Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-29

vas knot TO unite, John refused by q
Girl Who loved him, own / vas glad
70 bear him assert his belief IN her love,
az, somehow, il panied me 10 think OF
Fleurette sporting with a mans heart.
Although, as told you, determined at
first that she was not the right wife for
John. l had soon recantsd, and ought
now how she would light up the old
house, and how happy John would be
With such bright little woman 10 greet
him when he returned Of an evening
weary and TAGGED. s, / resolved to zee
all I could of Fieurette, 70 stndy her,
and, IL I found her a. good a. John
said, to use my skill in untyine the
knot and smoothing the strands Of theiE
lives
The first person I chose to ask hast
ened TO give me all the information re-
spectina the Dorvaux that Dalebury had
as yet been able TO acquire. Mrs. Dor
vaux was q widow. not rich, but, it was
supposed, fairly well Cd; she was a great
| invalid, and rarely or never vent out
| Appearing to dislike society, she received
no one, and scarcely any one knew her.
| They KEEP. only one servant, an old vo-
man, who had besn With them many
years. Fleuretts had made many friends
and, il seemed, few il any enemies She
did not 90 out much. being devoted to
her invalid mother; bat every one vas
glad Of her company when she chose TO
give 1t.
After this, as We we're such near neigh
bors, I used frequently TO encounter
Flsurette, and would often join her and
walk with her. Whether she knew that
Johns secret was mine could not say,
but she mst my friendly advances half
way. The more I saw Of her the more
l wondered how could have thought
her 80 lively and gay. Whatever she
might seem to others, there was, 70 me
at least, a vein of thoughtful sadness In
the girls character; at times even fan.
cied II approached to dependency; and
I felt almost angry with her. knowing
that turn of her finger would bring
one of the hest fellows in England TO
her feet. We met John once or twice
az We we're walking together. Fleurette
cast down her long lashes and simply
bowed.
"Of course You know my brother
wellY' said.
81 have often met him." replied Fleu-
rette, calmly.
And you like him, hopeW
81 like DIR. Penn very mach," she re-
piled simply.
"He Ia the best fellow and the best
brother in the world" said; and then
told Flearette what We had been to each
other az boys: how John had been as
careful of me az the mother who was
dead might have been; how We loved
each other nov; and as I spoke saw a
blush on her clear brown cheek, and, al
though she said nothing, her eyes, when
they next met mine, were wistful and
kind.
Ishall soon make it all rigat, / thought,
as l noted her look, and then resolved
to argue the matter on the first fitting
occasion.
There lisa little river running through
Dalebury. One afternoon, thinking a
little exercise would do me good, pro-
cured a boat and started to row up as
far az I could, and drift leisurely back
with the current. As padded my boat
up the stream, guiding its course by the
| old landmarks, which came fresh to my
memory a. though we're boy yet, and
startling the WATERWAYS, descendants Of
those amongst whom John and made
such havoc years ago, l saw in front Of
me ON the river bank the dainty little
figure of Fieurette. As looked at her
over my shoulder I could see she was
walking slowly, with her head bent down,
as one in thought: thinking of John
and her own folly, perhaps" said. So
preoccupied was she that the sound OF
my oars did not attract her attention
until | WAS close to her. Then, seeing
who it WA. she waited while rewsd to
the bank on which she stood.
"Good afternoon, Miss Dorvaux," l
said; "if you will step into my boat l
will row you rs far az the shadows will
let me, then back home"
Fleurette hesitated.
THANK you, Mr.. Penn; think pre-
fer strolling along the river bank"
"In that case ] shall tie my boat to
this willow stump, and, with your per-
mission, walk with you. But you had
far better come with me; the boat is
quite safe. and have not forgotten my
cunning"
~ am not afraid of that" said the
girl, stepping lightly into the stern of
the boat; while l thought, here il the
chance TO reason and expostulate; and
doubted but little that my arguments
would let me bring Flsuretts back ready
TO accept her fate. Well, pride Roeth
before fall!
For while ! said nothing to my COM
panion; did not even look at her. Poor
little Fleurette! saw, as soon az We
met, that tears we're on those dark lashes.
The smile ON her lip belied them, but
the tears we're there, nevertheless. So /
waited for them TO disappear before /
talked TO her. though / half suspected
my words might bring others to replace
the vanishing drops.
Presently Fleurette cried, in voice Of
pleasure:
There are some water-lilies! Can
We get them2"
With some trouble got the boet near
them, and Fleurette gathered three or
four. A she sat opening the white cups
said:
why are you always so sad. Miss
cam sad2 Very few people in Dale
bury give me credit for that, / fancy"
my eyes look deeper down than the
Dalebury eyes. To me you are always
sad. Why IL il? You have youth, beau
y: and, II you wished 1t. love. Why is
Fleureste turned her eyes TO mine.
do you think these pale lilies have
any hidden troubles, Mr.. PENN"
None, should say; they toll not,
neither do they spin, You know"
The people Who toll and spin are not
the only people Who are unhappy in the
world" said Fleurette softly.
Nor arc the water lilies" said ], " the
only flowers who shut mp their hearts,
and only open them after great peEsua-
sIOn."
She placed one Of the white stars in
her Ark hair and said:
I'VE are getting quite poetical, this
afternoon. Was that . kinghsher dew
byY"
| OF course Il Was no more kingHshel
than Il was an ostrich; and a. Flcurette
vas now my prisoner Ia mid stream,
vas not going 10 let her escape or svade
my questions for any bird that dev. ]
steAdicd the boat With an occasional dir
Of the oars. aud, looking her full in the
face, asked:
. Flsuresss, Why do you treat John q
Strangely"
| Her eyes dropped.
scarcely understand you" she said
"YOu understand fully. Why did yos
refuse 10 marry himr
L -