting one of chif-
fon which etted her slender figure to
perfection. There were no eleeves, except
a few straps of jet, and the dazzling
wbiteneee of her neck and arnis was en-
hanced by the black setting. In liter
bright fair heir was poised a. jet butter-
fly.
Primeese's toilet took nearly as long
to eomplete as Dtaeie's. Her frock was
as perfect in its was, as her sister's; not
;so derieg, but wonderfully becoming- in
its soft filtainees. Mrs. Templemore smil-
ed at them approvingly.
There 'will be few in the dining -hall
to equal my charges," he said.
"You are a dear old thing!" replied Dul-
tie, which showed that Mrs. Templemore
had played her cards to the beet advant-
age. •
They were the last of the party to ar-
rive. Philippa, the only other lady, wore
a becoming emerald -green dress; Heriott,
looking rather- tired and bored, was
talking to two strangers, -whom Belturbet
introduced as Major Fergusson and
Archie Trevor, the former aniddle-aged
and eerceptibly bard the latter young,
good-looking, end brimming over with
the irrepressible spirits of youth.
Belturbet, tall and dark, with hie
strong features and slight stoop, looked
to Primrose immeaeurebly superior to the
other mem She eat next to her host, and
on his other hand was Philippa. Dulcie
was between Heriobt and Arehie Trevor,
but as Jim sat next to Mrs. Templemore
also, and devoted himself to that lady,
Durcie commenced a violent flirtation with
Trevor, who responded in it manner that
showed it was a game at which he was
not it novice.
Resplenent Philippa talked pleasantly
with her host, but elle did not ignore Ma-
jor Pergueson on her other hand. Prim-
rose ate and spoke as in a dream. She
could not believe that ,she was actually
sitting beside and talking to Arthur Bel-
turbet, of whona only a few months ago
she had resolved never to think again.
It was incredible: Yet she was talking
to him as if nothing had ever happened.
It eeetnerl as if new life etretched be-
fore her. 33ut her dream had an abrupt
ending When dinner was over, four taxi.
cabe took them to the theatre; Beltur-
bet and Philippa, entered one; she follow-
ed with Heriott; Dulcie with Trevor, and
Mrs. Templemore with the Major occupy-
ing the others.
She talked bravely to Jim, who never
gueesel that the girl by his side had
every -whit as much reason ae himself 41
feel wretched. Ile tortured himself be
wondering what Duleie was saying to that
eyoung ASS Trevor" in the taxi that was
east behind his.
Belturbet had engaged a st4ge box at
otee of the biggest theatres in London.
The play was it musical comedy, plotless,
but fun of movement and eolor. Dulcie
and Trevor giggled and •whisperecl to-
gether sharneleeely throughout the piece.
Belturbet„ who sat behind 'Prinarose, oc-
cupied huntself in admiring pretty
way in which ber hair was arranged!
She was very dose to him, so close that
the faint perfume of violets see wore
reached thine He did not trouble to no-
tice what was heppening on the eta,ge;
he was Bleed with thoughts 'which ren-
dered him deaf and blind to everything.
but Primrose.
The curtain fell, the band played eGoa
Saye the King," end the party trooPed
into tee eestibule of the theatre. Some
c-ortfusion followed in getting tee va,rious
eouplee into their taxis. Dulcie strove
to capture lIerlott, but that gentleman
had followed Mrs. Templemore, so Archie
Trevor was ber companion again, whilst
Philip,pa found herself being handed in
by Major Ferguseon, and finally Behar -
bet and Primrose were -whirled away, eit-
ting side by side. She was very pale, but
her voice was well under control as elte
broke a brief silence.
"You have given us a. mote delightful
evening," ehe said.
-Hive le" he 'bemired in a voice that
was purely mechanwal, for be was won-
dering what would happen if he put his
arms around her.
••Why yes—of c.oursel" she told him
gaily,
"Pri Parise I" lie field burrielly. "Prin.rose—T—its n
o good, I must tell you—I
love you! X bave loved you from the first
minute I saw you, and I have never ;stop.
ped loving you. Will you listen to me?"
Tii dark eyee sought hers, and at that
moment the Joy of Primrose' e life came
to bor. pieced a small ungloved hand
on hie Etiseve, and whispered hie name.
