Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/326

 it, and silently she took her seat by his side. He still held her hand, and she pressed his gently in response. He saw that she was crying, and his heart was too full for words for a moment.

He looked long and wistfully in her face. In her dishevelled hair by the dim light of the car he thought her more beautiful than ever. At last she brushed the tears from her eyes and turned her face full on his with a sad smile.

"My own dear love!" she sobbed, "I prayed that I might see you somehow before I left. I was wide awake when I first heard the distant murmur of your voice. Oh! I am so glad you came!" and she pressed his hand.

"I got your letter at ten-thirty"—

"Oh! that awful letter! How I cried over it. Papa made me write it, and read and mailed it himself. But you saw my message between the lines?"

"Yes, and then I covered it with kisses. But what is the cause of this sudden change of the General toward me? What have I done?"

"Please don't ask me. I can't tell you," she sobbed lowering her face a moment to his hand and kissing it. "Don't ask me."

"But, my dear, I must know. There can be no secrets between us."

"My lips will never tell you. There have been a thousand slanders breathed against you. I met them with fury and scorn, and no one has dared repeat them in my hearing. I would not pollute my lips by repeating one of them."

"But who is their author?"

"I can not tell you. I promised Mama I wouldn't. She loves you, and she is on our side, but said it was best. Papa has made up his mind to break our engagement for-