The Van Buren press., 1878-08-27

little tangled thread her inner life,
and of that little skei he wove web
around and about him& IL from which he
could not escape. HSdid not care to
escape, in fact, but pt weaving the
thaeads with which SD unwitlingly sup
piled him like human cocoon.
On this evening of hich / write, he
had come to her with 4plan in his head.
81 can get her to splkk out now" he
thought, and, thinkingahis, he said, rath-
er hurriedly, as if yaiting longer to
hear what she might 50 were thing i'm
possible. .zr.4
"By-theway, insists Dskc, / am go
ing away. May Ihobe that you wiNAot
forget me p
Away! she had never thought any.
thing could change in this dull, sleepy
snburb-and now the greatest change
that could happen had come to her. Co.
ing away!
There was no outery, although the
heart buried under the flaming Gale au-
tumn leaves won't throbbing on as il it
were hammer. Into the eyes crept a
look of infinite ycarning, but he saw ii
not, for the womanly pride came to her
rescue, and her gIances went rowing over
the faded flowers in the three ply carpet
beneath them.
II hope shall not be forgottcu?" he
"Oh, no, Mr.. Lee" she replied, more
absent minded at this instant than any
dullard among her pupils.
"Thank you. Well, | must be off.
The train leaves in half an hour, and |
had just flew up here to bid you good
bye"
The train Goodbye! Absent minded
no longer, but, with senses fearfuly alert,
she reached out her hand to him in fare
well A touch of her finger tips thrill
ed him through and through What
warm little hand it was that he held
within his own for seconds space,
Still, she had disappointed him; he had
felt sure OF an outspoken word of sorrow
at his absence, but she was silent. He
dropped her hand, turned about, and left
the house.
"Oh, Philip! Philip she cried, spur
red on to desperation. And the cry
came to him he passed the open window
and stopped him short. He turned Oh
his heel and came back.
The gray cleaning was almost swal-
lowed up by the night. Away into a
corner where there was the least light
the little brown woman had dragged
herself ana crouched down here heart
numb with a silent agony; but, on hear
ting t,fs sccp, snc arose, aau suovu wai..aas
for him.
You called me. Miss Rose p her
christened name coming out despite him
self
Yes, l called you. Philip Lee, you
have been good friend to me, and if
you never come Back again, remember
there is one who names you in her every
prayer, and who thanks you with her
every breath, for your considerate kind
ness. l have been alone so long" she
went on quickly, "that friend, such
as you have been to me, seems heaven
sent. Let me thank You again." She
was standing before him now, looking
with great liquid eyes straight into his
face.
"No more than friend to you-may
not be nearer than that p
At this her eyes filed with tears, and
clasping two small hands before them she
stood there crying quietly.
" must go-- Rose--little one, Only
say, may sometimes be nearer than
triond" The tears were more than he
could bear.
when you are sure that you wish it.
yes, Philip
He had left after kissing, in knightly
fashion, her hand, thereby glorfying,
in her eyes, that small member for ever
ore,--and had been just in time to
catch the up-coming train, which whirl-
ed him away to the metz opolis. Here he
stayed two weeks, up to his ears in bu
sncss, but never 50 engaged as to lose
from before his mental vision the exact
color and shape Of a pair of very haun
ting brown eyes. But he would not
with to her. "Perhaps the little spark
have kindled," he said to himself,
may be coaxed into fame if | do not
be too rash," and he let " nothing ven
ture, nothing have" alone with all his
might.
On the day succeeding his departure
came Terese Van Tassal, who, to the in
finite surprise and dismay Of Miss Rose,
proved herself to be-instead of the
,hild she was expecting woman grown,
adeod, one year older than her would be
.dopter herself
" How strange it is, Terese," she said,
n blunt, home-truthy way, "thaty you
should have looked for protector in
ne! And your respected guardian wrote
% me that could care for you, he sup
posed, as he heard | was making money
IL the lit lie school. How absurd all this
waddle. take care of big, stately, |
'trongly-built woman, fully as able to
work as /? Had he neyen seen you,
rerese, this guardian p
Terese had listened With eyes as full of
at this speech as wcl-bre
yes could consent to be, at this last
question she turned her fair, naughty
ace languidly away from the little brown
,undle of candor, and said, with the |
east possible hint Of contempt in her
'oice. "Why, yes, Rose, of course he
las."
"And he thought you would come to
ne for succor, and would not try to fight |
he worlds battle tor yoursef?' and,
aughing, hut somewhat anxious, never.
hcless.
81 could not fight that battle, Rose |