The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1873-12-18


comfortable in his mind. This acqGain-
lance had not been less pleasant than he
imagined il would be-bct it was growing
too serious. Not that Bessie had in the
slightest degree thrown herself at his head
She was too delicate a woman, too shy
beneath her frankness, for anything like
that. To gave his life be could not tell
whether she really cared for him or not,
and he was beginning to long ardently TO
know. Yet IL w.s question that he nust
not ask; and he began to see that from ask
Ing il he could find no decent, not 10 say
chiyalrous escape. If he had been wooing
Bessie Crandall for his wife, he could
hardly have done more or other than he
had been doing for nearly ak weeks past.
AID now his family were imperatiFely
summoping him. They had returned as
far as Saratoga; and, in this haunt of the
well-dressed. they found one escort for them
all an insufficient allowance-he must have
caught and eaten trout enough by this time
TO turn his brain into phosphorus, and,
really, they could spare him no longer. He
felt that he must 60 a. once, that is, to-
morrow. This afternoon he would pass
with Bsssie.
As he went toward the house where he
had spent SO many pleasant hours he felt
himself coward. Could he 20 away and
not tell her the truth. Would any truth
however hard be cruel, be go ignobie as to
depart, leaving her, if indeed she cared for
him at all. "a prey Of vain expectation. he
had done his best 10 create? Would-but
he paused. Fate must settle it all, Per
hsps she did rot care, and if so no harm
was done. But all the while he was
conscious Of wild, miserable longing to
see the light Of love in her eyes. and to kiss
tie sweet, sensitive mouth, trembling with
It's first words Of tenderness for him. lie
went in, and found Bessie in the great,
cool, rarlor, fragrant with flowers She
was a creature Of infinite variety, coquet-
tiah sometimes, aTgumentative sometimes,
serious sometimes, and never twice the
same This afternoon she was changetui
aud brilliant and elusive as the hummng
bird that fitted in and out of the rose tree
under her window. Her mood tortured
him. II he was brutal, that torture, per-
haps, was slight excuse but then brutal
ity is SO often the resource Of perplexed
man. If he only knew whether she
cared for him If not he might spare
himself the confession he had to make
but how could he be sure?
lie drew picture from his pocket, a
little miniature painted on ivory-the face
of woman pure and proud and cold
Jelly regular, sp!endiIly null he had said
to himself this very day as he looked at it
in his own chamber.
Al believe I have never shown you this,
he said, handing it to Bcssie,-"do you
think it handsome?"
Your sister?@ she asked, locking IA.
the picture careisssly.
"No. my cou,in, Miss Margaret S9urs,s,
yhgm am engaged to marry -
lie had lyuged to know whether che car
ed for him; bat 10 INT moment ! think BE
woali rather his doubt bad remaiael an
solved.
She turnel suddenly white to the very
lips. As long as he lives be VIII never
forge. that momentary glimpse Of her.
with all tae young warmth and brightness
gone--a woman Of stone. She was both
proud and brave, and she would never low er
her flag to the enemy. In a moment The
color had come back to her cheeks and lips,
and her voice Jill not even tremble as she
answered, quietly
''Yes, she is very han Isome; one Of
those beauties about whom there can be
no question. l congratuate you.'
lie had been shocked when he saw that
she suffered, lu: now her swift composure
piqued him, and he showed it in his tone
as lie replied;
al am u,rsurc that am re.dv 10 lie
concentrated. Marr;1ye at hest. +, an
experiment"
Il think you are dis,oyal to your cousin. :
she sal /; with Il little scorn in her tone,
when YOU receive my congratulations in
such doubtful fashion
would to heaven that were my only
disloyalty?" lie murmured, in SO low a voice
that Bessie dill not feel herself oblisel to
hear it. She led the conversation ID Iiet
other channels; and tested and Knocked and
sparkle, so that it he has not seen her
white face Of stone for that one revealing
moment, he would have believed that sic
cared at all for all the summer that was
passed.
nr vanIali had returned before he
v.nt uvay and the nortinc was paner.l
The next Iav he went to ms cousio.
4 nraroun1 student of human nat,.s
,o,s ,b,t IN ,,o-r,,,e the certainty ,.Sba
will never love me much" Is easier to
bear than the fear Il shall love her no