HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1914-10-8, Page 2"Old H us"
Or, Dulcie's Confession
five years of pleasure for her. They did
a, not seem, however, to have brou$lit hen'
bap—pewee judging from what Ins erita
cal eyes eould see,
Neither, lie refleitod grimly, had then
was
I ,.j '^t hue t
brow h 'him h
arlinta, kax t
t 11
g
within hid reach Li 0 few months ]tis
position would be assured, and if 110 lik'
ed hs need never do a etroko of work
lagain, yet he 'x ne 0001 at!eflod with lits
ife. The real reason for this .Its strove
to -hide, but h1 hie been of hearts be
knew what It woe.
A week passed agreeably for the house•
pa.rtt, Dulcie no longer oomrinined of
dulness, for Reginald Ashby was her
Mayo, while hie Meter, Beatrice, a •plump,
CHAPTER, VIII. -(Continued).
'When lie oohed at the Carwardi.nee' flat
Beene •fellow i�e ofterimen, •Belturbet WAS
Obeyers into a drawing -room which 0.
pears( to be full, of small dogs who bark-
ed at. him furiously,. A very availing and
self-peeeeeeed De1nle chane forward and
greeted him, bidding the doge be quiet.
She, leas quiteunembarrassed, and pre-.
notated the visitor to Mrs. Templemore,
introduced the tiny toy doge, and deoler-
od.Jle must wait until P01011'000, wbo had
gone to a picture -gallery with. some
friend's, returned.
Belturbet felt sliglaly dazzled by Did-.
010'6 galet and the smartuese of bee
dress. "What a butterflysheis!" he
thought. "And not altogether improv
by, London.. How mad I must have been
aver to have thought ehe was the wife for
a
Ile led not longeto wain before Prim-
rose came' in. She was wearing a long
black dress, and a black velvet hat which
made her complexion more like wild
roses
e
than aunt. Belturbet went forward to
meet her, and as they shook hands, Prim-
rose's smile was very sweet. Hie eyes
beta her gray once for a second, but they
greeted each other quietly.
The young squire's visit lasted about
half-anhour, during which time he ,had
to 'watch Delete's dogs go through their
tricks, and lieten to tales of their pre-
ternatural cleverness, for Duleie'° craze
at the 'time seas toy Pomeranians, Be-
fore he loft, however, he had obtained a
veilmore would the hiss pare d yteeTem-
fol-
lowing week.
When the door closed on him, Dulcie
turned to Prinn•oee.
He is duller than ever!" she exclaim -
cd, "I expect Philippa will have a shot
at Nita now; a heart is often caught on
the rebound, you know."
Sae spoke with a sneer. for her temper
was not improving. Primrose did not ale
ewer, but her heart fell at the mention
of Philippa. Was some one always to
come between her and Belturbet? Then
she told hereelf that if he were so easily
influenced, he wee not swath her love,
She held her head high, but her heart
was sore, for Duleie's idle words had
wounded her.
Duleie spent the afternoon before Bel-
- tunbet's dinner -party trying to decide
which of .her innumerable dresses she
should wear. Jim had not yet seen her
in evening dress, so there was a pleasant
surprise in store for him. But what an
intolerable un'sance it was to have to
wear blank! Dulcie looned pettishly at
her dresses of nearly every material un-
der the sun, finally selecting one' of chif-
fon w111eh fitted her slender figure to
perfection. There were no eleoves, except
a few -straps of jet and the dazzling
wlxiteneee of her neck and sums was en-
hanced by the black setting. In her
bright fair hair was poised a jet butter-
SY.
Prii nrosee toilet took nearly as long
to complete as Duleie's. Her frock wee
cm perfect in its way as her eieter's; not
so daring, but wonderfully becoming in
its soft filminess.' Mrs. Templemore smil-
ed at then" approvingly.
"There will be few In the dining -hall
to equal any charges:" she said,
"You are a dear old thing!" replied Diol•
Me. which showed that Mrs. Templemore
had playedherGarde to the beet advant-
age.,
They were the last of the party to ar-
rive,-•Phildp'pa, 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 Ferguson and.
.Archie Trevor, the former middle-aged
and pereeptiibly • bald, the latter young,
good-Ipoking, and brimming over with
the irrepressible ,spirits of youth.
Belturbet, tall and dark, with hla
ebronee features and slight sloop, looked
to Primrose immeasurably superior to the
ether' Men. She sat next to bee host, and
on his other hand was 'Philippa. Dulcie
was between Heriott and Amide Trevor,
but as Jim eat next to Atte. Templemore
oleo, and devoted himself to that lady,
Dulcia commenced a violent flirtation with
Trever,.'0110 responded in a manner that
showed; it .was a game at which he was
not a novice..
