Part 55 (2/2)

”Why, foolish!+ Of course, we have been good pals and we are going to stay good pals right to the end; noan upward, sidelong glance at me

”Sure as that,” I exclaimed I put my hands round her triround and kissed her laughing led free, juh and a blown kiss to er tips

As I turned, I castthere, motionless, as if hewn in stone

It was Mary Grant

Her hands were pressed flat against her boso that should not have been there Her face wore a strange coldness that I had never seen in it before

I could not understand why it should be so,--unless,--unless she had ood-bye of Rita and me But, surely,--surely not!

Slowly and laboriously, I made in her direction, but she sped aiftly down the wharf, across the rustic bridge and into her cottage, closing the door behind her quickly

As I sat by the fireside, thinking over what possibly could have caused Mary to behave so, so:--

”Go over and find out Go over and find out”

But I did not obey My conscience felt clear of all wrong intent and I decided it would be better to wait till , when I would be more fit for the ordeal and Mary would have had tihts

Had I only knohat the decision meant to me; the hours of mental torment, the suspense, the dread loneliness, I would have obeyed the inner voice and hastened to Mary's side that veryi them bare and cold and hare or intuition, I had to suffer the consequences

Later in the evening, a yacht put into the Bay It carried soentle south

They called in for a few supplies, the getting of which I merely supervised They asked and obtained perht

After they had returned aboard and just as I was laboriously undressing, I heardacross fro, will-o'-the wisp ht, she played the shadowy, ht and elusive Ballade No 3 of Chopin Hoell I knew the story and how sy! till I could picture the scenes and the characters as if they were appearing before me on a cinema screen:--the palace, the forest and the beautiful lake; the knight and the strange, ethereal lady; the bewitchment; the promise; the new enchantress, the lure of the dance, the lady's flight and the knight's pursuit over theof the unfaithful gallant and the h of the triumphant siren

The hed, thundered and sighed at the call of the wonderful musician who translated it

I was bewitched by the playing, alht had been by the ethereal lady of the ht Mary had retired to rest But again, on the night air, came the introduction to the little ballad I had already heard her sing in part Her voice, with its plaintive sweetness, broke into melody

She lilted softly the first verse,--and I waited

She sang the second verse Again I waited, wondering, then hoping and longing that she would continue

The third verse ca