Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-06-26

kinds OF rapid mOtlon-the madden the
better. | should have said Waiting was
made for you. How singular that you
do not like it"
& 81 did not say that. do like it 1t
is my passion: butt cannot waltz with
every one" a s
With avery dear friend you would ?"
eyes" ~ ar
"a brother for instance, or the man
you meant to marry :" Yes"
agatha, wilt you waltz with nae?'
He bent his eyes full upon her, search
ing, cxpectantIy. Then an expression of
tender pleading grew into them. 1t
was the same as if he had asked her to
marry him. She returned his look; bat
she thought he was only flirting, as he
had with others-that be strove to take
an ungenerous advantage of hei. She
did not blush or tremble.
"Will you waltz with me!' lac again
asked.
"Now
He bowed and went quietly away
from her. No one saw any change in
either his n anners or hers They were
gay as usual. In fact, Miss Churchill
was gayer. Half the men in the room
were gathered around her. Morgan was
with Jeanette Randall for a while, and
then went out to work on the piazza with
Marian Ames. Agatha could see the
white dress against th, windows as they
;,,ss i,uck and forth. Once, rs she look
ed, she shivered.
Even Jeanette was silent in her own
room that night Marian was not likely
to speak-she had food enough for tho't.
Morgan had &c tainly been very atten-
tive to her. Tonight he had coaxed her
out on the piazza in spite Of the wind
and she could satisfy the hunger i'll her
soul. Was he trying her-trying to
make her love him without giving her
anything in returny Worse that that,
poor child, he was not trying at oil. He
had never even questioned whether she
was likely to love him. 1t was convenient
to be attentive to,her or Jeannette-pretty
girls both of thcm-when he wished to
disguise his feeling for Agatha Churchill.
They wee but the sticks with which he
threw the grace-hoop. No matter what
became of the sticks so that he crowned
the right one.
He wa; i'll at ease, also, that night at
ter the dance. How was re to give up
Apatha? He had set his heart on
her. She was the first woman he had
ever desired for his wife. He had fiirted
often-more from real love of pleasing,
or craving for amusement, then from
genuine malice. When he met Miss
Churchill he had loved for the first time,
and he was man to love strongly
Where he loved he had failed to vim
How the colors of his life had faded in
an hour. What should he do? The
future seemed strangely objectless.
Last of all, Agatha! She had trick
of busying her hands when she wished to
keep from thinking. She UNFINISHED her
gauzy turban aud folded it carefully. She
took off her brilliant dress, and hung it
on one of the nails which was driven up
Ill around Der little box of a room. She
put away the scrpents with their gleam-
ing eyes, prepared herself for bed, she
then sat down in her white wrapper, at
the window, and threw it wide open.-
She felt feycrish and welcomed the strong
wind which blew back her hair; the mist
which saturated the thin drapery ab7ut
her shoulders. There was so much fire
in her nature that she nsyer took cold,
least of all now.
''God help me-" she thought, "my
heart is gone out of me. l shall never
be young again, though am SO strong |
shall live a great many years. Poor,
silly moth! Why did go near the
candle to burn my wings? Could l not
see what Paul Morgan was-a splendid
man, indeed, but with just that same fas-
cination in his manner toward every wo-
mans His voice was always low, and
so tender in its modulations. The touch
of his hand was different from any other
persons. Nature had made him SO, how
could he help it? And l, what a fool
I have boen! I had expected him to ask
me to be his wife-he has asked me to
waltz with him." t .~rs
No matter how late Agatha kept
watch that night. She did not show it
the next morning. When Paul Morgan
met her at breakfast her cheek was as
cool, her eye as clear as ever. She was
lust as carefully dressed. And he-he
had been a man Of the world too long to
hang out flag Of distress at bis mast
head. >,'' ~
It was full tide that day at eleven, and
at half-past ten they all went to bathe.-
There was long line Of them, as they
stood upon the beach, preparatory to
walking into the surf. They were arrang-
ed. gentleman and ladies alternately,
with gentleman at one end of the line
and Agatha Churchill at the other
Morgan was between Jeanette Randall
and Marian Ames. They went on gayly,
breasting billow after billow. q! " %
At last came tenth wave, mightier
than all. In desperate, brayado. excite
ment, or carlessness of life-I know not
what Agatha drew her hand from her
companions and stood up againstit clone.
Then there was Shrek, not from her
lips though. The undertow had caught
her and was bearing her outward. Nor
gan saw her scarlet bathing dress floating
bavond him ,Ha snatched his hands