Belturbet took her in his ernes,
he gaid a little later on, "let me
tell you why T. made such a fool of my -
tete Ittet '
"Not now," ethispered Primrose. "It
really does not matter."
Her grey eyes looked into ele, and be
'taw she understood.
"No, eleareet," be agreed, itesing her
egaie, "It is ,nothing to es—now!"
CHAPTER IX.
Pietercete elept Hale that night,. She <
wee too berme. Beltarbet liae prouifeed
to come to. her the next, tifternoon. Sem
*titer hrealtfast aceorripliehed the not
very pleasant taek of telling Dniele that s
5110 Wag goleg to marry tee rune to Wh
hom
er teeter bed been engaged, le n. highly
r alba ble manner. tetleises increthility
changed to ameeement, and enalle to
Whit, appetra veal. like jealousy. e
"1 r etter heard arteth g 50 fennel"
she exclaimed. "Faitee Arthur Battle -bet
t merrying eieter beeauee he oanuot
o naia•ry me I" •
"As you don't care for Ilene eou
• aeed. not grudge hien to me, ;sale Prim-
e rose, ooloring.
d "Ary dear girl, I do not! But you eau'
• only ge expect that •thinwill be said klb011t
the rapidity with which he has traal$'
ferret!. hie affectione erom one sister to
- the other."
"Yes, eines my awn sister doee riot hese
tate to paint 11 o'ut to rue, I cannot ex
oprecLeou•tentge to elow any greater delicacy
Dulcie stared itt eurpriee• at her eister,
for there was it tone in her -voice 'which
she had never heard before. Truly Due
dee world muet be changing if the -usual-
ly gentle Prienroee could employ , that
tone!
' "Mien are you going to be mauled?"
she asked,
"Iu the autumn," was the quiet reply.
y".goiunrd,hD041uileciew,it-tuve whop you will make
"My dear Primrose, it is very kind of
you—and Arthur—but, 1 should not dream
of inilleting myself on you. I•anean to
'See it 1itt1 of the world tbefore '1, eettle
down, 1 shall probably ea abroad with
Mies, Temelemore as eoon att you are mar-
ried—Egypt for ' the winter,end then
wherever my fancy takes tae."'
Prim.reee, looked et her Mestfullye It.
wae no use offering advice or counsel
then; later on, perhaps, Dulcie <might
e
The truth wee thet Dudes vanity had
received 0, very severe blow. . She eealized,
now that Belturbet had never cared , for
her at, all. She had thrown liereele into
hes orals in such • it manner that he had
not been able to repulse her, and al-
though she did not want hinx fer'herselt,
yet •the thouglit that lie had preferred
Primrose all the time was -eery bitter.
She recaIled sev.eral incidents or the
previous sinnuter—Belturbees polite. yet.
impassive acceptance of the attentions
he levished on hien, attentions all de-
signed to achieve aier obJeot of becoming
mistress of Old House; Iteriott's passion-
ate love -making, end her quarrels with
1311Ste.coul•d have had Jim thereeithen ehe
did not went hiial And now, wheel, she
would give everything to hear him say
"I love your he...would bete nothing .to
do with het. What a 'Impel:me muddle
she had made of .everything! Well,atty.
how she did not intend to die efegrief 'or
a broken heart, and she woad .sho.W 'Ar-
thur Belterbet—and - Jim Heriott, tot,—
that she elid -eettcere. one jot ter either
of them!
During the next five years Dulcie kept,
her word. After Primrose and Arthur
liteltuebet -were married, she ,and Mrs,
Templemore went abroad, and it was - a,
year before they returned to England.
Then Dulcie spent two years emongse
that section of society known as "Smart,'
went on a motoreeur through Europe,
and had what she called "a perfectly rip-
ping time," until eventually, when every.
thing .eeetned te pall, and her innumer-
able flirtations had become .wearisome,
she decided to spend a month or two at
Old House with Primrose and Arthur, and
in the quietness of their home to gather
strength, to commence it fresh campaign
of amusement. alie had only 'seen her sis-
ter and Belturbet ,occaeionally, for they
preferred country life to town, and could
not give her the excitement for which she
craved,
The Ileriotta had not crested her path
for several years Philippa had received
the news of 'Primrose,. and Aethere en-
gagementcalmly, recognizing that her
ehanee of reigning at GleitHouse wae for
ever at an end. As Major Pergussoo be-
came eery attentive, however, she be -
arae Rea Pergueesan without much delay.
