Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-07-27

that or not"
ION me, Mr.. Wendover?"
81 want yourself, Miss Millicent."
j Millicent's face famed. She put GU
her hand deprecatingly.
"Please don't, MIR. Wends ver," sh,
said.
''But must" he insisted. SIT is al
l want in the world, and l have deter
mined to know whether / am going tt
get it,
"I can not give it to you, Mr.. Wend
over" softly.
His face grew pale, and the line!
about the mouth deepened into sternel
look than Millicent had ever seen hin
wear. 1t was at least a minute before
he spoke
"You see you have answered your
own question:" he said.
The girl looked at him with troubled
face. There were tears in her eyes and
her voice was even changed.
"Oh, why did you ask mea, she said
TREMENDOUSLY. "Why didn't you let il
60 on?"
st couldn't have gone on!'' he ex.
| claimed, impatiently. "Such things
can't go on. They have to come to an
end one way or the other.''
"But this needn't be the end," APP
pealingly; ''it needn't disturb our
| friendship, Mr.. Wendover. I like you
| SO well as a friend-better than any one
/ know, only not as the man"-the color
rushed up into her face, but she kept on
bravely-'snot as the man whom |
would marry. He must be hero-like
Sir Philip Sidney or the Chevalier Bay
ard.r
Jack smiled, humbly.
"Do you think you will know him
when he comesp' he asked.
1t was not a happy question. She
thought he was ridiculing her, when he
had no such intention. The color came
and went upon her face, leaving only a
red spot on each cheek.
9" have not the least doubt but that
1 SHALL" she said, coldly.
Jack rose from his chair. "Well, "
he said, YEARLY, 81 suppose you know
best. / certainly never set out to be q
hero. Good hight, Miss Millicent.''
He held out his hand, which she just
took; then better spirit came over the
girl. 81 am very sorry, Mr.. Wendover, +"
she said, impulsively; '.indeed 1 am.
May we not be friends?''
"I shall never cease to be your
friend," he said; and somehow or
other the assurance gave her pleasure.
Friends were few, and Jack Wendover,
though not her hero, and bearing no
resemblance to either Sir Philip or
Bayard, had been too good friend to
lose.
Thanks, Mr.. Wendover,' she said,
warmly; and then, with pressure of the
ri fhon fri
ly-Jack was gone.
Now if Millicent supposed that Jack
Wendover, rejected as her lover, would
be content to remain her friend-on
the same intimate terms, that is, as had
hitherto existed-she showed very little
knowledge of that young mans nature
and limited appreciation of such af-
fairs. With JACK the friendship had
been only preliminary to his proposal.
From the first he had meant to marry
Millicent, if he could, and all his visits
and attentions were so many means to
this end. They had given him pleasure,
as any pursuit does on which mans
heart is bent, but it was mixed with
restlessness and uncertainty and pain.
The chief element of pleasure had been
the possibility that some day or other
she might be his. Now this was taken
away. In its place remained a dull
sense of disappointment which Mill
cents presence could only emphasize.
What he wanted was not her society for
an occasional evening, but Millicent
herself; and if he could not get that he
would not expose himself to the tanta-
From that evening, therefore, his social
uiS of tho Pr,1onSs mo fn on ond
This was something Millicent had
not bargained for. She felt grieved and
disappointed, and it must be said,
little indignant. Her father, too, with
out knowing the cause, perceived the
desertion.
"Haven't quarreled with Mr.. Wendo-
yer, have your" the old gentleman
asked, suspiciously, after month or
six weeks had gone by.
"I'm sure, papa, [ never quarrel"
swell, then, 1 don't know what's
got into the man-unless he's found
girl. Strange if he hadn't. Might just
as well had him yourself, Milly."
Millicent felt indignant with herself
for blushing.
"I'm sure, papa,'' loftily, ssMr.
Wendover isn't at all the kind of man
/ should like
The father shook his head. sI'm
afraid you'll 60 through the wood" he
said, t'and pick up crooked stick.
don't know any young fellow like bet
ter. Besides owe him debt of graft
tude It's due to him more than any
one else, Milly, that we're not in the
poor-house."
Millicent turned white.
"What do you mean, papa?''
"I mean, my dear, his company has |
taken my boulevard lots off my hands
and saved me from being bankrupt"
1t was the brief statement of a disa-
greeable fact. Millicent did not like to |
think that she even might be poor. And |
to owe their wealth to John Wendover, |
who had given her besides all the love |
and devotion of his life, was hardly |
tolerable. If her father was indebted |
TO him how much more was shep And |
how could she ever pay the debt, save
by acknowledging him as her hero,
which she was no more ready to do |
than before. It is true that she had