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819 | WILD MARGARET.
don’s think any man has suffered more than I have, dur.
ing these last few months.’’ /
He leant forward in his chair, and put up his hand, so
‘that it hid his face from her. ,
‘*Tell me, Blair,’? she said. ‘‘ Poor Blair!’’ and stretch-
ing out her hand she laid it, softly as a feather, upon -
his.
Something in her voice, or perhaps it was the touch of
her hand, reminded him of Margaret so keenly that he
shuddered and his face went white.
She felt the shudder, and her acute sense saw the dan-
er.
‘Stop, Blair,’’.she murmured. ‘‘ Perhaps it is better
that you should not tell me. Whatever it is—and it must
have been something terrible—it will be well that you
should forget it; and you won’t forget it any the sooner by
talking of it. No, don’t tell me! But I am very sorry,
Blair, very—very.” Her face paled, and her lips, which |
were very close to his face as she bent forward, quivered.
“T think I would go through a great deal to save you
from pain, Blair.. We are such old friends, are we not?”
‘“Yes—yes,”’ he said, brokenly, and he put out his hand,
and took hers and pressed it. ‘Yes, you were always
good to me—too good, Vi. I don’t deserve that you should
be so kind now, after leaving you all this time!"’
‘Never mind that,’? she murmured, and her voice was
as soft and tender as only a woman’s can be to the man
she loves. ‘‘Don’t let us think of that. I will be as-kind
as you like, Blair!”
The poor fellow’s wounded heart was aching; his
strength, mental and physical, broken down by illness and
the long, dreary tramp; something suspiciously like tears
shone in his eyes, and he raised her hand to his lips
speechless gratitude for her kindness and gentleness.
‘*Oh, not my hand, dear!” she murmured, and slipping .
down at his knees, she put up her lips.
Blair bent down and kissed her, as he was bound to do.
He could not have done otherwise, and by that kiss he
sealed his fate. And yet, even as he gave it, the sweet
face of Margaret rose as plainly before him as if it were
| she and not Violet Graham who knelt at his feet.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MARGARET went to her beautiful suit of rooms that night
With a beating heart and a mind sorely troubled.
. Prince Rivani had proposed to her!
It had come so unexpectedly that it overwhelmed her.
There are a great many princes in Italy—they are com