Jim stayed on at the flat with an elder-
ly housekeeper,and continued his varioue
experiments with untiring industry.
It was a, blnzing day in Jane -when Del-
ete arrived at Old Hou,se. She had be-
-come it very elegant graceful woman of
twenty-six; her forget-me-not blue eyes
were as clear as ever, and. the fair hair
arranged in a mass of curls about her
mall head was as bright as on the day
when she and her sister had sat in the
woods, and Belturbet had overheard their
conversation.
But yews devoted solely to the pursuit
of pleasure had given her an air that
seemed to indicate that she found most
things wearisome, and her eneraies de.
clared that the look she wore indicated
a petulant disposition.
Be that as it may, Miss Dulcie Oar-
wardine, Who was an undeniably attrac-
tive eoung woman, confessed to herself
atter a week 'spent at Old House, that the
quiet, uneventful life led by her slater
and Belturbet did not suit her in the
least.
"Are you not going to provide anything
in the shape of entexteinment for me?"
she asked Primaroee one afternoon. "I
really do not think I can stand mudh
more undiluted simplicity." .
Prirariose, wthe 'was lbS graceful and
Pretty AS ells had ever been, put down
her needlework.
"We have asked the Fergussons, Kr.
Iteriott, and the Ashbye, brother and elle.
ter, to come dawn on Saturday for it
-week or two," she replied.
"That eounds better," eaid
brightening. "The Ashby boy is rather
amusing. Be -the -way, what has Jim Her-
iott grown into? He threatened to be
stent, 1Sarney!"
"Then lie gliew thin instead. He bee
worked like a slave for the last few years,
and. ig now reaping the reward -of hie in,
•duereaxy."
me, how noble that sounds! Be
errast have changed a good deal eince he
was a fat, redheaded young man with a
violent temper had it penchant for mak-
ing scenes."
"Yon will find him greatly altered. He
ie going to be it very rich man before
long. The Government have taken up
eome of his inventions." •
"Very 'eourageous of them, I'm sure!"
seid Dulcie lIghtly. "I feel quite a thrill
of excitement at the thought of meeting
such it celebritee' We quarrelled the laet
time I raw him, I believe."
She fell into e reverie. The time seem-
ed very eemote now, yet he could die
tinctly recall bow her heart had :weed
because elm ignored her. But the ache
had elisappeared in time, and it hest of
admirers bad 'taken Heriotes, place, for
Dulcie received far more admiration than
is good for any one young woman. See
received 'propose:le of marriage from
several men, but no one seemed to poe-
tsees• the qualiticabions she deemed neces-
sary in it Mebane, eel thereforeat
tweneyesix Dade wags still ,Mise Oar -
vat -eine. •
Arthur Belturbet met hie guests at the
etation. Peilippe had developed into a
wonderfully m,ajestio leder. whose has:band
admired her •greatly, and tee° Asethye
were it merry, happy-go-hieky brother
and sister. Jim Heriott,. now lean of ilg-
itre, looke4 several yeare itt advance of
hie age. Itis fieentng Itead wae many
shades darker, his brown , eyes were re-
flective and oritical, rather than merry,
and the brown moustache that wed , to
tide a filen mouth had tlisappeared; • -
He was urtfeignecler glad to 'tee Beltar.
bet, and inquired after Primrese and :the
children, but evinced •no Seeleig of aey
kind when Beltewbet. renterkee, "Prime
rosae eleter stityine with 159.'
The new arrivale •foarel their heetese
and her eleter in the ga,rden, bath in
"(Melte taught dresses, looking tee Mame
of eltarmeng eleglielt womanhood. If Dal -
.110 vv,a8 startled at the eluthge la Jim
lieriott, she <lid not show it ae she ehook
haude -with I•tim.
