The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-12-15

even more vigorous than that which Id !
taken place on the pier. They seldom !
met without dsputing. Louis intense |
reserve tormented Margaret; he always |
seemed to hold something back--a
something which she could not define,
and about which she INDUCED in end
less speculations and guesses, till at last |
q passionate, though unspoken, desire
possessed her TO learn this secret of his
nature. If he only would reveal it, she
was convinced it would be good and
beautiful--as lovely as those cerulean-
hued roses which so many of us spend
our lives in seeking. She ceased to
think of Mallabarr; she knew his
strength and his weakness (she be-
lieved), but about Louis there was al
ways the hint of some unrevealed power
some quality which, when the occa-
sion offered, would spring into action
and be grand. And to one of her
nature this reserve force, this undis-
played side of the mans character,
possessed an Irresistible fascination.
Her life became like dream. She
forgot how time passed. The OCCASION
al reminders of the outside world
letters from Miss Percival, from Mrs.
Pierce, from her faithful ally, Tom, who
was willing for her sake to put himself
even TO the torture of writing letter
all these came more as vexations than
as pleasures. She wanted no letters
she wanted no reminders of world
outside; she wanted to be allowed to
drift on in peace, in this dreamy house
hold (for they were all dreamers, more
or less), with Rupert eyes hanging on
her as she knew they did, and his heart
with them-with his mothers love en-
circling her also = with the squire's
hearty kindness and bluff gratitude
one day it took the shape of a present
of gorgeous black silk dress, and the
remark that no woman in England bet
ter deserved such garment, which gift
embarrassed Margaret sorely. With
all this, and with-yes, this was the
! core of the matter-Louis Baldwin's
glance on their daily meeting, the clasp
of his hand on her thrilling fingers, and
! the slow, measured, gentle tones of his
soft voice, which to Margaret had more
power to thrill and subdue than the
most vigorous utterances of the most
far-reaching tones.
One afternoon, toward the end of
June, Rupert, Margaret and Louis sat
|
celles had set off on one of her unfre-
quent rounds of afternoon calls, and
had taken Damaris with her. Louis had
lunched with them, and since their re-
turn to the school-room, had been busy
explaining to Rupert, whose appetite
for information was Unsuitable, some
new geological theory. They both
listened with the deepest interest while
Louis piled books in different ways. so
as to show the position of the strata of
which he was speaking. Margaret re-
joiced in the sweetness of the moment.
The only thing about which she had
ever heard Louis express any earnest
desire, was, that he had only the means
to forward certain branches of scientific
inquiry, and she was thinking at this
moment: "How could help him! And
how delightful it would be to do So"
Louis was on his knees on the floor,
and Margaret lent helping hand.
holding up one book while he propped
others against it. She leaned sideways
over low chair in which she sat, and
as they were all thus occupied, the door
was opened, footstep paused, and
then a voice said:
II fear l disturb; is Mrs. Lascelles
not imp"
Margaret started violently, changing
color. Not so Baldwin!
"Halloa, Jack! is that you? thought
you were in London" he said, deliber-
ately.
"Mr. Mallabarr! II also thought you
were in London" was all that Marga-
ret found to say.
Manahorr ba1 Danaa1 on tho tIraS h
hold, his whip and hat in his hand. He
looked the picture of fine young En-
glish gentleman-proud, erect and
handsome; but the smile which oftener
than not relieved the darkness of his
face, was absent. Something more like
frown-still more like pain and dis
tress "a Disconnected expression sal
upon his brow and looked from his eyes
his nostrils were little dilated, his
head thrown back. Margaret had new,
er seen him look like that, and the eX.
preston caused her much uneasiness
but mastering her first embarrassment
she said:
"Will you not come and sit down? L
, is true Mrs. Lascelles has gone OUT bu
perhaps she will not be long, and she
will be disappointed if she misses you. ,
, Mallaoarr hesltated for moment
, looking at Margaret in manner which
she did not quite comprehend, and ther
, said, reluctantly; .t|
"Since | am here, l Twill wait shor
time, at any rate"
[ He laid his hat and whip on a sid,
f table, pushed his fingers through hi
, hair, and sat down beside Rupert
couch.
"Well, old fellow, how are you gettins
: on?" he asked, in a tone which sounded
rather weary, and his sentence ended
= with a SIGH.