The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-06-01
THE DAILY BULLETIN.
NORA's CONFESSION.

IL not she, then no other woman should
be his wife. She left town, however,
before he had mustered courage to lay
at her feet his heart and fortune but
they met again soon after and then no
resolved that he would know his fate.
Day by day, by all the signs a man
can show, he wooed her with all those
little attentions that mean so much, but
Nora either would or could not under
stand them Did she ot,really, thought
He almost thought at times that there
was a tender light in her eyes when he
spoke, q softer tone in the voice with
which she answered him, than was COM
patibe with absolute Indifference; and
one evening, after long days run with
the hounds, he determined that he
would know before no slept what fate
was TO DO his.
He could not speak before Others, of
course, but when he entered tho draw
ing-room after dinner, he made his way
straight to where Nora sat, q little out
of the glarc of the lights, looking like
some sweet, serious spirit, in her I'M
spotted white robes, and laid q dainty
Offering Of dollhouse plants reverently
on her dress.
And, with inst glance, Nora sudden
ly sprung up from her chair, and tossed
the flowers through the window
Mrs. HeXton, who was the spirited
beauty's godmother, looked on in indig-
nant surprise.
"Why, Norap"
While Lewis Courtney, white with
pain, even to his very forehead, waited
one second, then
"Will you please explain, Miss Bel
lairsP"
And then Nora, who had fingered at
the window second, turned back to
them again, cold, calm, perfectly self
possessed.
lit was nothing much. A CATER
pillar was among them-l detest crawl
ing things"
No apology, no regret, no thanks
And Lewis Courtney bowed and left
the drawinG-rooni, with feelings more
easily imagined titan described, to lind
q refuge in Mrs. llexton's boudoir, to
which he had free entree at all times,
and threw himself down on her lounge,
pi'Ni tuiHiuS NoNh tuC iuiup.
Then, because the hated sounds of
laughter and merriment from below
persisted in occasionally coming to him,
he dragged large rug over him--over
his head and ears, and succeeded in
shutting out the outside noises, while
the inward commotion seemed more
than ever agonizing.
Until now he had not known how pas
sionately he loved Nora. He had known
he had loved her-loved her beyond any
doubt, with all his heart and soul, but
until that rebuff, until she had shown
him, so cruelty, so needlessly, that he
was more than dissatisfied TO her, he
had not fully realised all it meant-that
there was no hope for him.
How long he had been there he could
not have told, when he heard light
football, and somebody who was already
heralded by dainty suggestion of the
fragrance of wood-violet, somebody
who went over to the lounge and knelt
down beside it, and laid her check on
the rug that so completely concealed
him, and threw one arm across the pill
low.
Somebody who said very beseeching-
ly, very charmingly; "Godmotherr'
And, Of course in an instant this
teachcrous hypocritical fellow, of
course you will think he was all that
and more, understood the very natural
mistake proud Nora had made, and, al
though his first headlong impulse was
to Immediately inform her of her error
and announce his own identity, there
came second, still stronger, more
headlong determination that, since Des-
tiny had evidently taken this affair in
hand, Destiny might carry it on, and he
would just-ie still and say nothing.
"Godmother dear, know perfectly
we'll why you came off up here by your
self-you are vexed with me because
treated Mr.. Courtney So"
No answer.
"Are you so very angry dearp" Nora
went on, in such sweetly coaxing tones
as he never had heard in his life. II
know it is just because threw those
flowers out OF the window, but-but-
godmother-if you only will forgive
me, and please speak to me, III tell
you-l-am-so--sorry did it."
But godmothcr still did not answer
the pretty penitent. Indeed the wretch
under the rug was going through the
strangest experience that ever yet had
befallen him.
81 think you are too severe, godmoth-
or" she went on, with little delicious
breaks in her voice, very suggestive of
coming tears, accompanied BY affection.
ate, coaxiDg little pats on the shoulder,
'for indeed, and indeed, / did it on such
half-terriiied and ridiculous impulse.
But, l am sorry"
Still no answer-only this guilty fel.
low under the rug wondered why she
couldn' hear the violent auricular and
ventricular commotion beneath the gay
Persian stripes, and then the sweet
breath foated nearer his face, the sweet
lips almost touch his cheeks.
II know deserve it," and then great
sobs came, and he felt her form tremble
us 1t leaned against him, "but, | can't
say any more, can / Yes-I can
you'll forgive me II / confess love
him, godmother do, l do, do, and
see here-I went and picked up his
dear flowers after he went, and ri new
or give them up again. do love him,
dear. md hacanco ,o,, l.,,o - Fl.