Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-10-20

versation wearied her; slamming doors
made her spring; small excitement set
her quivering; she had no appetite;
she slept little; her color began to fade.
One day Mr.. Popison said to her:
'Mary, have been observing you and
I think perhaps / do you an injury In
wishing to make you my wife. shall
always care for you, always watch over
| you. But 1 withdraw that tacit offer
of marriage, which, if have never for
mally made, you have long been con-
scious Of"
That capped the whole. She must be
growing fright. She had lost all her
charm. Even Mr.. Poplson did lot want
, to marry her any more. She turned on
him her eyes, like sapphires set with
diamonds, like diamonds glittering with
dew, and burst into tears. 1t made his
heart ache. But from that moment he
was a person to her of certain moral
dignity, dignity which could not be-
long to James Macarthur, who neither
declared himself nor let her a lone.
That month Bessie Travers came to see
them, a pleasant girl-with fortune
She was engaged to Tom Dunlap; but
through some notion about keeping
their happiness to themselves, it was at
present a secret-a secret of which
James Macarthur did not dream. For
he began straightway to explore Miss
Bessie's character, sound its depths and
take its heights, and do his best TO inter-
est himself where it was for his interest
to be interested, as Mary said. And
Mary Dunlap looked on, for all her
levity, felt as if death-cold hand had
her heart strings in its icy grip. She
shut her self in her own room and
suffered month of misery-a room
filed with fresh flowers, fruits, novels,
| candies; but James Macarthur sent none
of them. When she came down again
all was as before, except that Mr.. Popi-
sons visits had almost ceased. Some
how there was a dreaminess without
that kindly smile of his; she found her
self missing him; and when she met
him she began to say SO, and then
| to blush like damask rose, and
paused.
"You miss me? You really mis- me?'
he cried delightedly.
COB, unspeakably!" said Mary Dun
lap; and there was no coquetry in the
confession.
"And shall you miss me if 60 away
forever2 For | must. 1t is impossible
for me to stay where you are.'
"Go away foreverl" 1t came over
her all at once, and then the world
would be desert. She turned ashen.
But if he could go she would not let
him know. every WE'LL" she said
coolly. 81 want to ask you something
before you go. Did you really as Tom
says, lend James Macarthur ten thous-
and dollars when he came near failing
last spring."
as that all?" he said. "That was a
trifle, and it makes no difference now
that | have lost nearly all the rest"
"You have lost your money?'-with
a rush of pity.
"a great deal of it, but that was moth
ing; he would have done as much for
me-"
"HumphP" said Mary.
"Mary, L thought you"
"Cared for james Macarthur? Per-
haps 1 did, once, just as you cared for
Aunt Sophy. If did, the fire burned
to ashes"
"And you will not mary him"
"Why, he never asked me-"
"The foolp'
"There is only one person in the
world | would mary, and he declined
one day to mary me" said Mary, arch
ly, and with a sudden courage. And
then she trembled like poplar leaf,
and the tears we'll up.
EMorvD sai1 Mr. pnpiSop nrayalu
changing the current with his words,
81 shall tell your father you have pro-
posed to me, and that l have accepted
you"
So gay, SO bright, so beautiful was
Mary Dunlap that evening, singing,
dancing, tripping here and there, that
everyone felt she had returned from an
absence, and James Macarthur left Bes-
sic Travers' side to follow her. But
there was something about her that put
her Just beyond him, o. fine separating
atmosphere, diamond blaze. "Why
did you never tell me" said he, that
Bessie Travers was engaged"
"Was it any affair OF yours?"
al suppose" he said, bitterly, sit
would be no affair of mine if you mar
liCu Olu ODlool1 w LhoAlo"'
"Have you made it SOP she cried.
And, locking at him, wondered why she
had ever quivered before those bold
black eyes, that high color, that mighty
manner of his, a great gladness filling
her heart to think of the noble breast
she had to lean on, the rest and COM
fort of her protector. And as she went
to sing for some one the new air, Ozark
was the day and dreary the night,
James Macarthur felt as if the earth had
opened little under his feet, and the
song was written for him.
Perhaps it was because she had de-
fed him so that he pursued her now to
see what it meant; that he stopped an
hour next morning on his way down
town; that he came in at nightfall with
a headache for her to brew him the cup
of tea she used to make; that for weeks
he hung about her, with his old ardor
kindled by that still remote manner of
hers, and his old silence enforced by
doubt and the remoteness enhancing
her value SO that it began to seem to
him there was not another woman in
the world; and he forgot money and
ambition, feeling at last that she had
outweighed everything he had ever
valued, and he was made only the
more earnest by her preoccupations.
MARY" he said one noon, coming in
on some pretext, bending over her
tenderly, his eyes glowing, his voice
softening, 81 am going away tonight.
When l come back, will you hear
something | have to say to your
"No, indeed she said laughing. "You
have nothing to say to me then or at
any other time, and L shall not be here
myself, perhaps" 81 should think"
he said, you are going to promise
yourself to some one else, if did not
beheve-if did not know-that you
loved me. Is that so? Marry some
one elsew he cried. 81 should rise
from my grave to forbid the banns!'
But she answered by catching Tom
rs he went by and waltziAg down the
room in her brothers arms.
1t WAS a few minutes alter when her
sister was making her five o'clock tea,
that Mary, passing the telephone as it
rang, paused to take its message, and
turned hurridly to send Tom on an
errand, in answer to which Mr.. Popison
and Mr.. Dean left phaeton at the
gate within a halfhour and came up
the veranda, where the family were
sitting.
81 was going to treat you oil to lit
tie surnrisen said Mary then demurely