Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-23
AN ODD CONFIDENT.

the light, but the young girl pacing thu
platform of the little depot at Beach
Vile does not note the beauty of it all
She is looking at the white sands, it is
true, but not at the waves that run ur
SO nimbly:
Every one with foamy crest,
Worn like jewel on its breast"
She is staring, rather, with eyes lit
with a sombre fire like the opal's, at a
distant pink dress which makes Bit
of pale bloom on the beach.
AT that moment the bell rings. She
casts one hurried glance round and
then steps into a car. A hand touches
her.
why, Nell, by Jove, 1 came near
being late! Forgive me!'
She did not speak, but went in ST.
iently and sat down in the first vacant
seat. A rather flushed young man
seated himself opposite to her, and
gazed somewhat anxiously at the
clouded face,
Nice evening for your trip, Nellr'
he said, at last.
Yesw
The monosyllable fell from her lips
cold and hard as bit of ice.
Il ought to have started with YOU
the fact is, was detained"
80 l saw'-with slight blush and
just the suspicion of sheer on the
full red lip.
"Oh, so you saw me with Miss Han
y!' he said, moving uneasily. "Come,
Nell, you don't mean to say you're
lealous?"
Elinor grew suddenly very cold.
" It's very odd, she said, in choked
voice; "others have noticed it: for the
last three weeks you have been de-
voted"
devoted? Oh, come now, Nell,
that's putting it rather too strong |
own L have talked to her; but if you
can't trust me to talk to woman
The girls eyes blazed; the opal spark
Nndled into a confagration.
You have my full permission to
talk to every woman in the future,
with one exception" she exclaimed:
and lest you should feel bound to
her, you had better take back this
pledge, which must have been given in
a rash moment that l am sure you re-
gret.'
SO saying, she slipped from her finger
solitaire diamond. The light caught
it as she held it out to him, and it
blazed like fallen star.
Mel Gordon started back, and his
face grew white.
Good heaven, Nell, you are not in
earnest? You are not going to let a
freak OF temper spoil both our lives ?"
II am not the one responsible" she
said, drawing herself up with dignity.
Il have not been flirting desperately
with another for weeks, looking into
her eyes with absorbed interest, stray
ing on the sands in the moonlight, |
meeting her in the city. Oh, yes, / |
have heard of this last, too %
You are wrong, Nell-by Joye
you are-and all the gossips and tat
tiers into the bargain am not at
liberty just now to explain; but can't
you trust me, Nelly, darling?"
She still held out the ring. AS he
did not take it she dropped it in his
pocket.
"Oh, you cannot explain, but ask me
to trust you,' she said, with scorn.
" NO, l cannot trust you. | think |
shall never trust any one again"
1t was Niel's turn now to blaze with
wrath.
80 be it," he exclaimed. eff there
is no mutual trust, the sooner all is
over the better, and so, with your per-
mission, will go into the smoking-car
and try a cigar"
THAT is all a man feels" she
Thought cigar can solace him for
my loss" and her wrath increased
"Do not curtail the pleasure of a
smoke ON my account" she said, cold
ly. Il see Judge Holt in the car. He
will, l am sure, act as my escort when
l arrive. l should much prefer that
now"
There was a minor cadence of mis-
cry in the "now" that the young man
did not notice. He, too, was irrespon-
sible from passion.
"Oh, if you prefer that, all right.
Adieu, and bon voyage" he said, and
the next moment the car door closed
with its usual bang, and Elinor found
herself sitting alone, looking out desc
lately at field and stream and wayside
cottage as they whirled past.
Somehow, the face of all the world
seemed changed to her-a something
fled that would not return. She had
been dreaming pleasant dream, and
it was over-that was all
Strange that she thought so persist
emily of one evening on the sands,
when the waves seemed to have learned
a new song and the whole universe
had been set to new music, and two
lines from a familiar poem kept echo
ing in her mind, and the car rushed
on:
" Many an evening by the seashore did we
watch the stately ships,
And our spirits rushed together at the touch
ing of the lips"