Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-04-29

ulun lndhe any ulutieHCe W hiS, LIZ
Barrows."
The doctor bit his lip and frowned.
81 don't believe that at all, he said,
brusquely. Il know it made differ
ence. 1t made a difference in your be-
havior to me, Miss Revere. | never
passed you in the street but that you
thought of it,
The girl blushed angrily She was
not used to being contradicted. And
yet she did not deny his charge.
81 expected all that, Miss Revere" he
went on. with no less vehemence. Il
looked for your dislike; | expected you
would hate me. But could not let you
do mean thing and occupy a false posi-
ton. without putting in my protest. You
didn't need the position, Miss Revere.
Miss Onderdonk did She needs it badly,
and yet you took it away from her. Was
that fair thing for you to do: And |
knew too, YOU were not the fttest person
in the world to teach village school.
You know too much, Miss Revere; and,
excuse me for saying it, you know too
little | would have spared you this ex-
hibition, as you call it, today, if |
could. But, Miss Revere" and while
his voice sank low and trembled little
in its intensity, yet every word was clear
TO Kate's wondering sense. Il would
rather have the girl love hate me than
let her 20 on acting wrong part. 1t
wasn't on Miss Onderdonk's account,
Miss Kate, that | opposed you last fall,
and did this, to day-it was for the sake
of your own self. | love YOU too well,
Kate Revere, to let you do wrong-if |
can help it,
And then he drew back a few steps
and folded his arms, and looked her in
the face A more astonished, bewildered
girl he never saw. What he had said
was revelation. She had been all along
regarding him as the lover Of another
girl. and here he turned out TO be her
own. She had been hating him, or
thinking that she did, with all her heart,
and now she was as good as asked TO
love him Was there, indeed, any foun-
dation left for her hate: She had sup
posed that he disliked her; if he did not,
what reason had she to hate him: But
this was a long way from love, Kate
thought. How could she love man
who had just told her that she had acted
meanly and was an incompetent teacher;
who had been rude and overbearing and
ungenerous She might not dislike him
Christian charity could carry her as
far as that-but something was due to
her sense of self-respect; and even II
her heart did beat more happily than for
months past, and her eyes shine with
softer light, she would not as much as
confess it to herself, least of all to him.
So while he waited for an answer, and
the hot blood came and went upon her
cheeks, she crowded down the gladness
that had so suddenly come to her, and
stiffiy said:
I'm sure don't think | was at all
wrong, DIR. Bauows; and, if you'll ex-
cuse me, III 20 home
The doctor bowed courteously, still
standing with his arms folded, and the
same imperturbable look upon his face.
And there Miss Revere left him.
1t was three months after this that
another examination was held in Upper
Nineyeh. This time it was in the little
school-house. When the exercises were
over and the few visitors dismissed, it so
happened that Miss Revere and DR.. Bar
rows found themselves walking up the
road side by side.
~ am glad YOU came today he said,
warmly
"Of course | wouldn't have staid away
protested Kate.
There wasn't much public interest, y
he remarked.
mo" Kate admitted; "but there
ought TO have been. Miss Onderdonk
has done very well with them"
The doctor nodded.
considering she's only taught them
three months" he said.
Then there was little pause.
"She won't have any school committees
from Babylon Centre" he went on.
"No," she said, meditatiyely.
"Nor any secretaries from the State
board"
Il suppose not.
And probably Mr.. Jenkins is doubt
full about fer being much of prize"
"Very likely"
but after ALL" looking amusedly in
Kate's face, "she's a very capable teach
err"
Kate waited a moment, while her face
flushed and her eyes fell to the ground.
Il suppose if I say yes to that she
replied, quietly, II might as well admit
the other thing"
What other thing" innocently.
"Why-that | wasn't"
The doctor was about replying, when
they were separated for an instant by a
group of the school girls. Among these
was Carrie Ainsworth, who as she
passed, made surreptious face at DIR. Bar
rows, and then, turning round, looked
such unutterable reproach at the doctor 5
companion that Kate could not forbear
laughing.
at was Carrie Ainsworth," she ex-
planned. "She asked me once if didn't
hate you"
And you told her"
at was wicked to hate.