Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13

want TO talk to you, Nellie"
Cannon balls may suit your taste
perhaps, but would scarcely be agreea
BILE to me; and as to talking out here
in the rain and darkness, am not ro
mantle enough for that
| He was forced to keep by her side AZ
she walked briskly on.
Where are you going?" he inquired
presently.
Home"
Home? Why you are taking a con.
trary direction from hnme.n
Il think not; l believe I know where
l live.n
81 did not know you had removed. ;
did you notP All, here we are, al
the gate. Please open it, if you can, or
the inside"
He reluctantly obeyed, but raised the
latch so slowly as to detain her while
he whispered:
'Nellie, you have not given Inc the
welcome you promised. You have not
said those words"
81 don't believe you really want me
to say them" she answered, very much
inclined to laugh, yet almost frightened
at her own audacity.
Not want itP When you know how
love your
81 don't believe it is ne that you
love" she returned, pushing open the
gate.
Good heavens, Nellie, how strangely
you talk! Who, then, do you imagine
l loveP"
Il am sure don't know said Mel
lie, slowly raising her veil and pushing
back the hood. &c I don't know, but
am certain it can't be mel"
And she looked up in his face with a
demure, pursed-up little mouth, and
brown eyes shining with suppressed
mirth through their long, black lashes.
He stood gazing upon her as if petri-
fed with astonishment. Then a deep
flush crimsoned his handsome face and
his eyes flashed with an indignant light.
Sc L beg your pardonr' he said, with
ceremonious politeness. 'sOf course it
is a mistake on my part"
8 | suppose it was" said Nellie, de-
murely.
"I-I mistook you for another" he
said. both embarrassed and angry.
Was that my faultP" she returned.
but you-you certainly allowed me
to rest under the delusion."
THAT was for fun"
Funp"
Perhaps 7 was wrong. Indeed |
now rather think that was," said Mel
lie, coloring beneath his gaze "But,
as neither of us shall ever mention this
adventure, / suppose no harm is DONE"
she added, coolly.
He regarded her an instant with
strange, undecided expression.
1 beg your pardoni | am keeping
you in the rain, he said. "Good even
ing!"
And, Fitting his hat with icy polite
ness, he walked away.
Nellie, as she entered the house, was
met by her elder sisters with shower
of questions as to who was that elegant
looking man, how she had met him,
what he had said.
Unlike herself in general, she returned
brief replies; End escaping to her own
room, threw aside her waterproof,
her dress, and. seating herself
before the fire, gazed absently into the
glowing embers. Presently she laughed,
then bit her lip with a Yexed express
sion, and finally began to cry.
81 wonder what makes me do such
silly, unlady-like things?" she thought.
9 | am always getting into some ridicu-
lous scrape or other. What an opinion
he must have of me? / shall be really
to meet him again, as I sup
pose must, if he is Mr.. Gray"
Then her mood changed.
don't care. He may be as dignifed
as he pleases, but he shall never see that
| trouble myself even to remember this
ridiculous walk, and the horrid UNI
brella!"
Presently another change came over
her.
"Poor fellowl 1 can't help plying
him, for I fear this has been merely a
rehearsal of the real act. Why, Nellie
Archer was in the parlor with Captain
Lloyd nearly two hours this afternoon,
when she must have known, from that
letter. of Charles coming. I wonder if
she ever said to the captain-or to young
Doctor Bliss what she said to her
cousinp Poor fellow! And Nellie has
been showing his letters to all the girls!
She could not have done so had she
loved him."
Nellie Caldwell was correct in her
anticipation of again meeting with Mr..
Charles Gray. The society of the little
town was very gay; and what with
church fairs and parties, and other social
amusements, it was impossible that
these two should not be thrown to-
gether.
Nellie blushed, despite her utmost en-
deavors to look unconscious, when Mr..
Gray was first presented to her; but
the gentleman was so cool and composed
that she actually doubted whether he
had recognized her.
He ronversed with her little, danced
with her once, and, as she observed, was
chiefly interested in watching Nellie
Archer and Captain Lloyd And Miss
Archer, proud to show off her handsome
cousin, and her own influence over
him, treated him very sweetly in the
intervals of her flirting with other ad-
mirers.
Some weeks glided by, in which the
acquaintance between Miss Nellie Cald-
well and Mr.. Gray imperceptibly as
sumed a more agreeable character.
His cold lpoliteness, and her equally
cool indifference gradually thawed, and
each vaguely felt that, despite their mu-
tual efforts to keep apart, there was
something which mysteriously drew
them together.
Nellie attributed this to her sympathy
with bis disappointment in regard TO his
cousin, and often expressed the wish
that the latter would love him, as she
was sure he deserved, and make him
happy by marrying him. 1t was mex
plicable to her that any girl could prefer
Captain Lloyd to Mr.. Charlie Gray.
Naifhpr- had avpr hIIt onoa q oI1udod +r,