"How d'ye, ,do," oi eerie, as if elie had
eel him the, us .previodae,
Herlott ettulted Made carefully: he tie.
iced her discontent and restie,senste, and
Wondered if tee led forgotten 'whet he
odd never forget—how they had
elled five years ago, Five yeers of steer-
t1,011S wok): they had been for brie, and 'wo English soldiers EaVre, with a French yotIngSter, Who is trying tO keep up,
I
I Neither* he relleeted getnee, iled .1144
t140 year's of pleesere for her. Tim did
nOt dem,liewever, to leave bleritelit etta•
htelePieelee, iledging• fronl, 'Whet kio <WM-
eel eyescould (see.
i brought, hien hapeineee. Ptertnrie Wake
•
within Luz rode ln afew ,inetither hie
POSitiOn would be meured, elite tt he lilt.
ed be need never do it etroke or, work
agehe yet he ,wae hot eatieteed 'With lee
life. 'elm real reaeon fee thee he etnere
to hitle, but, in his heart or aielletts he
knew whet it wee, '
A. week puesed agreeably for the liouse-
Petty. Delete no 'longer oortiPleirted
tielitess, tor leeeinale etilibe wee ner
'sieve, 'while We sister, Beatrice, .a Plentie
goleen-heired maidee of twenty, el:timed
Heriott De her enure, tee thee did not
hana beeves,' on the hamlet of any of
thelll. Y0t both Dulde mid ,, ,Tim were
vonecieus of a dietinet eeneation, Of
aemointment ae the days Hew by, and
,vvliee the time eame for elin. to all110•Ull0S
that he 'WAS COTayglied bY hllSill5SS to re -
10 London in it couple `of days, Del.
eie began to experience anew all the
Paeige she had euffered ilve,yeale age,
If he laved lier witat wee there to ere
vent lieu telling her SO 00.1V Shcl'aglied
1101lSOf, EVIBIT See eald ',that he was go-
ing to be a. rice man, ,se there Was no
reason why he should not say that he lov-
ed her -41 he did. Mt, thee' wae eti IK
he did! One moment ehe felt ,aerteie of
it, but the next ehe doubted,
It da-wned ou herthe day before the one
fixed for his deperture that he intended
to leeve her without 'toying a.uythina,
The morning .and- afternoon EliPpetl teeta,e;
dinner -tame came and paesed; only ,a
few houre remained before .they 'would
sey "Geed nighet and goad-beHerlott
was to leave' early the next morning.
It was a twarm etill evening, following
a day of enteilde heat,. anti after, <teener
the little party strolled out late elie gar-
den, Reginald- 'Ashby , everted,. Duecie
while hie goldenhaired leieter kept, near
iteriett. ' •
,"What, shallBet
we do to amuse )11% He-
iott on his last eveniug?" asked Beatrice
Aehby,
"1 do not want to be amused," replied
Jim, "Only to be allowed to finish my
cigar in peace."
"It would he cool and quiet in the
woods," suggested Delete -with a fast -
beating heart.
"Than let ue to the -woods!' pried Ash-
by. "We will all playehide-atuleseek, and
it will be great eport. .
Prim,roee declered she 'was to old to
come, but Philippa thought it would be
amusing, and holding eP her long skirte
led the way. As Dulcie bed said, the
-woods were cool and quiet, while the light
still lingered. -Very mon the SIX yelling
aeople were running about like a party
of sdbool children, and .startling, the
birds, that had retired at their proper
time,
When Beatrice Ashby lost one of her
pale blue satin elippers and Heriott found
it and replaced it on the owner's pretty
foot, Ihilme felt as if she would enjoy
nothing so much as to give Beatrice
sound box on. the ear.
eIt is ,your turn to seek now, Dulcie!
cried Philippa,.
"Be quick and bide then, teen," an -
aerated Dulcie, trying to arrange a, lock.
of heir that heel fallen down in the heat
of the ehase.
They an preeented a rather diehevelled
appearance, even stately Phipippa'e
queenly robe was. tarn, and Beatrice had
a large smudge of green down one side
of her dress.
Duloie was left alone pinning up her
hair,» whilst the others seettered to hide.
After a fee- minutes one of ;the hietirs
gave e load "Coo-oee," and holding her
skirte well up out of the grass Dulcie
began the search. She ran Philippa •to
earth quickly, and then Beatrice -"who
,with many 'screams of dismay rushed
this way and that, but failed ,to elude
Dulcie's swift feet. It was more difficult
to And Reginald, who. got hom.e easily,
after leading Dulcie long. chaise, but
she tenet Major Fergueson unawares.
