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Show tew JNTEftMWML P1IoaSS0CM0N. (ClIAI'I'I lt VI Covtini r.ni. "A far as 1 know." Clara L i" "H'l. as the wlilow moved away to whore Hie pl-iyera with grouped round tin' net, or sauntering slowly towards tin lioilae. Mho roue tu follow her, hut her head was In a whirl with now thoughts, ami she at down again. Which woulil heal '"r Jiln, Harold or Churlcs? rii" thought U over wllh as inn. h soil. Itude as a mother moth-er who plans for In r only child. Harold had seemed to her to be In many " Iho noblest and I ho In-iil young man whom ht- hml known. If over ah was I" love a nmn It would lie such a man thai, liut she niuat not think of hi-ri-lf. Hhe had n-naon to hi-lli-vi- that IkiIIi thi-Mi nn-n loved li.-r slir. Which w.iul.l lie Hit- Ill-Hi lor her? Hut i.i-rhu' the mutter urn alr-udy decided. th could ml fori(.-t I hi- scrap of conversation which she had heard the night before, imr the ai ret w hich her eii'-r had n-luacd n-luacd to colilldo to her. It Ida would not U-ll lu-r, lln-ri- was hut on person who could, Hhe rained her eye", and them wua Harold Denver stiilnllng before be-fore her. "You were loat In your thoughts." aula he, ainllltiK. "I hope that they were plt-Bannl ones." "Oh, I tin planning," aald ahi rising, it seems rather a waste of tlnrc ua a rule, for thing have a way of working themselves out Just aa you Icaal ex- . IM-Cl." "What were you planning, then?" "Tha future." "Whose?" "Oh. my own ami Ida's." "And mi 1 Included In your Joint futures?" fu-tures?" "I noli all our frlenda wire Included." "Don't go In." anld he, na alie began tu move alowly towards the house. "I wanted to hava a word. Let ua alroll up and down tha hewn. IVihaps uu ara fold. If you ara I could bring you out ahawl." "Oh. no, I am not cold." "I wua speaking to your alater Ida laat night." Hhe noticed thai mere waa a alight quiver In hla voice, and. glunc-tng glunc-tng up at hla dark, clear-cut fac e, aha aw that ha wua very grave. Hhe felt 'that It waa settled, and that he hnd com to aak her for her alaler'a hand. "alia la a charming girl." auld he. aft- W er a puuac. ... "Indeed alie la," cried Clara warmly. "And no one who hue not lived wllh her and known her Intimately can tell how charming and good alie la. Hhe la 4lke a sunbeam In the houne." "Mo one who waa not good could be o abaolutely happy aa al-e a--ina to lie. Heaven a laat gill. I think, la a mind o pure and a aplrlt ao high that II la unable even to ace what la Impure and evil In the world around ua. For ni long ua we can ace It, how can we be truly happy?" Hhe hna a doccr aide. also. Hhe doea - not turn It lo the world, and II la not natural that ahe almlilil. for alie In very young. Hut ahe Ihlnka, and haa nsplni-llona nsplni-llona of her own." "You cannot admire her more than I do. Indeed, Mlaa Walker, I only aak lo lie brought Inlo nearer relationship w ith her. anil to fi el that there la a liermanerit bond between ua." It had come at laat. For a moment her heart waa numbed within her, and then a llond of sisterly love carried all licfore It. laiwn wllh the dark thought which would eft I II try to ralac Ua unhallowed un-hallowed head! Hhe lurried lo Harold with sparkling eyea and wnrda of plena-lire plena-lire uimn her llpa. "I ahould wlah lo he near and dear lo both of you." anld he. aa lie took her band. "I ahould wlah Ida to la my alater. ala-ter. and you my wife." Hhe mid nothing. Hhe only stood looking at him with parted lipa and great, dark. questioning eyea. The lawn had vanillic! away, Hie aloplng garden gard-en a. the brick vlllaa, the darkening aky with bait a pale moon beginning m liu over the chimney topa. All waa gone, and ahe waa only conar-loua of a dark, urneal, pleading face, mid of a voice, far away, dlaconnii-ted from heraelf. Hie voice of a man telling a woman how he loved her. Ho waa unhappy, Bald the voice, hla life wua a void; lie had come to the parting of the waya. here lay hap-lilneae hap-lilneae and honor, and all Ihut waa high and noble; there lay the Boul-kllllng round, the lonely life, the linao purault of money, the aordld, selllsh alma. He needed hut the hand of the woman that be loved to lead him Into tha better path. And how he loved her hla life -would alio. He loved her for her awi-etm-aa. for her wotnnnllneaa, for her strength. He had n I of her. Would ahe como lo him? And thin of a Bud-den Bud-den aa ahe llatcncd It cnnie home to her that the mun wua Harold In-nver. and that ahe waa the woman, and that all lods work waa very beautiful the green award tionenlh her feet, the runt-ling runt-ling leaves, the long orange alash.