Resplenent Philippa talked pleasantly
with her host, but she did not ignore Ma-
jor Fergusson on her other hand. Prim-
rose ate and spoke as in a dream, She
e t '11 .not believe that ehe tris actually
elleeng, beside'. and talking to .Arthur Be -
tinnbet, of 'whom only a few months ago
she .had resolved never tothink again.
It, wise, incredible! Yet ehe was talking
fa him as if nothing had ever happened.
It seemed as if a new life stretched be-
fore her. But her dream had an abrupt
ending When dinner 1000 over, four taxi-
cabs took diem to the theatre; Better -
beet and Philippa entered one; she follow-'
001 w't1Y-H0riott;:Dulcie withTrevor, and
Mrs, 'Peniplarame with the Major oocupy-
infr .tlte. &1100e
She. tallied bravely to . Jim, who- never
geeelsed tilt the girl by hie side had
ede-ra 'Olt ae mu0h reason as himself eo
feel'1' en/elleQ. 'He 'tortured himself by
wondering what leuloie 'wee saying to that
y eng „age Trevor in the taxi that wee
just: behind Ills
Dolttirbei hed"engttgetle a' stage ' box at
ono 'of the biggest fanatics in London.
The play was a musical comedy, plotless,
elut full of lnoaemont and color.: Dulcie
asld'A' Tetvor"giggled and whispered to -
editor Shamelessly' throughout the. piece.
Ilelturbet who set behind Primrose, w-
ooled ltilnself in admiring the prata'
way in, whish her hair was arranged! •
She was very close to him so close that
tile•taint Perfume of violee0" she wore
reached. time He did not trouble to no-
dee-whtr:w00 happening on tlte• stage;
he tens filled with thoughts which ren-
. dered him ,deaf and blind to everything
bu'G'Prfohtode.
The curtain fell, tate band played "God
Satyq. hg Bite a,nd the panty trooped
into the vestibule of 'the 'theatre. Sops
oonfueailon followed in getting the various
coueldv beta their i,axis, Duole strove
ttpocapture ,Heriott' but that gentleman.
11'b,rl.,fellesvedMrs. Templemore, so Areltfe
8hovor was her companion again, whilst
Philippa , found ,let'eolf 'being handed in
by Me'fee Fefguwsoh, and finally Beltur
bet and PrinrO0e were whirled away, aft -
ting. side by side, She 'tva0 very pale, but
her voice was well under control as she
broke a brief silence.
Yen have given no a. most delightful
evening,! the said.
iI;eveI?" he inquired in a voice that
wasurely allechenical, for he was woe -
delete what would happen if he put his
arms around her.
Whyyes-of souse!" ehe told him
lt1y;,
Pr mrtsal" he said hurriedly, "Prim•
voce. -•it's no good, I meet tell you -I
lav% you! 111000 loved you front the first
minute I saw you, tend I .'late never stop-
lledt,lovtn you, Will you listen to mo?"
Hos dark eyed sought, hare, nett at that
Moment the joy of Prrmro00's life Imam
to her. S110 !extend a small ungioveti liand
en 1 'o sleeve sand whispered bee name.
Belturbet tools her in has arms.
Now,!' he said a Ifttle later on "let me
to11•you why 1 m0110•sueh a fool of any-
sellil last year,
I of now," 'liispered Primrose. ''I1
really does net matter."
Her gray eyes looked into his, and he
Mew elle nndoratood..
dearest;' be agreed, ,kiteing her
again, "it is notating 10 010 --now!"
CHAPTER TO. •
'rvintroec slept little that, night. She
Wit too..hmppy. 'Roltuhbet. had promised
10 oonthele her the 'next' afternoon, Soon
affeet hdeaticfest glto, aoeoinl'vtashed the not
Very pleasant - task, ,ofielAlli$g Dulcie lilac
she was going, to marry Weide else man to whom
her Wistar flat been engaged, ie a e 1e
erotltbablo •planner. Dnloie's inoredrhiity
ehnnged tt1 eanuenienit, stud Mita ly to
whet he-POW/Mt vete like, jealenay.
I fever heard anything se fannyl"
she. explained. "Fano', Arthur Belturbet
marrying my sister because lie minuet
marry. mei"
"As you don't once for kine Delete, you
need not grudge alien to me," said Prim-
rose, oolor'ing•
"My dear gu'I, I do not! But you can
only expect that thinge will be said about
the rapidity with which he line tratls-
ferredhis 'affections from ono eater to
the outer.'
"Yea, since my own sister does not ltesi.
tate to point it out to me, I cannot ex•
peat athel'e to show any greater delicacy
of feeling."
Dulcie stared in sur rise at lxer sister,
for there was it tone in her voice which
she lead never heard before. Truly Duo
golkon•hnared maiden of twenty, claimed
Harlon as hor squire 60 .time dill not
hang heavily on the hands of any of
them. Yet both Dulcin and Jim were
coosoioua of a distinct seneat on of 4is•
appointment 110 the days. flaw by, and.
when the time canoe for Jim to announce)
that he wee compelled by 'business to re-
turn to London in couple of days, Due
ale began to experience anew all the
image she had suffered five years ago.