Hemet, however, was not to -be seen.
"You will never find him!" ecoffed
Beatriee. • • , •
"Shan't 1r retorted Dulcie. "Do not
be too sure! I will catch him ir he has
not gone out of bounds."
"Of course he hae riot!"
"Then I will find him iu a few minutes
ateDbaolleadaeies bad been 'arranged;wiel
due regard to the ladies' capabilities he
athletes.
Dulde dieaPpeared into the leafy green-
ness of the woods, and when she was out
of sight of the others stood still for a
minute. A sudden thought caxne to her.
Just out of bounds was the Gap in the
old stone -wall where ehe had so often
inet, her lover years ago. Suppose he had
gone there?. •
With noieeless stepe she made her way
towards it. Beeend her the voices and
laughter of the others grew feinter ana
fainter, until they were completely lost.
Onee she stopped euadenly and listened,
but nothing was to be heard save the
rustle of the leaeee and the drowsy notes
of the birds.
Presently she came to a clearing in the
woods which had. been declared out .
bowies. She picked her way carefully
amass it, and etole into a rtarrow path
between the trees on the other elde. Iit
a few zainutes he had reached the Ga,p;
and there, unabashed, ,at dim, &reeking
a eigareete. '
"X euppese you know you are out oe
bounds," said. ,
"Oh I am not playing now!" he regelied.
"Then you, ought to have said so, re-
torted Ditloie, "and laved inc the trouble
of coming all this way to find you."
"How did -you know I was here?"
"I thought you would probahly be re-
visiting the scenes of your youthful
days." -
Dulcie spoke easily, but she colored.
"And you were also seized -with a de-
sire to •do the sa.me?" queried Heriott,
rising and ,showing hie intention of re-
turning to the others.
"I believe you are afraid to stay here
-with me," said Dulcie. "Do not let me
detain you, but as I am rather tired I
Propose to ret for a few minutes before
Sghoe 3)(1a:refill ly selected a seat on I:be
broken -wail, while Jim tean.ained stand.'
ing. '
"Pray do not, wait," see eaid with ela-
borate politeness, "I know my Vay, and
am mete at home in these woods. Once
1 bad exe got to elue Poste from this very
+Vet 'Vito late nt lied 40 not
11 the lesete
Tele woe reteind flertott of taie lest
oeceeion Wh101 they had 60 eller()
tergethee. If he remembered, hOweeer, he
gave no eign, hut etood holdieg his
tie:matte between les fingehe
"Do etrioeer eltkreetle
"Thanita,' ,said, ;wailing himself of
her pernieseiOn,
,A. gust of terapea. eeizea Dielcieelte •vva
like granite, leargeatted immovable, yet
Ib seemed to" her impoevsible that those
odvb, icli had once barged
eo, intensely witeitif emed be lenge
lutely
"Yoe, heeet changed Very mech," she.
pemarkee abruptly. • '
"I dare eee. 1 have lied, so rntener
theDirgoe ytoguatOth.'ilat x 31a.ve, ouicie
inquired, , new glartee -Of luet'
blue eyes.
'Reeiote, appeared. to reflect. ,
Not, greatly, I elioald was di8
answer.
Duicie felt baffled, but gathered her
forces for it Mutt .effert.
"I aim afraid • I treated 'you 'very badly
once upon a time,' shetanurteuree
"Ob, that wits yeares and years age!'
was hie cheerful reply. "Believe me,
have entirety forgotten it, Meet of us
melte fools of ouredvee once bt our livee,"
Dulde looked et the melt whoepoire so
carelessly. Tee sparetiess of his form
made hen look taller than in days gene
by, wheat his once round, smiling face
had become holloweiheeited, and the pink
and white of his complexion given place
to a uniform. pallor. The brown eyes
were eold ahd critical, and. his hair no
laAasger,sbileameetiedo.guized the completeness of
the change in eine inentally OS well as
physietelly, she eneyr that it was not en-
tirely dueeto the many houre spent at
work, bat that he bad suffered ae she had
""nrre. v' never epeale kindly to me
again!" slie told herself. "Never! What
shall I do? I must not—I •will not—lase
him!"
