Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-02-23

| DdCh Ckuu away "Ouiu nave UOTu6 uGI
out into the midnight deeps and the
CULTS of death. Her engrossing com.
panion had all he could do to take care
of himself. AS it was, she was safe
safe, yet drenched to the skin, as Pen
rose was. As it was, there was one
heartbeat when, for all her icy indiffer-
ence, he held her clinging to his breast,
her soft, sweet face against his own in
one passing second Of that uncertainty
between time and eternity. Sometimes
single heartbeat compasses eternity.
The next instant a laugh, flashing OF
phorescent water, fiirt of the wet
garments, a shawl thrown over the
cleaning shoulders by some careful
wrap-carrler, a scampering, vanish
ing, and the garden party was over for
Penrose, who found it prudent and
proper to vanish himself.
What else could one do, after rescuing
a lady from drowning, but call with
Victor Brown and inquire for her health ?
And what else could the lady do but
receive the caller graciously when he
stood before her in the quaint low rooms
of her mothers cottage, that only her
taste redeemed from the seal of their
narrow means? Yet she seemed to him
as any queen might seem in that low,
vine-draped room, and all the wealth of
the Indies would not have made her
nobler in his view.
"Do not speak of it, he said, as she
made Acknowledgements of the service he
had done her. "Thanks are tiresome
things"
"I suppose you have occasion for so
many of them," she responded, retreat
ing, with the slightest sting in her tone
"No, no." he answered, eagerly. 81
mean nothing of that sort. But when
one has done what one would have died
rather than not do''-and he paused in
this rather ardent language for a second
interview, paused both in remembering
himself and at the freezing look with
which her lace seemed turning to stone
''For, of course" he added, directly, 'sif
duty demands ones exertion, and one
fails to render it, one might as well die
as live"
alt was duty, then, that made you
snatch me back from the sea?" she said,
half laughing, and relenting.
you are very hard to please" he
exclaimed. "You are offended if I say
it was duty, and equally offended if [
hint that anything more powerful than
duty
''Let us talk of something else," she
said, bending her brows. care you to
be here long? Do you know many peo-
Pile? Do you join the archery club?"
cit depends altogether upon one per-
son whether [ stay a longer or less
time here; and as for archery, if there
is any truth in old mythologies, have
had all want of it, he cried.
"Indeed," said Miss Barbara, coldly,
with half mind to ask him if he al
ways talked in this singular manner to
ladies he had seen but once before, but
deciding it was hardly worth while.
He saved her the trouble, however.
81 see very we'll what you Think he
said. ''You think [ have no business to
speak in this way when l see you now
but for the second time. But you do
not know-let me tell you
s'Perhaps 1 do not care to know"
she said, freezingly.
"Very well, then, I won't tell you
that this is not the second time, nor the
thousand and second time. I have seen
you, nor that 1 had your photograph
year ago"
"My photograph"
eyes; l stole it at the photogra-
pher's,' said the shameless scamp,
"and if had not been madly in love
with that but just here Victor left
Mrs. Seavern in the other room and g.
came toward them, and the sentence
remained unfinished. Every man
must have his -" said Penrose,
and presently others came in, and they
had to 90.
If he sent her huge basket of roses
the next morning, to call in the after
noon and see them on the hall table just
where the servant had left them, it did
not discomfort Penrose. He had known
from the first that he had a citadel to
storm, and he had thrown himself into
the work with all his sappers and
miners. "Ah," he said, for he had es-
pied her crossing the hall as the door |
opened, els that the way you treat poor |
Browns basket? If | send you one, |
will you be kinder to it?''
"Mr. Brown! l thought
"No matter what you thought. 1t is
what you did," said the impudent PEN
rose, "that might hurt Brown
Ell am sure L have no wish to hurt |
Mr.. Brown" said Barbara, and she |
stepped back, gathering a full handful |
of the long-stemmed, dewey, fragrant
things, and clasping them under the
long pin at her belt.
81 never said that Brown sent them,"
he said, when she had finished the
operation. 81 sent them; and you
have done with them just what 1 hoped |
you would" He stopped, as she i'm
pulsively made gesture as if she would
have torn them away, but arrested her.
self as the first bud went whirling to the
floor. Penrose caught it before it fell
/" just what | Hoped you would" he re-
peated. 81 sent them; and you have
worn a bunch of them over your heart,
and have given me back one of the hap
Ply bunch" And he stepped backward,
laughing and bowling, and made off
with his prize. And if for
Barbara was tempted to
take the whole basket and bid |
Jane throw them after him, perhaps
it was the sight of the fragrant, innocent
THINGS breathinO their sweet breath in