The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-01
express business and to talk of his farm and
ho1lsa and at last of himself

express business and to talk of his farm and
house, and at last of himself.
~ have everything around me fixed as
nicely as / could ask for" he remarked at
length; "but grow lonelier every day. The
fact is, Eve determined to have wife, if I
can get the one want; but there's only one
in all the wide world. MI'd be loneier than
am now with any other"
'Why don't you speak TO her, then?' said
the widow, with hat-choked feeling in her
throat. "She's very sensible girl but |
don't think it would be right for me to infu-
ence her. | believe woman has no right to
marry without loving''
Quick as lightning-very different from
Dams ordinarily calm, slow style-was his
responsive query: "Have you always been
of that opinions Have you acted on it?''
The plump, soft hand on his arm was
jerked away in an instant and Barbara's step
mother was almost sobbing with angry and
wounded feeling, as she stepped back from
have you to do with that? Ask Barbara for
her secrets if you will. Mine are my own.'
EXACTLY" responded the steady-minded
Dan, but his voice was shaking in spite of his
selfcontrol. "You have told me part of your
secret, Marion Hawkins, whether you meant
to or not. knew you could never have
loved him. Now will tell you mine. You
are the only woman without whom must
forever be lonely. You have been only too
faithful to Barbara. or you would have seen it
BEFORE"
Rapid, earnest. passionate, grew the strong
mans words as he uttered them, and he
closed with a sudden forward movement.
Before the widow knew it Dams arms were
around her, and even her tears betrayed
her.
1t was too late for anything but to let Dan
have his own way. Such wilful fellow he
was, too. And when at last the widow in
sisted on going homeward their arrival at the
gate was signalized by just such another
theft as he had perpetrated twenty times
already, for Barbaras exclamation had been
simply, ''Kissed herv'
Never was a lamp lit sosquickly in all the
world before; but between the finding and
the scratching of the match Bill Emmons
managed to say-for he was fellow of ex-
celent mind-"P erhaps, Barbara, that may
remove some OF our difficulties"
And Barbara made no reply; but when
| Dan and the widow came into the parlor, il
| was not easy to say which Of the two women
was blushing the most violently.
''It's all right, Bill" remarked Dan. 81
don't know that any explanations are re-
quired. You have our entire consent"
The visions of the newly, painted house
| kins, but it was Dams remark that called hel
| attention to the manner in which she was
| clinging to the arm of Bill Emmons. The
latter was equal to the occasion, however, fol
| he replied:
"Well, so long as I've got Barbara's
don't mind having yours;'' and then he
added quickly, 81 say, Dan, you and 1 ART
two fellows of remarkably good sense.'
So Barbara's difficulty about her step
mothers future as well as her own was re
moved for her entirely, and, curiously enough
Dan Grover spent the rest OF his natural life
in the assurance that neither he nor hi
adorable wife had ever known but one love.