The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-26

OF laughter could have bloSSOmed. He |
would have liked to join in the silver
peal. even though it had rung at his
own expense.
Light had broken upon him. He
fancied that he held the cleW TO Loye's
freak. Remembering her pregnant
perhaps p in answer to his remark
that they might as well cry quits; he
concluded that she had planned this
surprise on the spot in order to turn
the scale once more in her favor, and
that she had taken the boarders into
her confidence and bound them to 81
lence. And he would not question any
one. The little witch should have her
triumph; he would not mar it by any
Paul Frying.
AS the days went on he was rather
surprised to see her remain at her post
and take no share in the festivities of
the place but perhaps she had taste
for private theatricals and wished to
make her part consistent. AT all
events, freakishness was to Loye what
freakedness is to the pansy-an added
grace.
Loye, having got the better of Traf-
ton, felt friendly toward him In conse-
quence, and graciously allowed him to
fill her intervals of leisure with boat
ing, sketching, rambling and all the
other pleasant and-so-forths of sum-
mer idling-time, which can be con-
Quoted q deur, and from which, there
| fore, she was not debarred
So the days sped by as lightly as
thistledown puffs on buoyant breeze
till the woods began to blush and the
summer sojourners to ebb away. Traf-
ton was not certain that Loye returned
his love, for she was by no means a
! girl to wear sweet secret as openly
us the flowers at her belt. One morn
ing, however, he resolved to put a
plain question, and wait for a straight
forward answer.
They were resting in a scarlet nook
Of the woods after long ramble. She
was hooking up at the point where red
tree-shafts and blue sky meet, with
the wide, intent gaze which he re-
membered Of old.
"Loye," he said, suddenly, "what
do you suppose 1 went to church at
Fort Raynor for?"
"Why, how can l tell" bringing
her gaze from the tree-tops to his face.
Perhaps you went to show your new
clothes, or to see what the other gen.
tlemen wore Or" she suggested as a
remote possibility, "you may have
gone to hear the sermon"
II went to look at you. And /
looked at you because here he fall
tered, then went on quickly and pas
sionately--" because l loved you"
. Did flush spring to Loye's cheek,
or was it only a reflection cast by the
rosy leaves? Did quick smile curve
her lips, or was it only trick of the
sunlight that played on her face ?
Trafton could not tell, for she turned
her head so quickly.
"Loye," he pleaded, after moments
had passed into minutes, "what do
YOU say? Better NO than nothing,
but make it Yes if you can"
That was neat little model of an
Egyptian pyramid which she was con-
structing with the scattered acorns
but-he wanted his answer, and she
seemed in no haste to give it. She was
beginning to weave very tasteful
wreath Of the tinted leaves; but-his
long-stretched patience would snap be
) fore it was done.
, At last she turned and said, in hel
| pretty, thoughtful way, with wide eyes
and a reflective little frown
= GLOW strange it is that some words
. are so hard to pl onOunce although they
| are really very short - Yes for eX
= ample" Then there was seconC
|, edition of the smile and blush which
; were unequivocal verities, and Traitor
t read in the lovely eyes the answer tina
the {. lips ! had only \ Skirted; i = . =
"That was a blessed caprice of yours
5 Loye. If it hadn't been for that
: couldn't have monopolized you as
} have done all these weeks. And per
: haps, but for that, you would have salt
| Yes to some one else, and l couldn'
/ have you for my own all long life
| time, as 1 hope to do, sweetheart" sal,
r Trafton, a few days later, as he slippe,
; a cleaning ring on her finger.
] "Caprice!" she echoed.
: eyes, the caprice that led you t.
' wait at Mrs. Blanding's table in orde
S to give me finishing surprise"
"As if you were worth the trouble!
4 she retorted. Perhaps it is a capric
to have the hay fever?" she mildly in
q quired.
4 "No!-a thousand times nop' ex
/ claimed Trafton, energetically.
7 l. d. 4,
: where you will not have it?"
1 "There could not be a more EN-
: nently sensible DESIRE" fervently rt
n turned TraftOn.
d "And l suppose, of course, that
J, is caprice not to have much money,
continued Loye, with deadly sarcasm
: "Alas for freallish humanity if tina
d be So"
?, 81 have sneezed through the ha
+ fever for so many years that l wante
/ desperately to escape from it. But W
y haven't nearly enough money to allo'
a me to go as a butterfly, so / decided t
t go as bee. The New England girls 6
d the White Mountains put I'll
/ idea in my head, and 1 reco
? lected Mrs. Blanding, an old neighbC
of ours in New York, who Wa
a keeping boarders here. l wrote t
o her, stating my dire need, and askin
! if l could come as waitress. She r.
e piled that might. $50 here can
> and here | met Prince Charming, VII