Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-11-01
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sciously his tone has grown a little stern
again.
f Darling Queenie! Yes.g Butt e is
hdull sometimes and pne warts some
i one to consult = to lean on. A g
''And youA think to find that some
one in Reginald Vane?''
He is.sefTy the next moment to have
blurted out the words. but it is toa late
to recall them. She flashes glance at
him, and he meets it steadily expect
ing to be assaulted with IS torrent of
feminine wrath, but is taken aback at
meeting instead a sudden burst of tears.
''Mrs. Fairfax-what a brute am
forgive ne.s / have lived SO much alone
that | have fallen into a dreadful habit
of Speaking my thoughts aloud.
but how came you to have such
thoughts?k
"Could T help it? Only last night
heard your names coupled together by
the voice of common gossip, and to-day
have l not seen some confirmation of
! the report? And I would not presume
to find fault. thought was once not only
blacks friendssbut almost . rougll elder
t brother to you in the forgoften q yssof
Not forgotten" murmurs stif1ed
voice; only I.wondered why you never
came to see me.
lit was best not. I. Jack loved
and trusted me--his mentor. as he used
/ Nina, I can not but think of the old
days when see you about to take an
! irretrlevable step with one whom I can
not think worthy II
You are Jealous! Our grave Colonel
J o+,, nnrIo-on,,Iircr 70, nh 81 l.
ness! And pray, may / ask, what makes
You think sir Reginald Vane unworthy
! Il don't say of little me-but of any.
good thing The world can b,stow?'' s
! ! His d.shonorable conduct toward
another woman. Forgive me, Nina
Heaven knows would sooner bite my
tongue out than say it-but he is play
! ing double part in this making up to
YOU for fortune, while his heaIt--what
heart he. has to give belongs to M S.
Elliott I saw hinfy by 4ier Side last
night. watched the looks and signs
that passed between them, and / speak
solemn truth when | say that l believe
he has won that poor fgirfs affections
and that in sober earnest he cares for
her. And now that f have said my say
and brought q cloud over, the face /
have always Connected with Heavens
sunshine win go anyway. only asking
that as time softens your anger, you
will try to think little kindly of me.
/ Here is your landing lace"
And he pulls the boat into the tiny
creek and resting on his oars waits for
her to spring ashore and give him his
final gesture of dismissal. But Nina
docs not move. Her head is bent down
and so overshadowedybys her hat that he
can not read the expression of her
faintly-fiushed face. -'s ~ t's9a<
It seems ages to him before the silenc.
is broken. AT last: t'Did you always
think me a dreadful firto - 7
| He is startled and taken ,unawares by
the appealing tone. Fain would he an
swer a reassuring negative, but memo
ries of the old days again rise before his
mind-visions of the sweet little play
mate grown suddenly into an exacting,
vain piece of womanhood-of poor
Jack ssalternate rapture and despair in
the days of his brief, ill-considered
courtship-and truth, the guiding stan
of Leslie Grahame's nature, compels
him to answer:
81 don think you could help it.
some women are formed to be the tor
ment of every man who comes near
them-it was your nature to be sweet
and lovable. ~
land now l am grown older and
harder-and care only for admiration,
so that could stoop to pick up heart
that belongs of right to another wo-
man. Oh, Leslie! You thought this!'i
'.By Heaven, I did you Injustice
cries the Colonel in burst Of self.
reproach. eve been insulting you ali
this time and you have borne it like ar.
angel-iust as you used in the old days.
when I was a big unmannerly boy, and
tyranized over YOU like the .ruffian /
was"
s.And I liked you through it ALL"
This is spoken very softly.
Nina, Nina, do not drive me mad.
You can do it-you always could-Iwent
away years ago because l knew you cared
for Jack"
You dido"
''Was 1 not right?. You would never
have chosen me-the grave, stern
Scotchman, fifteen years your senior, in
preference to that bright, sunny-hearted
lad? And now, don t think, dear, that
have come back to harass YOU. /
that could not bear to leave you un-
w ai ucI VI luO SoooIP olIo"b' 10y ~"
that you know your woman's wit and
your own brave little heart will prove
your best defense. Good-by, Nina. Say
once that you forgive meas you used
long ago. ~
s.Leslier' ii 7a so H. II
It is well that the dropping branches
of a weeping willow have made little |
secluded bower of the landing-place;
well too that the gardener. coming
down to moor the boat, does not arrive |
minute sooner, or his astonished eyes
might have seen what Queenie after |
ward mysteriously reports: "My mann
mie crying and Colonel Grahame COM |
forting her. as mammie does me when
1 tumble down, holding her head on his |
shoulder and stroking her hair
For Leslie Grahame's longrepressed |
tale of love has been spoken at last and
the little playfellow of early days-the |
prize which he gave up in bitter self |