She strove to find words wheel would
'teed the conversation in the direction
she wished it to take, but, vensid as „she -
was in feminine wiles, she could think
of nothing. She ffats extremely ,misera,ble,
knowing that the last chance of halite.
nets was %%lipping away. There was si-
lence between them -until the man broke
'Tr you have sufficiently x.e.sted," he 'mid
oonventrionally, "do you not think we had
better return to the others? They will
be wondering *whet has; become of us." •
"I do not -want to go back," said Diecie
deAtigaanitnlys.ne'; !Jute terii
like a curtain between
them. Heriott made no answer, but the
fingers that held, the cigarette censhed
it. He stood motionless. IMIcie welted
for a word—none came.
-Jim!" ;the whispered. "Tim—speak to
me!"
Hee elender form trembled violently,
and then as the man made no sign she
buried her face in her hands. and a sob
broke from ler.
"What do you want me to say?" aeked
Ileriott, ,a voice that wee devoid of ell
expression. •
"Do you never -intend to forgive me?"
asked Dulcie. raising her head ,and look-
ing at him. -
"There is nothing to forgive," he re-
plied.
"That means you will not. Well, any-
how, I am sorry I behaved as 1 did, and
as I think 1 have humbled myself sua
Roiently for one eiening, we may as well
return to the others.
She ;rose to her feet rather unsteadily,
gave a shake to her dainty eilken skirts,
lifted her head and stared him straight
in the lace.
Be met her gaze without flinching.
"Come," ,said, with a rather poor
attempt to eanile. "I am quite reade."
But Heriott did not make any attempt
to move.
"Just one moment," he said. "Did you
follow me here to ask me to forgive You?"
"Suppose I did—whet. then?"
"If ;you. did, it makes all the differ-
"Parele' e and love 'struggled for the near;Or
hand within Riede; she longed to appear
flippant, but the fear of losing hen stop-
ped, the weres that, rose ito her lips.
'What difference coeald it make?"' she
aSked.
"Tell me the truth' he said sternly.
"Well, I did," she confe,ssed. a trifle
nervously. '
"Wh-y?" he queried. -
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Why?" he insisted.
Oh, a whnn. replied aualy.
"Thee is not the truth," he said soberly.
"Well, then," she began desPeratelle
followed you because I guessed you had
come here, ,and I wanted. to tell y011 that
I am soery, for the way I -treated you
years ago—and that—that—I ham regret-
ted it ever .since,"
"As a matter of fact, so hare I," he
emprieed her by xeplying.
• She looked at him, and then suddenly
13e'ellar,-Vee IlIaepallen quite enough gh humble pie,
Jim?" she agsked softly. "Are you eever
going to be generous? It is not like you
to''Tbanaervemrableicreereou any, malice," he re- f
-plied. "But how aan.e -to know that you.
mean ,what you say?'
'I will marry you when. you like if you
will ask me tee" she marrauxed, slipping
an arra within his.
"Let, lie sit, down and tan it oyer,” sadd
Jim. •
So they sat down, very clese together,
and there were many explanations and s
confeesions to be tatade by both '
Dalcie persisted on unburdening every- P
thing on her conscience. ' e
She told Jim, -whose eyes -were growing
less eritical, the reason .she wanted at one ,
time to marry Arthur Belturbet, how he el
overheard her say eo, but thought it wee -1
Primrose, who had .designe upoe him, and
therefore loolled on her -with suspicion, S
and Wags ,determiped not to fall. in love
with her, but did se, in spite of hiaaself.
She also confeseed how she had inveigled
Arthur into proposing to her.