1f he loved her what was there to pre-
vent him telling her so now ebo asked
herself. Every ore stud that be '0400 go•
Ing to be a rich ma11, e0 there 10110 110
reason why he should not say that he lou
ed ]ter -41 he did. .111, that was It! If
he did! Ono moment site felt certain of
it, but the next ehe doubted.
It dawned on her the day before the ono
o!c'a world meat olcant,�ing if Wa usual- fixed for his departure that he intended
ly gentle Primrose could employ that T leave her without eaying anything.
The morning and afternoon 11.11 pad away;
tone!
When nre you going to be married?"
she asked,
•In the autumn;' MOS the quiet reply.
"And, Dulcie, we hope you will make
your hone with 1101."
"My dear Primrose, it is very kind of
you -and Arthltr-but I should notdream
of inflicting myself on you. I mean to
see a little of the world before I settle
down. I shall probably go abroad with
Mee. Templemore as soon as yea are mar-
ried --Egypt for the winter, and then
wherever my fancy takes me."
Primrose looked at her wistfully. It
WHO n0 1150 offering 'advice or eouesel
then; later on, perhaps, Dulcie might
item
dinner -time cams and passed; only a
few-1tou:e remained before they 'would
se "Good might anal good-bye." ;Heriott
wee to leave early the next morning.
It was a warm still evening, following
a day of tutees.) heat, and after dinner
the little party strolled out into the gar-
den. Reginald Ashby escorted Delete
white hie golde alred stater kept near
Heriott.
"What shall we da to amuse Mr. Iier-
1011 on Ills lest evening?" asked Beatrice
Ashby.
T do not want to be amused," replied
Tim. "Only to be allowed 'to finish my
cigar in pewee,"
Tt would be cool and quiet in the
woods;' suggested Dulcie 'with a foot -
Tie trete. was that Dulcie's vanity had beneeng heart.
reeoived a very severe blow. She realized "Then let u& .to the 'woods!" eried 3&h.
now that Belturbet had never eared for by. "We will all play hide-andeoek, and
her at all. she bad .thrown hextsolf into 01 will be great sport"
hie ,arms in such a manner that he had
not been able to repulse her, and al-
though she did not want him for herself,
yet the thought that he had preferred
Primrose all the time was very bitter.
She recalled several incidents of the
previous summer-Belturbet's Polite yet
Impeeaive acceptance of the attentions
eke ravished ou him, attentions all de-
eigned to achieve her object of becoming
mistress of Old House; Heriotte passion-
ate love -making, and her quarrels with
hen.
She could have had Jim then -when she
414 not want him! And now, when ,.the
would give everything to hear 111m say
"1 love you!" he would have nothing to
do with her. What a hopelees muddle
she had made of everything! Well, any
how she did not intend to die of grief or
a broken heart, and she would show Ar-
thur Belturbet-and Jim Heriott, too -
that elle did not care one jot for either
of them!
During the next five years. Duleie kept
her word. After Primrose - and Arthur
Belturbet were rnnrried, she aid Mrs.
Templemore went abroad, and it woo a
year before they returned to England.
Then Dulcie spent two yearns amongst
that section of society known as "Smart,"
went on a motor -tour .trough Europe, skirts well up out of the grace, Dulcie
and had what eke called "a perfectly rip- began the search. She rum Philippa to
ping tame,' until eventually, when 0vner- earth quickly, and then Beatrice -who.
thing 'seemed to pall, and her arisome, with many solea s o
able ftirtatione had become 'wearisome,
sho decided to spend a month or two at
Old House with Primrose and. Arthur, and
in .the quietnese of their home to gather
strength i0 commence a freelh campaign
of amusement. She had only aeon her sis-
ter and Belturbdt occasionally, for they
preferred country life to town, and could
not give her the excitement far which she
craved.
The IHeh'totts had not eressed her pati
for eeveral years. .Philippa had received
the news of Primrose and Arthur's en-
gagement calmly, recognizing that her
chance of miming at Old House 'WOO for
eves at an end. As Major Ferguaoon be-
came very attentive, however, she be-
came Mrs. Perglxsson without Much delay.
Jim stayed on at .the flat with an elder•
ly housekeeper; and continued his various
expertmente with untiring industry.
It was a blazing day in June when Du1-
ole arrived at Old Hotms. She had be-
come a very elegant graceful woman of
twenty-six; her forget-me-not blue eyes
were se ekes as ever, and the fair hair
arranged in a mase of curls about her
small head was as bright as on the day
when she and her sister had sat in the
w oods, and Belturbet had overheard •tleir
Oonveroaton.
Bat years devoted solely to the pursuit
of pleasure lead given her ' an air' that
seemed to indicate that she found most
things wearisome, and her enemies de.
