FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125  
126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>   >|  
She moved to adjust a window blind and when she returned found that his steady eyes were fixed upon her. "You're getting better fast," she said. "Yes." The girl had a favor to ask of him and lest her courage fail she plunged into it. "Mr. Macdonald, if you say the word Mr. Elliot will be released on bail. I am thinking you will be so good as to say it." His narrowed eyes held a cold glitter. "Why?" "You must know he is innocent. You must--" "I know only what the evidence shows," he cut in, warily on his guard. "He may or may not have been one of my attackers. From the first blow I was dazed. But everything points to it that he hired--" "Oh, no!" interrupted the Irish girl, her dark eyes shining softly. "The way of it is that he saved your life, that he fought for you, and that he is in prison because of it." "If that is true, why doesn't he bring some proof of it?" "Proof!" she cried scornfully. "Between friends--" "He's no friend of mine. The man is a meddler. I despise him." The scarlet flooded her cheeks. "And I am liking him very, very much," she flung back stanchly. Macdonald looked up at the vivid, flushed face and found it wholly charming. He liked her none the less because her fine eyes were hot and defiant in behalf of his rival. "Very well," he smiled. "I'll get him out if you'll do me a good turn too." "Thank you. It's a bargain." "Then sing to me." She moved to the piano. "What shall I sing?" "Sing 'Divided.'" The long lashes veiled her soft eyes while she considered. In a way he had tricked her into singing for him a love-song she did not want to sing. But she made no protest. Swiftly she turned and slid along the bench. Her fingers touched the keys and she began. He watched the beauty and warmth of her dainty youth with eyes that mirrored the hunger of his heart. How buoyantly she carried her dusky little head! With what a gallant spirit she did all things! He was usually a frank pagan, but when he was with her it seemed to him that God spoke through her personality all sorts of brave, fine promises. Sheba paid her pledge in full. After the first two stanzas were finished she sang the last ones as well:-- "An' what about the wather when I'd have ould Paddy's boat, Is it me that would be feared to grip the oars an' go afloat? Oh, I could find him by the light of sun or moon or star: But there's caulder things than salt waves between us,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125  
126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
things
 

Macdonald

 

beauty

 

warmth

 

dainty

 
fingers
 
touched
 

watched

 
gallant
 

spirit


carried

 

hunger

 
mirrored
 

buoyantly

 
adjust
 

protest

 
Divided
 
lashes
 

veiled

 

bargain


considered

 

Swiftly

 

turned

 

window

 

tricked

 

singing

 

afloat

 

feared

 

caulder

 

wather


personality

 
promises
 

finished

 

stanzas

 

pledge

 
points
 

interrupted

 
attackers
 

fought

 
prison

shining
 

softly

 
narrowed
 
glitter
 

released

 

thinking

 
Elliot
 

innocent

 
courage
 

warily