The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-07-27
sought her side, the more persistently
Ohio oyo,da1 hin, "

L ht ltuRtn, W CfIhRFln, no
found himself actually becoming in
fatuated by the willful beauty. And
when he attempted to break the meshes
of the net in which he had been caught,
he was powerless TO do so. He had to
acknowledge himself irrevocably lost
hopelessly, desperately in love.
He believed. too, that Miss Bessie was
not altogether unaware of his senti-
ments toward her, and he sometime fan
cied he was not so obnoxious to her as
he seemed TO be. Watching her closely
he had seen swift uphashng of the
brown eyes, filled with soft and tender
light, followed by sudden waves of
crimson over neck and brow as they
dropped quickly again under his search
ing gaze.
And, indeed, Bessie had found her
self In predicament she had not antic-
ipated, for one day there come to her
moment of supreme revelation in
which she saw into the depths of her
own heart, and she knew that she loved
Edgar Pierpont with all the strength
of her womanly nature But, witR..that
spirit of perverseness which is inherent
in some female characters, she quickly
decided to cover up all traces of her
| love, and not by word or sign to betray
the fact that her heart had gone out I'M
asked to any living man, for never I'M
| der velvet or satin robes beat prouder
heart than throbbed under Bessie
Mapleton's Bingham wrapper.
1t wanted week yet to the close of
the school term. Unconsciously to her
self there had come into Bessies wide,
brown eyes an anxious expressions
Her manner was distraught and her
temper titful and uneven, so much so,
that her mother had several times anx-
iously inquired if she were i'll.
mo, mother I'm not ill, and L
wish you wouldn't keep worrying about
me, all the time" she had answered
peevishly on one of these occasions,
and Mrs. Mapleton had wondered more
than ever what change had come over
the spirit of her daughters dreams, but
if she surmised anything of the truth
she wisely kept it to herself.
Il believe Edgar Pierpont loves me,
and that he would tell me so if / gave
him the least chance" Bessie said to
herself over and over again. And yet,
strange as it may seem, she placed
every possible barrier between herself
and such declaration.
And Edgar? He had vainly sought
for an opportunity to see her alone.
He knew she purposely kept out of his
way, and he was debating with himself
whether to go away and make no men
ton of the love that was devouring his
heart like a consuming fire, or to ask
her for private interview, knowing
she could not well refuse him this, and
learn his fate from her own lips.
1t was at this juncture of affairs that
Mr.. Mapleton asked Bessie one evening
at the supper-table if she could bring
up the COWS, saying that he had to go
some distance to see neighbor and. it
would be quite late before he should
get back.
Edgar Pierpont heard with devout
thankfuness, and eagerly awaited her
answer.
Certainly, father" she said, blush
ing furiously as she thought of her
former experience, I'll try"
! "Pll go with her and help her, Mr..
Mapleton. ~
Bessie opened her lips to decline the
proffered assistance, but, as she met for
an instant those calm blue eyes across
the table, the masterful spirit which
shone out through them compelled her
to be silent.
Down through the old orchard, where
the red-cheeked apples swung low upon
the heavily-laden branches; past the
corn fields, whose wide, green leaves
and yellow tassels rustled in the even
ing breeze; around the brow of the
hill, where their feet at every step
nestled in among the fragrant clover
blossoms, and down to the spring,
where q rustic seat had been fixed up
under some spreading oaks, they went.
He had not spoken word since they
started. Bessie would have chosen to
go down the lane directly to the past
ure, but by some secret power he had
gained over her within the last half
hour, he compelled obedience to his
unspoken wishes. Now he broke the
silence:
"Sit down here, Bessie, I've got some
thing want to say to you.
oShe flashed up little smile of def
ance, but she had met her master.
She sat down. He remained standing.
Miss Mapleton," he began, "for
more than week have been seeking
an opportunity to see you alone. But
you have purposely avoided me. 1 felt
that L could not go away from here
without telling you what is in my heart.
But before say more want to ask you
question, and want you to give me a
truthful, straightforward answer. Will
you?"
do you doubt my veracity, Mr..
Pierpont?" she asked, with sudden
assumption of dignity. IF 1 answer
you at all / shall probably tell YOU the
truth.
"Very well, them" quietly ignoring
the reflection contained in her speech.
at is this: What have L ever done to
make you dislike me so much?"
A spasm of pain swept for one in
slant over her expressive features.
what makes you think l dislike you? p
"You have never given me any reasons
to think otherwise. From our first &C
quaintance you have seemed to consider
me as entirely unworthy of your notice