Part 34 (1/2)

”It is, and it is not,” he answered, epigrammatically.

”I suppose that means that it is about a third person, and concerns me,” she said calmly, releasing his hands.

”Well, yes,” impatiently striking his boot with his riding whip. ”But it is nothing that can harm you so long as you do not know it; but G.o.d help you should anyone tell it to you, for it would embitter your life.”

”My life being so very sweet now,” answered Madge, with a slight sneer.

”You are trying to put out a fire by pouring oil on it, and what you say only makes me more determined to learn what it is.”

”Madge, I implore you not to persist in this foolish curiosity,” he said, almost fiercely, ”it will bring you only misery.”

”If it concerns me I have a right to know it,” she answered curtly.

”When I marry you how can we be happy together, with the shadow of a secret between us?”

Brian rose, and leaned against the verandah post with a dark frown on his face.

”Do you remember that verse of Browning's,” he said, coolly--

'Where the apple reddens Never pry, Lest we lose our Edens, Eve and I.'

”Singularly applicable to our present conversation, I think.”

”Ah,” she said, her pale face flus.h.i.+ng with anger, ”you want me to live in a fool's paradise, which may end at any moment.”

”That depends upon yourself,” he answered coldly. ”I never roused your curiosity by telling you that there was a secret, but betrayed it inadvertently to Calton's cross-questioning. I tell you candidly that I did learn something from Rosanna Moore, and it concerns you, though only indirectly through a third person. But it would do no good to reveal it, and would ruin both our lives.”

She did not answer, but looked straight before her into the glowing suns.h.i.+ne.

Brian fell on his knees beside her, and stretched out his hands with an entreating gesture.

”Oh, my darling,” he cried sadly, ”cannot you trust me? The love which has stood such a test as yours cannot fail like this. Let me bear the misery of knowing it alone, without blighting your young life with the knowledge of it. I would tell you if I could, but, G.o.d help me, I cannot--I cannot,” and he buried his face in his hands.

Madge closed her mouth firmly, and touched his comely head with her cool, white fingers. There was a struggle going on in her breast between her feminine curiosity and her love for the man at her feet--the latter conquered, and she bowed her head over his.

”Brian,” she whispered softly, ”let it be as you wish. I will never again try to learn this secret, since you do not desire it.”

He arose to his feet, and caught her in his strong arms, with a glad smile.

”My dearest,” he said, kissing her pa.s.sionately, and then for a few moments neither of them spoke. ”We will begin a new life,” he said, at length. ”We will put the sad past away from us, and think of it only as a dream.”

”But this secret will still fret you,” she murmured.

”It will wear away with time and with change of scene,” he answered sadly.

”Change of scene!” she repeated in a startled tone. ”Are you going away?”

”Yes; I have sold my station, and intend leaving Australia for ever during the next three months.”

”And where are you going?” asked the girl, rather bewildered.

”Anywhere,” he said a little bitterly. ”I am going to follow the example of Cain, and be a wanderer on the face of the earth!”