"Zust, as I have -you.," she said, glancing
et Jim. to see how he took - it , g
life only nodded, mid said— ' e
"Juet as y.ou have me. X see—go on!" ee
Then Duleie told him how she found the
Will that left ber and Prienroae nearly. ! a
penniless, and had burned it ete that she
could be _rich and =erre jien. •
"Only you never aelwd ine," ealil
rtiefully. "W'beet de you tbink of nee, A DE III aLow To FREEDOM
gleiioten,,, Pow Yoe lieve hoed it, all?" she
aeuret. When ehe had hee conree,
"My dear" be reielee, "no you are the
only girl fever wanted to marry, end it
eeenie you are foellah enough to <are for
Maw, .Iovme may Se 3ritosowitt it.haell veeoriit talett.I duo ,raoou.r..t
had not .found here this evening I
(should' have- gone aWay• because never
ititended to ask you to inarrY -ere, Imt
sine°, dt eeente you want me really, and
I 'want you, I think we hied better got-
iniitrerltedinasees:toecieoh14.weee gioeirs.rinbillet,dsbeargoa;riel4eve
"I teink so, too, said Dulcie,' her heart
, beating eumultouely, "And, oh, Jim, I
will try- to be better in ranee! I know I
am selfish end vain, bub I moon 10
1/edrOleilavVe91)%elYnillai?etvh0exo't,kieottwrislt., wretch:
Jim iiieeed her.
"Do you really love me?" she asked
wietfully, for 'he had made ao declara.
tion of affection,
at her me?" asked Jim, looking
pi,;33rwl'ithmG'sririrtatrn you deGerve'" '311e re.
"It ie just the eame with me," Mid
Jim. "I am »really =thee fond of erim,
tblauttnlyaoltial enlia•etage14)37jaageet.° Mak° Yaa vainer
Dulcie laughed.
'Itin affaid," she said artfully, "thet
't is time we went baok to the others,' '
"Kiss .me fleet!" he ordered,
foi. me,' she murmured.
:KT 'Ki inc!"
ylioeu 4i1,::.:Axiot,ctare very -weed
Very gently ahe placed her arms round
his neck and kissed him ;rather timidly
on the oheek, She was not troubled :wale
wet& any doubt as ,to the strength of his
affection fer her., becauSe he caught her
in his arms and kissed her in a manner
that convinced her his line was nearly—
if not quite—as stron,,T as her Own.
shOWooxoTlealmilrettbluisreat gtholesb"slky:to the othei•sl"
'Oli, bother the othete3r he said, kies-
ieg her again. TEE 5
110. •
SOME FAMOUS SIEGES.
Gallant Defence of Liege itgainst
Three German Corps.
The defenee of Liege by 30,000
Belgians against three German
army corps numbering 125,000 will
go down to history as one of the
amnonsatisbroillf iwanatr.feats of arms in the
The Franco-Prussian war of 1870-
71 was remarkable for its sieges.
Ba,zaine held out at Metz against
the Germans for nearly two months
and finally surrendered with 6,000
officers and 173,000 men. For this
he had to 'submit to court-martial
.and Was sentenced to twenty years'
imprisonment, `_Afterwards came
the siege of Paris, which lasted six
months. Thousands of shells. Were
rained on the city every day by
the Germans, and no fewer than
40,000 of the inhabitants euecumb-
ed to disease and hunger.
That lengthy sieges are quite pos-
sible even in these dais of huge
guns is illustrated by Ohukri.
Pasha's gallant defence of Adrian.-
ople last year for 155 days. Then
the t'
great siege of,Port Arthur in the
Russo-Japanese war in 1904-5,
which finally capitulated after be-
ing blockaded by Admiral Togo for
210 days- The name of General
Stoessel will rank with those of the
greatest soldiers of modern times.
In Ottoman and Russian military
history there has never been a
siege like that of Plevna in 1877,
when. Osman Pasha, defied the Rus-
sians for 144 days and,,finaller
rundered on December 10th, with
30,000 men and 100 guns, owing bo
provisions and a,mmunition running
lehort. In the same years Kars,
long the bulwark of the Ottoman
Bro.pire in Asia; was storrned:by the
Russians after a siege of five
months.
TWerit,y-tWe years earlier the
or -tress had :been brilliantly de-
fended for eight months against
the Russians by the Turks under
General Williams, who ha,d put
15,000 men against, 50,000.
Even these sieges, however, ire
oniewhat insigmfican when cora-
ared with some others. The long-
.
st siege occurred in the Am.erican
Civil war, when the -Confederates
efended the town of Richmond for
,485 days, or just over four years.
ebastapol, in the Crimean war,
eld mit, for eleven months, while
General Gordon defended. Khar-
toum against the Souda,nese for
Cimberley, and Mafeking, in the
00 days. The sieges of Lad12y0,sm1i2th3:
outh African war, lasted
nel. 261 days reespectivey.