Glared that the loolt she wore indioatea
a petulant disposition.
Be that as it may, Miss Dulcie Car•
wardine, who was an undeniably attrac-
tive young woman, confessed to herself
after a week epent at 0101 House, that the
and tBettrrurbettful d'dlnot seuditb,here in ehe
least.
Are you not going ;to provide anything
in the- shape ofe entettrcinment for me?"
the Baked Psimroea one afternoon. "I
really do not think I can stand much
more undiluted simplicity." .
Prtmtiose, who was as ,graceful and
pretty as she had ever been, put down
her' needlework.'
"We have asked the Fergusscne, Mr.
Heriott, and the Ashby., brother and Die-
ter, to come down on Saturday for a
week' or 100,"ehe replied.
"Thee sounds better," .said Dulole,
brightening. "The Ashby boy •10 rather
amusing: • By -the -way, what has Jim Her.
lett grown into? He tlreneened to be
stout, I fancy!
"Then he grew thin instead. He has
worked like a slave for the last few years,
and is now reaping 111reward of flue in.
duster,"
"Dear me, how noble that sounds! He
must have ohangevl a good' dela since he
'wag a fat, red-headed young man With'a
violent temper and a penchant for mak.
Primrose declared elle was to old to
otlme, but Philippa thought it would be
amusing, and holding up her long skirts
led the way. As Dulcie ixad stud, the
hoods 'were cool and quiet, while the light
still 'lingered. Very soon ,the Dix young
people were running about like a party
of &ahoal children, and startling tee
birds, that had retired at their proper
time.
When Beatrice As1111y lost ono of her
pale blue satin elippera and Heriott found
it and replaced it on the owner's pretty
foot, Delete felt as if she would en1Oy
nothing so much as to 'give Beatrice a
sound box on the ear. , Du'laie!
It is your turn to seek now,
cried Philippa.
Be quick and. hide then, then," an-
swered Delete, trying to arrange a lock
of hair that had fallen down in the heat
of the chase.
They all presented a rather dishevelled
appearance, even stately Phipippa'e
queenly robe was torn, and Beatrice had
a large emudge of green downoneaide
of her dress.
Dulcie was left alone pinning up her
bah-, whflet the others scattered to hide.
After a few minutes one of .the hiders
gave a loud "Coo-oee," and holding her
ing .scenes.'
"Yon will fled him greatly.altered, He
i0 going to be ae Very rich man before
long. '1`110 Government have taken up.
some of 1110 invention's."
"Very courageous of them, I'm sure!"
said Delete I•lgbtly. "I feel quite a thrill
of excitement at the thought of meeting
suoh a celebrity: We quarrotled the bet
.time I saw him, T believe."
She fell into a. reverie. The tim0 seem-
ed very remote now, yet she could dis•
tinny recall how her heart had ached
'because Jim ignored her. But the ache
had {Reappeared in time, and it host of
adanirers Iiad taken elerfott'e .pine, for
Duleie received far more admiration than
is good for any one young woman. She
had received proposals of marriage from
several 0100, but 010 one seemed to pos-
sess the �qualifimations she deemed neces-
sary in a husband, and therefore at
twentyeix. Delete was still Mies Car-
wardine,
Artlinr Belturbet met hie guests at the
station. Philippa had developed .into a
wondet'fully majestic lady, 'whose husband
telndred her greatly, and the Madmen
were a merry, happy-go-luOky brother
and Meter'. Jinn Heriott, now lona of 11g.
o re, looked several years in advance of
hie age, Hie flaming head .woe many
Mutate darker, holo brown eyes were re-
flective and critical, rather than merry,
end ;the brown motstnehe that used to
bide a ifrin mouth had disappeared.
Ile was unfeignedly glad to see Beltur-
bet and inquired after Primrose and the
children but evinced no feeling of any
kind when Bolter et remarked, "Prim-
roao'e sister 0 staying with. us."
The Pew arrivals found' their hostess
and her sister in the .,g01den, ,both in
dainty muslin dresses, looking the picture
of.charn111g English womanhood. 'If 'Dui.
ole 'was startled at the change in Sian
ilprlott, sho did not show 1t to ehe shook
hinds watt hem,
d
seen him'the preelobs-
Herlott stndior7 Dulcie carefully; Ino no,
'deed ,hot discontent and 1(00, 0ssn(g0, Sind
'wondered if sho had :forgotten what he
eot1d novae forget•`ato'w they had ghat.
yelled five lease age. Vint years of siren..
units work they aid 'ileen' for him, :Ind
"How d'tb 015," ebe o5id,'ao 1f s1e ba
m f dismayrushed
this way and that, but failed to elude
Dulcio's swift feet. It was more diftioult
to find Reginald, who got home easily,
after leading Duloie a long chaise, but
sho caught Major Fergusson unawares.
