Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-27

tight rings like that of an old Greek
head, his teeth cleaning from under
the dark mustache when he smiled. [
didn't see how she could help being at
tracted to him, being-being in love
must he show?" he drawled. ssDoes
she want you to wear your uniform and
your bandages all the timer" And then
his eyes flashed, he thrust his fingers
through the gray rings, and / saw
where a bullet had plowed its way
among them. That was my ticket to
four months of unconsciousness in
hospital" he cried. And then he pulled
up the cuff from his right wrist, and
drew his fingers across an indentation
there. 'sThat lost me my sword arm, !"
he said. What more does she wantp
Shall I tell her ball made this dimple
in my chimp that / carry the five
wounds about me? / suppose if took
off both arms and both legs every night,
she would have me out of hand.''
mo. she wouldn't" l said. "She
wouldn't have you unless you were tall
slender fellow whose eyelashes were
burned off, whose face was covered to
the eyes by a torn visor above and by
a brown beard below, who kissed her
hand, and wore an odd silver-set dia-
mond crest on his-I saw it-and whom
she has set up in her shrine for ever and
ever. Why, Cousin Nicholas. what is
the matter with youP" For he had sud-
denly burst into the gayest and most
uproarious laugh. You had better
tell me, so that can laugh too" said,
but deciding that could not be vexed
with Cousin Nicholas. "T've no doubt
she'll think better of you when tell her
about your scars" / said.
"When you tell her about my scarsin %
| he exclaimed, so that / started and
| trembled. "Open your lips to her about
them, you blessed little chatterbox, and
| I'll kill you'll If she won't care for me
| without scars, she sha'n't care for me
at allin
''Well. declare, never" began.
Just take me to mamma, if you please.
If Paul heard you speaking so to his
'Hang Paul! Hush! hushr' he said,
drawing my hand through his arm and
holding it. Z" GU have made me hap
pier tonight than you ever can again.
think everybody has gone crazy"
cried. And then, instead of his TAX
ing me to mamma, Cousin Nicholas
arm slid round my waist. and be was
whirling me roun the room to the mad
dening waltz music in a way that
mamma asserted afterward was utterly
inexcusable, and that Romaine declared
took her breath away. 81 should never
have thought it of you," she said.
"Dear mel" l answered; "you don't
suppose he's going to go signing like a
furnace for you forever, when you"
When what?"
Have refused him twenty times"
I've never had the chance to refuse
him once. l don't want to have it"
You're afraid you'd accept him,
MISS" exclaimed.
= don't want to accept him.
You'd accept him quickly enough if
he was a slender young officer with
face hidden by bright brown beard
and smooches and smirches of powder,
driving his soldiers out of the house
he first man thai, t,ever kissed your hand,
Miss Romano, with an old silver-set dia-
mond ring on his. You needn't think
hadn't any eyes, it / wasn't but six years
old, or any memory, or any faculty of
putting two and two together"
"Oh, how can you be so crueli' she
cried, hiding her face in her hands.
Pm not cruel" / said. It's you
that are cruel, and silly too Cousin
Nicholas is worth a dozen of that fell
low that you set up for yourse f to bow
down to- Don't you suppose Cousin
Nicholas would have driven the soldiers
out. and have kissed your hand too?"
Nicholas, where bullets were fly
ing!r
riddled with them, besides And you
don't deserve him, that you don't, if
you are beautiful. But, OH / do de-
clare, Romaine, when you are SO per-
fectly .ovely, and he does love you so,
for you to"
'sHow do you know he loves me so?
He never said it."
GAS if there were no other speech
than just so many words! | can't see
how you can be SO unteeling."
g never said | was unfeeling."
"Whatp Really, RomaineP Are you
in earnest? Do you really care for him,
Just httle?n
.sI-EI mean l could-maybe.
But-but then, you know, dear, II
can't talk about it. | feel as if / were
pledged-as if | were breaking
bond"
"To that other fellowP Fiddlesticks'
ends! You, twenty-seven years old, al
most an old maid, and as silly as that!
Now L II tell you what, if you don't turn
short corner, I'll see what / can do
myself; and when it's too late for you,
you'll he eating your heart out with
envy and rage. There he comes now,
and I'm going out to see him and be-
GIN" and so ] ran down the lawn to
meet him as he gave his horse to the
groom-it was only the next day after
Mrs. Chances ball.
1--WE something to tell you," l said,
taking his arm and holding it in way
to drive vexation to Romaine's heart,
for / knew she was looking at us behind
curtain somewhere
"And I've something to show you,
my dear child" he answered, and he
FUN blcd in pockets a moment, and then,
opening his hand just little way, let
me see gleam of something sparkling
-diamonds-si silver-set.
"NicholasI' I cried. And stood
open-mouthed, looking him over from
head to foot.
"' Ten years make great alterations"
he hummed.
"But, Nicholas"