-a In the western sky. Hhe apoko; she eoaroo knew what the broken worde were, but Bhe saw the light of Joy ahlne out on hla face, and her hand waa atllt In lila aa they wandered amid Iho twilight. They aald no more now, but only w lingered lin-gered and felt each other's presence. All wna fri-ah around them, fainlllur and yet new, tinged wllh the beauty of their new found happiness. "KM you not know It before," lie asked. "I did not dare think It." 1 What a tnaak of Ice 1 munt wenr! How could a man feel 1 have d mo without showing II? Your Bister, at leant, know." "idn!" it was laat night. Hhe began to praise ?ou. I aald what I f' lt, and then In an natnnt It waa all out." i "But what could you-what could you n Bee In me? Oh. I do pray Hint you may not repent It!" The g. -title heart wna milled amid Ita Joy by the thought of Its own tinworlhlneaa. "Itepent It? I feel Hint I Bin a aaved man. You do not know how degrading this rlly life Is, how debasing, and yet how absorbing. Money forever clltika In your ear. You run think of nothing else. Kroin the bottom of my heart 1 bate It. and yet how can 1 draw back without bringing grief to my denr old father? There wna tint one way In which I could defy the mint, and that waa by having a home Inlluinie so pure and bo high that It may brace me up agalnat all that druws me down. I have felt that Influence already. I know Hint when I am talking to you I am a better mnn. It Is you who must go with me through life, or 1 must walk forever I alone." I "oh. linn. 1,1. I am ao happy!" Htlll they wandered amid the darkening ehndowa. while one by one the atara K-cpcd nut In the blue-hliick aky above them. At laat a rblll night wind blew up from the east, nn I In ought them hack to the renin ,., f f "You must go In. You will lie cold " "My father will wonder whore I am. Hhnll I any anything- to him?' if you like, my darling, or I will In Hie morning. I must t.- my mother tonight. to-night. 1 know how delighted Bhe will be." "I do hope so." 1-1 me take you up the garden path. It Ib so dnrk. Your lamp la not lit yet. then, denreal." "Till tomorrow. Harold." "My own darling!" He atooped, and their llpa met for the Aral time. Then. bb' ahe puahed open the folding wlndowa ahe heard hla iiulck. firm step bb It passed down the graveled path. A lamp was lit aa she entered the room, and there wna Ma. dinning about Ilk a mlachlevoua little fairy in front of her. "And hava you anything lo tell me?" ahe asked, with a solemn face. Then, suddenly thrnwlng her arme round her elater'a neck, "oh, you dear, dear old Clara 1 I am ao pleased. 1 am so pleased." CIIAPTKIl VII. VIT TAIINKM KKl.ttiTAS, fS - ' '-'.l ''"V" after the Ioo-'Y Ioo-'Y l.y i '(J '"r ""d "' Admiral 'A TV'V 'til hn congratulated t0 'vJe , 9 each other uiam the ' f; cloaer lie which J it ,n unite their TT'H'J lo tur n their frlend- J!- J yi ship Into something even dearer and more Intimate, that Mlaa Ida Walker received re-ceived a letter whti h-cttused her aoma aurprlae and considerable amusement. It was dated from next door, and wai handed In by the red-headed page aftor brenkfnst. iiear Miss Ida." begnn this curlnufl document, lind then relapsed suddenly Into the third person. "Mr. t'harlea Wcstmaeott hopes that he nmy have the pleasure of a rble with Mlaa Ida Walker upon hla tun. b in trlcyi le. Mr. (iuirles Westmacott will bring It round In half nn hour. You In front. Yours very truly, fharb-s Weatmacolt." The whole was written In a large, loose-J.. loose-J.. luted nnd sclioolhoylsh hand, very Ihln on the up strokes and thick nn the down, as though care and pains had gone to the fashioning of It. Htrange as was the form, the menn-lug menn-lug was clear enough; so Ida hastened to her room, and had hardly shpia-d on her light grey cycling dress when Bhe saw Hie tandem with Its large occupant at the door. He banded her up lo her saddle with a more solemn and thoughtful thought-ful face than was usual with him, and a few momenta later they were flying nloug the iH-autlful, smooth suburhnn roil-1 a In the direction of Purest Hill. The great llmha of the athb-te made tha heavy machine aprlng and quiver with every Blroke; while the mlgnon grey figure with the laughing fuce. and the golden curia blowing from under tha little pink-handed atraw hat, simply held firmly to her ierrh. and let the treudli-a whirl round benenth her feet. Mile after mil they flew. the wind bent-Ing bent-Ing In Iter face, the trees dancing past In two long ranks on either side, until they had passed round Croydon and were approaching Norwood onca mora from the further side. "Aren't you tired?" she asked, glancing glanc-ing over her shoulder and turning towards to-wards him a little pink ear, a fluffy gobk-n curl, and one blue eye twinkling from the very corner of Ua lid. "Not a bit. I am Just getting my swing." "Isn't It wonderful to ha strong? You always remind me of a stcum engine." "Why a steam engine?" "Well, because It Is so powerful, and reliable, and unreasoning. Well, I didn't niean that last, you know, but but you know what 1 muun. What la tha mutter with you?" "Why?" "llec.iiine you have something on your ndnd. You have not laughed once." He broke Into a gruesome laugh. ! am quite Jolly," aald he. "Oh, no, you are not. And why did you write me such a dreadfully atlff letter?" "There, now," he cried, "I wui aura It was slirr." "Then why write It r it wasn't my own compoaltlon. "Whoae then? Your nuut'B?" "oh. no. It wna a person of tha nam of HUtlcry." "tioiMlneaa! Who la he?" "I knew It would come out, I felt that It would. You've heard of Hlattcry, Hie author?" "Never." "He la wonderful at expreaiilng himself. him-self. Ho wrote a tmok rnll-d -The Hecret Holved; or, I-tter-wrltlng Mude Kiiey.' It gives you models of ull aorta of letters." let-ters." Ida burst out laughing. "Ho you aatu-ally aatu-ally copied one.