Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-19
VOLUME XIV.

the path, whlStllng softly to himself, his
| face shadowed by the broad brimmed Pan
anna hat, whose black ribbon was fastened
! into his button-hole, he never for an instant
imagined that Lefty Moores blue eyes were
shyly watching him behind the dense leaves
of the hardy scarlet-runners that vailed the
kitchen window
! Mrs Moore's kitchen All, reader, if you
/ could only have seen it you would have alb
iure the vanities of buhl and ormolu, rose
wood and brocatelle, from this time forth
for evermore the square of rag carpet i'll
! the centre was SO bright and fresh-the
/ boards were secured to such snowy purity,
and the golden light come sitting i'll 50 viv-
/ idly through the dancing leaves of the scar
/ let-runners And then the tin dishes shone
/ like silver on the trim dresser and the red
peppers hanging from the beams overhead
glowed like giant rubes, and the black
bird in his wicker cage talked softly to him
| self, and kept an eye on the chickens that
were skirmishing round the open door, like
a policeman in new .et-black suit While
Lettice herself, deliciously unconscious, was
nestled in the window-seat with bit of
fine stitching in her brown fingers, singing
/ the low refrain Of some old fishing song she
"Mr Wayne ~ she exclaimed, looking
/ futtcred into her lap. Why, how you
startled me! Is it possible that you are
/ back already?"
'Aready!' repeated Kenneth Wayne,
with an indescribable something of pique
/ i'll his tone, " it is nearly eleven o'clock"
/ SO late as Hot." said Lettice, biting off
the end of her thread with teeth that were
/ white and even as grains Of rice.
Mr.. Wayne stood leaning against the
window ledge, his eyes fixed dreamly on
the bright dishevcled curls, and the olive
cheek with its wine-like glow, where the
moving leafshadows came and went at
every second
How lovely she is !" was the unsylla-
bled fancy that shaped itself in his mind
al wonder" he thought, setting his teeth
close together, " if | am hut mad, conceit-
ed fool, blindly putting my own interpreta-
ton on every look and glance, or if she
really loves me =
AS the thought hoated through his brain
Lettice looked up
Are you going out again this afternoon,
Mr.. Wayne ?"
Yes, am going down to take a study
or two from the great cavern"
! How 2"
| The little boat lies at the landing. You
need not laugh, Lefty, | am enough of a
hand at the oars to get across to the cav
ern even if | haven't grown, like a barna-
Gle, on these rocks"
Did | laugh p said Lefty, demurely sur
veying her bit Of stitching.
:. NouI1 rn with mo ,attv ThinE how
deliciously cool those green waves will be
at noontide"
don't think | care to go to-day" said
Lefty with an air of supreme Indifference.
Lefty y
"Well, Mr.. Wayne !"
Why eCW you be 50 provoking ?"
Am | provoking? Really ! wasn't
aware of it "
Lefty" said the young man, with a
sudden spot of crimson burning on his
cheek, 81 can not endure this uncertainty
any longer must know my fate y
She lifted the blue, limpid eyes to his face
with the innocent wonderment of child,
while her scarlet lips, half parted were
like the deep incanadne of the West In
/ dian shells tnat lay Oh the shelf beyond
Il love you, Lefty !" he said passionate
ly: | have loved you since the day | first
looked upon your face. The time is coming
when | must leave this des0late shore let
me take you with me to be the sunshine Of
my life. Don't turn away from me, Lettice
Moore-give me one word, one look, to
which may cling and still hope on"
"You hurt my wrist" said Lettice, pctu-
lently. "Don't Mr. Wayne "
Won ha va NOT mo Tattipa
She stole shy, arch glance at him under
her long, brown lasheS.
1t was neither more nor less than women's
instinct this strange impulse that prompt
ed Lcttice, in that moment when the fate of
her whole life trembed in the balance, to
play with her lovers earncstncss, and hide
behind a mask of simulated Indifference
And SO Lettice pOuted her pretty lip, and
twisted the bronzc-brown curl round her
finger, and looked out at the blue sweep Of
the distant sea and answered never q word.
Tell me, Lettice, do you love me Ay
or no-an answer | 'cW have"
Would have an answer, indeed ! \ pret-
ty idea, thought wiIful Lefty, to pretend an
abject and humble devotion, and then use
such lordly phrases at this He should
have his answer-fOr the present at least.
1t would be a good lesson, and one that Mr..
Kenneth Wayne appeared to need SO she
drew herself up, and replied in one naughty
mOnosyllable,
"Now
He stood looking at her moment, while
the blood seemed to recede from his face.
leaving an ashy ring around the lips, and
then turned quietly away and took slow,
listless course down the rocky path, with
eyes that saw not the blue glimmer of the
distant sea- nor the lines of cloud that skirt
ed the far away horizon.
The instant his footstep crossed the thres
hold Lefty started up as if to call him back
But the words seemed to die in silence up
on her lips, and she sank back on the win
dow-seat, hiding her face in her hands
" What have | done ? Oh, what have
done 2"
But the next instant she dashed the moist
ure from her eyelashes with quick ,haugh
ty movement. and took up her work, as il
fully resolved to dismiss the whole affail
from her mind
How long she sat there, mechanically
plying the needle, she could never have
told it might have been five hours. Hel
mind was in too fevered and restless state