Heriott, however, was not to be seen.
"You will never find him!" scoffed
Beatrice.
"Sleeen't I?" retorted Dulcie. "Do not
be too suet I will catch him if he has
not gone out of bounds." -
"Of course he has not!"
"Then I will fend bleu in a few minutes,"
said Delete.
'Plea boundaries had been arranged with
clue regard to the •ladies' capabilities as
athletes.
Dulete disappeared into the leafy 90001i-
neee of the woods, and when oho was out
of eight of the others stood still for a
minute- A sudden thought camp to hat.
Willa, out of bounds 'wee the Gap in the
old stone wall where she had so often
met her lover year0 ago. Suppose he had
gone there?
With n0E00100S et'epe she made 1107 way
towards it. Behind her the voices and
laughter of the others grow fainter and
fainter, until they were completely lost.
Once she stopped suddenly and listened,
but nothing was to be heated save the
rustle. of the leaves and the drowsy notes
of the beetle
Presently she rime to a clearing in the
woods which had been declared out of
bounds. She picked ber way earefuldy
across it, and stole Into a narrow path
between tee trees on the other side: • In
a few minutes 'elk had reached the Gap,
and there, unabashed, sat Jim, smoking
a cigarette,
'I supp00e yott knew you are out of
bounds,' said Delete.
"Oh I am not playing noel" he replied.
"Than you ought to have- amidso," re-
torted Delete; "end'saded ane.t•Jze--tirouble
of coming. ell this' way to find you."
'"How did you know Lwas here?"
"I thought you would probably be re-
visiting the scones of your youthful
days."
Dulcie spoke easily, hitt ehe colored.
And you were tams seized with a de-
sire to ,do the Dame?" queried Heriett,
rising and showing lee intention of re-
turning to '111e °ther'e.
I believe you aro afraid. to ,stay here
withme,' said Adele, "Do not let me
detain you, but as 1 am rather tired I
propose to rest for a few minutes before
I go back." '
She carefully selected a eeat on the
broken wall, 'white Jim romalned stand-
ing
.aft" li said with ela-
borate
of not w She
borate politeness "I knew- me way, and
am quite at home in these woods, Once
T had Teo get to Blue Posts from this very
spot quite Into at night, and I do not
mind 1t in the least.'
This was to remind Heriott of the lust
°evasion on which they had oat 'there
together, 11 he remembered, however, he
gave no sign, but Rt
Oedholding
aia
1i lingers,
e] "Dos ker said
las g
"Do sms," saad Deve nsg lifto
"lth'anlus," be said, availing Himself of
her permission.
A gust of temper 001zed Du:loie-Ito wan
like gtunfte, ]raid and Immovable, yet
It seemed to her impossible that those
fires of passion wllfelo badonce burned
so inteneely 'within him, could be abso-
lutely extinguished,
lou bavo °Riegel very much;' she
a'etnaa'ked abruptly,
'I dare any, I thieve had so many
things to do;'
Do You think. I have altered?" Dukes
inquired, with 011 mltwned glwtne0 of ber
blue eyes.
Iloriott appeared to reflect,
"Not greatly, I should blank," was his
answer.
Dulcie felt baffled but gathered bee
forces for a peal effort,
"I am afraid I treated you very badly
thee upon a time," rho murmured softly.
"Oil, that was years and yeer0 ago!
was hie cheerful reply. "Believe min, I
have entirely forgotten it, Most of us
make foola of ourselves onto in our lives."
Delete leaked at 'the man who .peke so
carelessly. The spareness of hos form
made kim look taller than In days gone
by, whilst las once rowed, smiting face
had become hollow•oheeked, and the pink
and white of hie complexion glean place
were cold w d Acritical, and brown
is lheiro 110
longer flamed,
As the recognized the completeness of
1110 change in him, mentally as well as
physically, she knew that It was not en•
tiroly duo 'to the many hours spent at
work, but that he had suffered as she had
done,
"He will never speak kindly to mo
ngain!" she told hereolf, 'Never! what
&ball I do? I must not -I will not -lase
him I"
She strove to find words which would
lead ilio conversation in the direction
shewished it to take, but, versed as she
was in feminine wiles, she could think
of nothing. She wee extremely miserable,
knowing that the last chance of 1100pi-
nese was &lipping away, There wee ot-
lence between them until the man broke
it,
"If you have eufficiently rested," he &aid
conventionally, "do you not + think eve had
better return to the others? They will
be wondering what has become of us."
"I do not want to go back," said Dulcie
deflantly. "Jim l"
Again silence fell like a curtain between
them. Heriott made no answer, but the
fingers that held the cigarette crushed
it. He stood motionlees. Dulcie waited
-for a worts -none came.
"Jim!" she whispered, "Jimsonk to
mel
Her eleoder form trembled violently,
and then as the man made no sign she
buried her face in her hands and a sob
broke from her.