-' "It was to Invite a young lady to a rirrile. but I set to work nn1 soon gilt gi-lt i hnim.d so Hint II w nt'd do very w ell. Hh'tterv serins in vi r lo have a-ki d any one lo I n tand-m. Hut when I ind written It. It s.emed so In adfully SUIT H at I hud to put n little lit-tle leglni.lng and -n-l rt nv own, which s-'emcd to l.tlghteii It up a K 'O'I deal." I thought then was sometmng f'-nny al t the In ginning and end." 'I Mil you? Kan. our nollcln the dllT.n ti.e In style. How iiib k you are! I nm wy slow nl things like that. I ought to have been a woodman, or gamekeeper, or something. I was made on thna- llin-a lint I have found Bonio-thlne Bonio-thlne now." "What la that, then?" "Kan.-hlng. I hnve a chum In Texas, and he ssys It Is a rare life. I am In buy a shsre In his business. It Is all In the open air shooting, and rl.llng. and sport. Would It would It Inconvenience you much, Ida. to come out there with LIB nearly fell off her perch In her aniiilemi nt. The only words of which Bhe could think were "My goodnese nie!" bo she said them. if It woulil not upiet your plans, or chBiige your arrangements In any way." lie had slowed down nnd let go of the steerlns handle, ao that the great machine crawled aimlessly ntmut from one Bids of the road to the other. "I know very well that I am not clever or anything of that sort, but still I would do all I can to make you very happy. In, n't you think that In lime you might come to like me a little bur' Ida gave a cry of fright. "I won't like you If you run me against a brick wall," she said, ns the machine rasped against the curb. "Iro attend lo lh steering." "Yes. 1 will. Hut tell me, Ida, whether you will come with me." "oh. I don't know. It's ton absurd! How can we talk alnnit such thing when I cannot see you? You speak to the naiie of my neck, and then I hava to twist my head round to answer." "1 know. That was why I put 'You In front' upon my letter. I thought that " lit would make It easier. Hut If you would ptefer It I will slop the machine, and then you enn alt around and talk alKiul It." "tlood gracious!" cried Ida. "Fancy our sitting face to face on a motionless tricycle In the middle of the road, nnd all tho people looking out of their wlndowa wln-dowa al ua!" "H would look rather funny, wouldn't II T Well. then, auppuae that w both get off and puah the tandem along In front of ua?" "oh, no, tlila la better than that." "Or 1 could carry the thing." Ida hurat out laughing. "That would be mora absurd Willi." "Then we will go quietly, and I' will look nut for ateerlng. I won't talk about It al all If you would rather not. Hut I really do love you very much, and you would make m happy If you cam to TexaB wllh me, and I think that per-hsps per-hsps after a time I could mak you happy, tiK." "Hut your aunt?" ' "Oh, she would Ilka it very much. 1 can understand that your father might not like to lose you. I'm sure I wouldn't either. If I were he. Hut, after all. America Amer-ica la nut very far off nowadays, and la not ao very wild. We would take a grand piano, and and a copy of Itrownlng. And Denver and hla wife would com over to see us. We should be quite a family party. It would be Jolly." Ida sat listening to the atumbilng words and awkward phrasea which were whispered from the back of her, but there was something In liiarlea Wesl-macolt'B Wesl-macolt'B clumslneea of apeech which waa more moving than the wnrda of tha most eloquent of ptcaderB. lla paused, he slnmmered, he caught his breath between be-tween the words, and he blurted out In little blunt phrases all the hopes of his heart. If love had not come lo her yet, there was at least pity and sympathy, sym-pathy, which are nearly akin to It. Wonder there was also that one ao weak and frnll as she should shake this strong man so, should have the whole course of his life waiting for her decision. deci-sion. Her left hand waa on the ciiahlnn at her able. He leaned forward and baik It gently In hla own. Hhe did nut try to draw it back from lilm. "May I have II," aald he, "far lifer "Oh. do attend lo your ateerlng," aald ahe, smiling round at him; "nnd don't aay any more about thla today, ticase don't!" "When shall I know, then?" "oh, tonight, tomorrow, 1 don't know. I must ask Clara. Talk about something some-thing else." And they did talk about something else; but her li-rt hand was still enclosed en-closed In his. and he knew, without asking ask-ing again, that all was well. (ft VUSTIkl'gU.I I |