There is proba,bly, however, no
teeeeeite
Tonimy Atkins in Fiance and Belgium.
The piCture on the right shows 13raddock, a well-knewn 43ritish boxer, with his unit
duties now eonsisb of preparing food foe the marines who have been landed at that place.
Ostend, His
On tlat left are
SHOULD GERMANY TRIUMPH
IN THIS WAR.
Rudyard Idpiing Sounds a Call t�
Arms in a Stirring
Address.
It is not conceivable that we
should fail, If we do fitirthe lights
of freedom go out over the whole
world."
This was the statement of Rud -
yard Kipling, the author, in a. stir-
ring address to a mass meeting at
Brighton, England, where an im-
mense crowd had gathered in the
Dome to listen to speeches in sup-
port of Lord Kitchener's crusade
for recruits.. The meeting was pre-
sided over by the Lord Mayor of .
Brighton, seconded hy Herbert
Samuel, president of the Local
Government Board. Mr. Kipling
said
"Through no fault nor wish of
ours we are at wa,r with Germany,
the power which owes its existence
to three well thought out wars; the
power which, for the last twenty
years has devoted itself to» organ-
izing and preparing for this war;
the power which is now fighting to
.conquer the civilized world.
Must Have Men.
"Fr the last two generatiens the
Germans in 'their books, lectures,
gpeechesand schools'» have been
carefully taught that nothing less
than this world conquest .was the '
objeet of their preparations and
their sacrifices. They have prepared
carefully and sacrificed greatly.
"We must lia,ve men, and men,
and men, if we, with our allies, are
to check the onrush of organized
barbarism.
Germany's Objective.
"Have no illusions. We are deal-
ing with it strong and magnificently
equipped enemy, whose avowed aim
is our complete destruction. The
Germans' real objective, as she has
always told us, is England and.
England's wealth, trade and world-
wide possessions.
'If you assume for am instant that
attack will be sueeessful England
will not be,reduced, as some people
say, to the rank of a second-rate
power, but we shall cease to exist as
a nation. We shall become an out-
lying pro-vince of Germany, to be
administered with what severity
German safety ,and interest require,
Aria Against Fate.
are against ucha fate. We.
enter into a new life in which all
the facts of war thet we had put
behind or forgotten for the» past
hundred years have returned to the
front and test us as they tested
our 4abhers.» It will be a. long and
hard road beset with difficulties and
disconragements, but we »bread it to-
gether and we will travel it toge-
ther—tO the end.
"Our petty social barriers have
been swept* away at the outset of
our mighty struggle:
Change in Short Time.
All the interests Of our life of
six weeks ago are dead. We have
but one interest now and that
touches the naked heart of every
man in this island and in the em-
pire. '
"If we are to win the right for
ourselves and for freedom to exist
on earth every man must offer him-
self for that service and that sacri-
fice'while the state sees to it that
his dependents do not suffer.
"There is no middle way in this
war. » We do» not doubt our ultimate
victory, any more - than we doubt the
justice ef our .cause. It is not con-
ceivable that we 'should fail, for if
we fail the lights of freedom go mit
all over the world.
Duty Done Means Success.
"They may glimmer for a- little
in the evestern hemisphere'but a.
Germany dominating half the world
by sea and land will most certainly
extinguish them in every quarter
where they have hitherto shone
upon mankind so that even the tra-
ditions of» freedom will pass out of
remembrance. If we do our duty
we shall not fail."
Youthful Slur On Graedpa.
`'Don't y,ou think he is too cute
for anything 2" a.sked the proud
young, mother, referring- to her
baby.
"Q, I don't know," reelied eee
17 -year-old brother. "He's ente
enough, I guess, but I never did
think much of people who hadn't
any teeth." '
Fortttne Hunter.
"So jack's married ? Did he
marry for beauty?"
"No, booty." „e
siege whith Britisliers like to read.
about so ninth as »that earried -but
by France and Spain in their en-
deavors to earry the Rock of Gib-
raltar, 1779-83. Altogether the siege
lasted nearly four years, and as the
world knows, resulted in a coin-
plete triumph of British arins,
spite of the feet that the enemy
nombered 30,000 to 40,000 men,
while the defeeders could onlr mute
ter 7,000.