Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-06-30

last he found himself wedged in,
with no prospect of any further
discovery. y s.--5A ~ --Iy,s-
sAnd now,' he said, still to him
self, 4 may go back the way /
came
| At the same moment, as it seemed
to him, tie sound of voices from
above chimed on his ear
We're quite alone here, Ruth,
said clear, merry accent, which
he had no difficulty in recognizin 6
as Maud Beckett's. You can
hang up your stockings to dry in
in the sunshine, while | 60 on with
my sketching.'
sVery awkward Of me to step
into the BROOK said Ruth, in a
plaintive minor tone in which she
always spoke. MY boots are full
Of water
Just sit down here and slip
them off, said Maud. They'll
soon dry!'
They are directly over my head,
perched on the rocks thongt poor
Mr.. Ildray. How on earth am I
to get out Of this stony prison,
house 2
Il thought perhaps our boarder
might be down here somewhere,
said Maud, after a brief silence.
ooh, dear, how stupid of me tc
bring my pencils with unsharpened
points ! And my pen knife is as
dull as hoe!
Maud : said Ruth. suddenly.
well,
4 wish you would tell me
what you mean
Just at present mean to sketch
that old tree stump, with the wild
roses blossoming all over it. And
then l shall 60 home to tea, and
put on that muslin dress that you
have ironed SO beautifully, and,
Maud don't talk nonsense !
well, you did iron it beaati-'
fully, you knowl
But I'm not talking about
dresses and tree stumps,' said Ruth.
Pm talking of Mr.. Ildray.'
ooh, Mr.. Ildray ? Then why
didn't you say SO 2 retorted Maud,
while the prisoner below involun-
tarily bit his lip.
Il suppose ] should frighten
them off into the stream if boun-
ced out now,' said he. to himself.
sBut I wish I was anywhere in the
world but here 2
'Do you love him 2 said Ruth.
sDear me, what a question =
laughingly repeated Maud. IF your
eyes were arrows otjet, they couldn't
pierce deeper into my very soul !
No, but answer me. Do you =
No, L don't! = said Maud Beck
EFT. (And in his faatness below
Mr.. Kenneth Ildray felt himself
turn first hot and then cold.)
sAnd yet you are encouraging
him to a proposal 2 cried Ruth.
i must marry somebody, said
Maud. Mamma is always preach
ing that up to me. And Laurie
Dean is as poor as a church mouse
and if can't marry Laurie, il
don't signify in the least to me
whom I marry
sVery complimentary to Mr.. II
dray = bitterly spoke up Ruth.
He'll do well enough indiffer-
emily responded Maud, her at
tention evidently fixed on he
drawing.
sBut, Maud, do leave off tina
, everlasting shading, and answe
me-is this fair to Mr.. Ildray? I
it -
'Ah, Ruth, you sly little gypsy
cried Maud, with gay, derisiv
) laugh, 'you have betrayed yourse
: at last No, don't wrench you
r hand away and blush up like
t wild-rosebud, / know your secret
3 You love Mr.. Ildray All Rutl
3 poor little Ruth, Pm sorry ft
you! He isn't made for drudgt
L like you, real-llfe Cinderellas
whom the prince never comes 1t
the old story of the star and-tl
9 glow worm, Ruth y
maud Maud = piteously plead
J ed the low, appealing voice.
= Don't cry, DEAR said the mere
less beauty. L shall not reve
, your secret. Only you are such
u fool to think that he could ev
10 care for swarthy little thing Iii
you. Where are you running
.; Ruth Your stockings are soal
= " ing wet, and you couldn't pull
=. your boots if you were to try, a
to you'll tear yoi,r feet all to piee
at on these rough rocks Coz
"a back, Ruth! Or wait for me
w least y as@ 49,
ID A rnstl1ng in the trees-t
sound of flying footsteps sw'
to laugh, borne with mocking ligl
ness on the breeZe-and all was