"What do you Ivan't me to say?" asked
Heriott, in a voice that 10.116 devoid of all
expreasioit,
"Do you never intend to forgive ane?"
asked Duloia, 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 I did, and
as I think I have hum:b'led myself suf-
ficiently for one evening, we allay as well
return to the others.
She rose to her feet rather unsteadily,
gave a ,shako to her .dainty silken skirts,
lifted her bead and stared him straight
in the Soca,
He met her gaze without flinching.
"Come," she said, with a rather poor
attempt to smile, "I can quite ready."
But Heriott did not make any attempt
to move, •
"Just one moment:" he said, "Did 7011
follow one here to ask me .to forgive you?"
"Suppose I did -what then?"
"If you did, 1t makes all the differ-
ence,"
Pride ten6. love struggled for the upper
hand within Dulcie; she longed to appear
flippant, but the fear of losing him stop-
ped the words that rose ,to her lips.
What difference could it snake?" ebe
asked,
"Tell me the '.ruth," he said sternly,
"Well, I did," she confessed. a trifle
nervously.
Why?" he queried. •
She shrugged her shoulder's,
"Why?" he insisted,
"0h, a whim!" she replied airily.
"That is not the truth," he said soberly.
"Well, then," elle 'began desperately. I
followed you because I guessed you had
come here, and I wanted to tell you that
I am sorry for the way I treated you
years ago -and that -that -I have regret-
ted it ever since"
"As a matter of fact, so have I," he
&uh•.peised her by replying,
She looked at him,and then suddenly
became happy.
leve I eaten quite enough humble pie,
Jim? elle asked softly. 'Are you never
going to be generous? It is not like you
to bear malicel"
"I never bore you any malice," he re-
plied. 'But how am I to know that you
mean 'what you say?"
"I will marry you when you like if you
will ask me to," she murmured, slipping
an arm within. his,
"Let us sit down and talk it over," Bald
d they•cat. , ria 'very, annatogether)
tinct there ewea'0• many explanatona .011(1
oonfeesions to be'mtade be both. -
:Duleie. persisted on unburdening overt'•
thing on her conscience.
She told Jim, whose erect were growing
less critical, the reason she wanted at one
time to marry Arthur Belturbot, how he
overheard bee say so, but thought it wee
Primrose, who had designs upon him, and
therefore looltoa on her with suspicion, ,Sebastopol, in the Crimean war,
and was detormined.not to fall in love
"Only you never tilted me," elle said
ruefully. "What do you ildnit of me,
Jnaked, ttvvhen he lyou ied 1101sve t! l hex 00111es-
lon,
s
on y yu
!del a1r;0' th° of ra
leed, to"nms yno
u ,
naend
h
emus you are foolish
enough to vitro for
me, 1111ay as well tell you that I do not
approve of you in the very least, If tan
had not found nue here this evening 1
should have gone away, because 1 never
intended to ask you to marry me, but
10111'e'00ant it yo000100u,I think yon wwntlxttd ame reaboltellyr, 101101
e) got
married as boon ns (Tarrt111o, b01000 five
lows time to too,' 0 minae again.
' I think so, too," said Delete, her lloart.
beating- temul.toulsly., 'And, oh, Jim, I
will try to bo bettor in Intend I know S
am eelfish and v41111, but I 110011 to lui-
Prove. You will never know how 100011.-
0d I have been till these yettro,"
Jim kioeed her,.
Do you really love mo?" elle naked
'wistfully for• he had made no declare -
"Do
u lover.
"Do you love mo?" asked Jim, looking
at her slhnrply.
"Much more than you deserve," she re-
plied with spirit,
"It is just the same with me," said
,Toes,, "I am- really rather fond of you,
but I Run not going to matte you vainer
than you already awe.
Dulcin laughed.
11"100
amtime afraid;'
w°went siloback saidto •fully0others., "bl>at
art11x
"Kiss me first!" he ordered.
"I thought .you did not caro very much
for me," she murmured.
Kies mei" he insisted.
Very gently rho placed ler arms round
leis neck and kissed him natlter timidly:
on the cheek. See was not troubled again
with any doubt as to the strength of bis
affection for her, because 110 caught her
in his acme and kieeed her in a manner
that convinced her his love was nearly -
if not quite -as atrone as her own,
"We really must go back to the others!"
oho exclaimed breathlessly.
"Oh, bother the ethane!" he said, kiss-
ing her again,
THE END,
SOME FAMOUS SIEGES.
Gallant Defence of Liege Against
Three German Corps.
The defence of Liege by 30,000
Belgians against three German
army corps numbering 125,000 will
go down to history as one of the
most 'brilliant feats of arms in the
annals of war,
The Franco-Prussian war of 1870-
71 was remarkable for its sieges.
