The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-05-20
.s8oaF Et8s rs
VOL. ~. NO. Sc.

fcIear to you That when you're, maybe
meaning no harm. only little teasing in
play, YOU re playi2g with feelings man
cant keep nStsr; At ) as II the devil was let
loose IN me. know. Yo1dOn't think men
murder one another of Set purpose, doyou,
Fanny. wheA they're tbemselyes27
Fanny turns white, and retIeats still
farther from the cliffs edge; then she gives
a little forcej laugh.
Il must say, John, you've got strange
motions OF pleasant talk; first, you scold
me till cry, and then you speak about
murder Now I must go home, and ii yOu
can't trust me TO go to by the. beach, I'll
take the long way over the cliffs. Are you
satisfied now, sir?' r..-
Satisfied John is radiant at such unex-
lpected sweet submission, for the road on
ahead over the cliffs is just two miles round
for fanny, and when they began to quarrel
she had said nothing should induce her to
90 home unless she went by the beach,
where, as John knew, Captain Standish
and his friend are pacing up and down in
front of the little bay. "You little duck!
he says, and John oilers up good deal of
latonement in word and act, which Fanny
receives with mary smiles and bushes, and
at last helets her GO
s'Why not go by the lane? he asks.
i Fanny mods Il was Just thinking so,
she says, and she looks back over her
shoulder, and smiles like an angel John
thinks.
But the smile fades out of her face more
quickly than the rose color from those long
lribbon-like cloud lines. By the time she
reaches the end of the rock path her fore
head is dinted with frown-
The path ends Its shelf-hke course along
the cliff, and slopes down to the left in a
steep descent to the road leading to the
beach; on the right il mounts as steeply to
the upper part of the village. A lane with
high hedges fringed with plumy fronds of
| ladyfern, and nearer the ground, rarer,
more minute kinds nestle like green tas-
sells in the chinks of loose-piled masses of
stone hidden by long, satin strips of harris
! tongue.
Fanny stands frowning still where the
three ways meet. She is thinking about
John. fE
81 don't believe he thinks half enough
about me-he wouldn't dare be so master
full if he didi' And then (for good intent
ton repented of seldom gets second hear.
81
"a nice slave shall be when I'm married
I if I'm never to look at any one or speak to
tany one but him. What's the use of good
looks if they're all to be hidden out of
isight?" and she hardens herself in this one
idea of her own beauty, and the amount of
admiration due to it.
She stands still, looking wistfully down
the steep lane to tie beach. A sound of
voices comes up to her, hearty laugh, and
then some words which bring blush to her
cheek blush of pleasure; her lips part,
and her head is thrown back saucily as two
gentlemen come in sight, sauntering up
the path.-
''By Jove! this is lucky.''
Captain Standish takes his cigar out of
his mouth, and says, Good evening"
He is a tall fair youth, with pale hair
and eyes; there is washed-out look about
him. Mr.. Russell has more manly aspect;
he is short and thickest, something of the
bull-terrier breed az---=
Fanny is in such hutter of vanity and
delight, that she hardly knows what is said
| to her, or what she answers. She has quite
forgotten her intention OF going straight
home, and stands listening and laughing
while the Captain talks.
PART II.
John stands listening too-ju just where
Fanny left him-listening, and yet not
hearing the querulous scream Of the sea-
gulis at he foot of the cliff, dipping their
bltck. tipped wings IN the creaming curl of
the waves, and then rising in sudden fight
with tanning outspread feathers, or sink
ing again slowly as the air resists their pin
ions.
But John is not frowning. He smiles at
himself He thinks that he has wronged
Fanny by halfformed fears. Dear little
creaturel how good and docile she is, after
all! A girls worth nothing if she hasn't a
spirit OF her own. Ali at Biddeford there1l
be none Uf these fellows coming down to
plague honest menf'
John came back yesterday from Bidde-
ford, he has an uncle there, fisherman,
who has offered him halfshare of his boat
and his business for very moderate COM
pensation.
'John!-JohnF Fry, Isayl Hollo-where
are yo2" -..---t
A coast guard, in blue flannel and a
shiny hat, comes running along the rocky
ledge, as easily as if it were six feet wide.
He stops short when he sees John, sets
his legs wide apart, and both hands go
down to the bottom of his pockets.
''Well, Dayie?"
'Iook alivei" save Davie, with a red
face, and jerking his thumb over his should
= er. 'Yer wanted below; the Biddeford
boat is off the rocks and there's one awant-
ing yo." E f.
wanting of me?"
John pulls off his wideawake, doubles il
up, and then fattens it out with his strong,
brown hand; finally, this proceeding hay-
, ing failed to solve his perplexity, he moves
[ on TO where Davies thumb is pointing.
"1here1l be bit ola gale tonight afore
the boat reaches MiRehead," says DaVie;
and then he stands still and lights his pipe,
while John Fry hurries down to the beach.
Unless he had scrambled down the face
of the crag-a bold feat for even so fearless
a climber--he must follow the path Fanny
has taken, but he Is not thinking of Fanny
as he hurries along. His uncle at Bidde.
ford was an old man; he had already had
one seizure, and this might be another
John had few friends or relations, but those
he had he loved with the intensity of q
deep strong nature, and his heart was full
1 of anxious fear for his uncle; he had left
S him so well and hearty, and so full of warn
sympathy with his nephew's happiness.
4 So that when John, in his headlong race
comes suddenly upon the group-or. rath
er, the pair. for Mr.. Russell has moved of
5 to discreet distance e-the young fisherman
3 is so bewildered, that fer an instant b.
stands in silent wonder.
d For an instant only. 1t is quite dark il
the narrow lane between those high fern
9 crowned hedges. Before one can note thu
0 changes that have come into the two face
/ so near 10 each other-for Captain Stand
e ish's whiskers touch, Fanny's cheek as h'
whispers hand is on the captain
e shoulder, and the captain stumbles back
Q ward into the hedge.
n Keep your distance, will your JOIN
u says, fercely; ''that young woman is no
II free to listen to your fooleryp
if He has grasped Fanny's arm while b
e speaks, and now he hurries her along will
a him back by the way he came.
It Vehement action has calmed down tn
l. tempest of his anger As he strides alon
a he is forcing himself to decide what he shal
t, say TO Fanny.
d He has dim remembrance of the poin
where he left Davie, and he stops short {
y that The light has faded so completed
a that he can only just see Fanny Haywood
face plainly.
. Cbe 70 x-a,r -yI,;t, ,,d frarob Oh