Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-04-21

that Hildreth was listening to hit
words with flush on her cheek and
a light in her eye-not noticing that
the hand he held in his was tremb-
ling. "You have a place deep
down in my heart that not many
women could gain. You are a wo-
man of heart and brains. Pardon
me for speaking SO plainly, You
are not angry ""
"No, Mr.. Chester, I could not
be that; but I am afraid you over
rate me. If your idol of womanly
goodness should prove but clay,
what then"
"Then, Hildreth, I would never
again believe in woman. But I've
no fear of you proving false. But
don call me 'Mr. Chester I pre-
fer to hear you say Phil And
now, to prove our new compact of
frisndehip, I'll tell you a secret
something I've wanted to tell you
for some time"
He was looking off now, away
among the clouds, with a tender
CLEAN of love in his eyes. He was
thinking of pair of melting blue
eyes; ofrosy lips and sunshiny curls.
of little white hand that had rested
SO conhdingly in his, while its own
er, Mamie Watterson, had promised
to be his bride. He wanted to hear
Miss Comonsey's opinion of the
little beauty he had chosen, for he
intended they should meet, and had
no doubt they would be firm friends,
But Miss Comonsey knew nothing
of his thoughts. She could only
hear the low to2es of his voice and
see the love-lit eleam of his eyes;
and her heart beat rapidly. Wo.
man-like, she rose, and, started to-
ward the house, laughingly said:
" l cannot listen to secrets this
evening. MIR. Chester - Phil, I
mean"--with slight blush, "see
how late it is; I must 90 in."
care you afraid you will not be
able to properly train those young
ideas under your charge if You set
up evenings laughed Phil in re-
ply.
"You would not have me neglect
my school duties, would you?" she
answered gravely.
"I fear I shall be jealous even of
your scholars, Hildreth; but won't
you listen to my story?"
Some other time"
"I suppose it would be useless to
urge you; but, remember, I've some-
thing to tell you when you can give
me the time"
He left her at the foot of the stairs
and strolled out on the piazza, smok-
ing his cigar and thinking how sweet
and good Hildreth was, and how
pleased he would be when he had
told her of his Mamie and she had
approved his choice; for he did not
doubt but that she would approve.
And then into his mind came the
image of Mamie Watterson and ban
ished every other thought.
Meanwhile Hildrsth was thinking
of the new brightness that had come
over her lonely life. She was GER
tain that Phil loved her; that the
secret he meant to tell was the Sc
cret of his love. She loved him so
deeply and truly that she did not
think it possible that he was indiffer.
ent to her. She would not acknowl-
edge the fact of her love for him,
even to herself, till tonight; but
now that she felt so sure of his love,
she looked into her own heart and
read the truth there; knew that she
loved him wildly, passionately, with
a love, had she but known it, that
was destined to be the curse of her
young life. She thought of his many
kind acts toward her, of all those
little words that mean so little from
a friend, but SO much from lover;
and when she fell asleep, it was to
dream of gray eyes and silken
moustache.
Phil only remained at home one
week, and had no opportunity to
speak to Hildreth, save in the pres
ence of the rest of the family. Just