Bazaine held out at Metz against
the Germans for nearly two months
and finally surrendered wibb 0,000
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 succumb-
ed to disease and hunger.
That lengthy sieges are quite pos-
sible even in these days of huge
guns is illustrated by Ohukri
P,asha's gallant defence of Adrian-
ople last year 'for 155 days. Then
there was the comparatively recent
great siege of Port Arthur in the
Russo-Japanese war in 1804-5,
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 finally sur-
rundered on December 10111, with
30,000 men and 100 guns, owing to
provisions and ammunition running
short, In the same years Kars,
long the bulwark of the Ottoman
Empire in Asia, was stormed by the
Russians after a siege of five
months.
Twenty-two years earlier the
fortress had been 'brilliantly de-
fended for eight months against
the Russians by the Turks under
General Williams, who had pub
1.5,000 men against 50,000.
Even these sieges, ihowever,are.
somewhat insignificant when com-
pared with some others. The long=
est siege occurred: in the American
Civil war,- when the Confederates
defended the town of Richmond for
1,485 days, or just over four years.
with her, but did 00, do spite ofhimself.
She also confes0ed how she had inveigled
Arthur into proposing to 'Iter.
"Just me I have you." the said, glancing
OA 31131 to see Trow he took 1t.
He only nodded, and said -
"Inst as you have me. I see -go on!"
Then Miele told him ]tow she found the
1V411 that left her and Primrose nearly
coul• dlbe rich and and bad mtarrydJitm, so that she
held out for eleven months, while
General Gordon defended Khar-
toum against the Soudanese for
300 days. The sieges of Ladysmith,
Kimberley, and Ma'feking, in the
South Aifrican war, lasted 120, 123,
and 261 days respectively.
There is probably, however, no
Tommy A:!'kilts i'il France and. Bel giuIll
,
The picture en the right shows 13raddoek, a well-known British. boxer, with his unit at Ostend.
turtles now couelst of preparing feed for the tsarinas wmhohave been landed at that place, On the le
two English soldiers at Havre, with a French yotmget e, who i01 trying 111 keep up.
His
nre
A DEATH BLOW TO FREEDDITi
�lilfl
' `I{1 1 .
' ?1:111.
SIIAII!
1N THIS W.11l,
11iidyard Kipling Sounds 11 ('ldl to
Arms in a Stirring
Address.
"It is not conceivable that we
should fail, If we do fail the 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 maso meeting at
Brighton, England, where an im-
mense crowd had gathered in the
Dome to listen to speeches in sup-
port of Lord Kitcllener's crusade
for recruits. The meeting was pre-
sided over by the Lord Mayon' of
Brighton, seconded by Herbert
Salnuel, president of the Local
Government Board. Mr. Kipling
said
"Through no fault nor wish of
ours we acme at war with Germany,
the power 011X11 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 Bare Men.
"For the last two generations the
Germans in their books, lectures,
speeches and schools have been
carefully taught that nothing less
than this world 'conquest was the
object of 'their preparations and
their sacrifices. They have prepared
carefully and sacrificed greatly.
"We must have men, and men,
and men, if we, with our .allies, are
to check the onrush of organized
barbarism -
Germany's Objective.
"Satre no illusions. We are cleat-
ing with a sarong and magnificently
equipped enemy, whose avowed aim
is our complete destruction. The
Germans' real objective, as she has
always told ns, is England and
England's wealth, trade and world-
wide possessions.
"If you assume for au instant that
attack will be successful 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 province of Germany, to be
administered with what severity
German safety and interest requirr3.
Arun Against Fate.
"We are against such a fate. We
enter Into a new life in which all
the facts of war that we) had put
behind or forgotten for the past
hundred years have returned to the
front and test us as they tested
our !fathers. It will be a long and
Hard 110,at beset with difficulties and
discourageanents, but we tread it to-
gether and we will 'travel ib toge-
ther to the end,
0/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. titre have
but one interest new and that
touches the naked heart of every
man in this island and in .the em-
pire.
"If we axe to win the right for
ourselves,and_fo-r freedom 60 exist
on earth every mman.must offer lupi-
self for that service and that pearls
floe, while the state seers to it that
his dependents do not stiffer.
"There is no middle way in this
war, We -do not doubt our ultimate
victory any more than we doubt the
justice of our cause. It.is nob con-
ceivable- that 'we should fail, for if
we fail (the lights of freedom go out
al] overtlle world,
linty Done Mentis Success.
"They may glimmer for a little
in the western 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 nob fail."
Youthful Slur on Grandpa.
"Don't you think he is too elite
for anything 4" asked the proud
young mother, referring to her
billy,
"'O, I don't know'," replied her
17 -year-old brother. "He's cute
enough, I guess, but I never diel
think much of people who hadn't
any teeth," -
Fortunt' altfutcr.
"So Jack's married? Did he
marry foo beauty 1d1
"No, booby."
siege which .l3ribishers like to read
about so much- .as that carried on
by France and Spain In their en
cleavers 1a tarry klie Rock of Gib
raper, 1779-83, Altogether 111e •sieg
lasted Nearly four ,years, and, as 111
world knows, resulted in a coni
plebe triumph of British 'arm, in
eleite of the fact that the 0nam
numbered 50,000 to 40,000 teen
while the defenders could only mu:
ter 7,000,
0
1i
1,43,11.49,4Etrevalliollt 0.4 4/1,
Faint Notes.
Be not anxious about to -morrow.
1)o to -day's duty, fight to -day's
temptations and do not 'weaken and
distract yourself by looking for-
ward to things which you cannot
see and ;could not understand: if you
saw 'tllenl,—Charles Kingsley,
A hog kept in dry quarters will
thrive much better on less - feed
than 11e will if exposed to the rain
and fed an abundance in the mud.
Regularity in regard to meals is
an i'mpo'rtant matter. The person
who eats at irregular 'times, piecing
between meals, or one ilio is con-
tinually tasting while cooking wil'I
never have a healthy stomach for
the digestive organs, like any other
part of the body must have time
for rest.
You are pretty busy, of course,
but not too busy 1e) re -ad your fa-
vorite farm paper. You alight find
something in it that would save a
dollar or a back ache.
Some erten complain .that they do
not raise sheep because (they are
hard 4;e) confine within bounds.
That is entirely the fault of the
fence (builder, not of the sheep.
If .the cabbages are Slow about
heading or the heads lack firmness,
sprinkle with salt and water. This
will also Mend to keep the worms
down,
You ,cannot get a separator ab-
solutely clean without using a
brush; and it ought to be a pretty
stiff one and 'the bristles must
reach every corner and curve.
Do not tolerate loud words or
rough treatment in the dairy barn
or around the cows. A cow is a
highly organized, complex machine
easily put out of order.
Alfalfa is on the job from the be-
ginning of spying until the autumn
freezes with a ton of hay far the
mow about every 30 days.
Keep a can of vassline . handy
about the milking place. I i. > the
fingers in this and thus soften the
teats and prevent cracking.
Doudhe the roosts with boiling
water and then spray with kerosene
to discourage mites. -
You can spoil a child by petting
it, but the more you pet a cow the
more profitable site 'becomes.
Ideas are the fragrant flowers
that we pluck from experience. Real
fruit knowledge is an alter growth.
A man who 'believes in himself
and his capacity to do things will
in most eases succeed.
Clogged up roof 4 rains and rain
barrels are splendid mosquiinl-
breeding places.
Weeds are scattered by natural
agencies such as wind, water and
snow.
Beware of the swayback pig, 010)
matter if al] the other points are
good,
Many weeds get a start on the
farm by the scattering of manure
on the land.
While alfalfa is an easy crop, it
is not the crop fora lazy man.
Save all the windfalls -by making
the apples into cider.
The pessimist has a chronic case
of indigestion.
___--a.---.-
On the Farm
SIR WM. OSLEW S WARM I;.
Tells Soldiers. ,Boil Nater and
Beware of -Enteric IPev}'i.
By desire of the Briti's'h war au-
thorities. Sir Wm. Osler has issued
an elaborate warning to troops,
whiell i.s 0110 applicable to Canadians
aa to British. He states:
"lt was formerly said that an
army marched 001 its belly; now it
is marched on' brains. Bullets are
less fatal in war .than bacilli.
Where one elew a th'ous'and the•
other slew tens of thousand.
Twenty-two thousand lives were lost
in the Boer war. Of these 1,800
were by bullets and '141000 by bacil-
li, l appeal to each individual so]-
dies to use intelligent co-operation
to combat thismore deadly enemy.
Dysentery, pneumonia and enteric
were the three groat scourges,
"Only by boiling all water can
dysentery be prevented. To -stave
off pneumonia don't neglect 'coughs
and Dolts. Tho most fatal enemy,
however, is enter'ie 61; typhoid fe-
ver, There were 57,684 cases in the
Roes war, 8,022 proving 1altal, espe-•
citlly from. consequent action of
flies and dust. Enteric killed more
British soldiers than 13oer.- bullets.
It is urged that vaccination against
typhoid bo parried 0111. Among the
unvaccinated in France the rate was
sixty-eight per thousand, and only
one-fifth of one Pere cent, .among
the vaccinated. Inconvenience to
the soldier from vaccination only
lasted twenty-four hours.
"With it million in the field their
efficiency can be increaused'one-third..
if we prevent Embolic, an we can."
W *—
Tlitie'onghly Gnashed,
"I ttnderstand that you called MO
ES, 1147. in ,your pallor to -day," ex-
claimed the angry caller, -
"Do you &l•orays interrupt people
in their work, merely hemline Ton
happen to understand something ll'
asked 111e editor,
1