Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-03-09

her
She waited for him to repeat the name.
Even conventionality would not serve
him here; he was too sensitive on the
subject. and kind as Miss Cuthbert was,
he could not speak of it without pain
There was, too, something n her tone
and manner which made him hesitate.
She helpe him out of the difficulty.
Z" think you said LucyP"
There was not the slightest infec-
ton OF the voice; it was hard and clear;
and although she was ev IDENTITY interest
ed, there was nothing in the steady eyes
VIII oh were fixed u on him even to sug-
gest the sympathy she had shown little
while ago, and which would have won
the confidence she desired. She seemed
to become conscious of that herself.
II sometimes think. Mr.. CalthorIe,"
she said quietly. smiling, ''that you
must have thought what 1 intended to
be frankness ut our Lrst meeting was
boldnesS"
"Uh, no." he said hastily. with a
denrecatory movement of the hand.
$50 much the better. for am going
TO be again frank or bold, whichever
you please to call IT, At the first you
were like an old friend to me, and now
/ almost claim you as one. Is not that
very bold" go
lit is very pleasant"
please do not begin to flatter; that
is a weapon that will overcome me at
once; for ! don't like fiattery. and I
don't ike the people who use it. You
can try it if you want to see how shy L
can be"
SThe lips contracted into pretty cir
Gle, the eyes twinkled archly, and she
was Ike a schoolgirl waiting for the
answer to some comical conundrum. ,
lis not the implication fattering to
me2"
THAT depends. Tell me first. exact
" what YOU are thinking of me at this
moment, and shall answer" -
THAT is somewhat hard. for much of
what l am thinking would sound like
tlattery."
Very well, then; tell me the part
which won't sound like fattery."
Then, was thinking that you are a
will-o' the wiSp," hesaid, much amused,
and falling into her humor.
THAT certainly is not flattering; for
the will-o' -the-lyispis mischevous, and
misleads benighted Travellers"
II meant only in your moods-you
change so rapidly from grave to gay
Suppose try another siinile to express
what | was thinking about You. You
were like brilliant fantasia, the theme
of which | know is beautiful, but in my
dizziness l cannot catch it. because the
variations are 80 rapid"
"Ahi Thatis better. and if you will
only omit the beautiful, it is very like
what | appear to myself. Now i can
give you your answer-it is this: | es-
TEEN you enough 10 wish younot to fat
ter me; and if YOU think that am fat
tering you in saying so, then you are
not my friend. -
She was quite in earnest. and spoke
with a matter-o!-fact air. as if she would
say: "Here is the plain state o; the case,
and YOU can like il not, as YOU please. -
She had assumed that look and eX-
preston of self-cOnScious honesty VIII oh
people use when they say disagreeable
things under the banner of common
sense-Only, she was not saying any
thing diSagreeable.
ave only flatter when we give our
fir ends credit for qualities which they dc
not possess. j was not doing that, and
now must turn YOUR own words against
yourself, and say that you are not the
friend l wish you to be if YOU think that
there is anything but sincere pleasure
in knowing that you regard me as your
friend"
- take it rs you mean it, and we
shall make this compact-that we shall
never say any thing TO each other for the
mere purpose of pleasing, but speak
only what we believe to be true"
Agreed"
Il one of friendship" she said. empha
sizing the word, and giving him hel
hand; land hope that YOU VIII soor
be able TO speak quite freely to mt
about Your friend-or l suppose l an
entitled TO say our friend, Lucy"
There is little more to tell YOU thar
you already know he answered, ca m
lv, the feeling OF reserve creeping upoi
him again.
You admired her very much?''
r "Yes. although our acquaintance wa
short one. Your singular resemblance,
to her frequently reminded me of her
but never so much so rs today. Tn,
feelings which moved you when You
father lett us. made you-made me, il
fact. forget myself
/ They were kindly feelings"
"She had kindly face, and 1 IN
sure kindly heart. -
THAT is as much as to say that min
is not always kindly face. No apollo
gies; | am pleased to find that YOU .r
SO promptly obedient Co the terms O
our compact. lsuppo e mustn'tpry TO-
closely into what passed between You.
There was nothing particular passe,
between us. We were good friends, tina
was all.
He could not bring himself yet t
prompt obedience TO the terms q
the compact in speaking OF his regar
for Lucy.
THAT was allr' she repeated Slow
"; and then, with a slight laugh. ''an,
i suppose, if YOU had not seen me. yo
w9uid have entirely forgotten her b
this time?''
II must own that her image was no
. quite SO vivid when first met YOU as
is now"
And in time il woul have passe
away altogether. WHAT n dreadiu
thing it would befor a woman to FEAR
that she was forgotten by anybody sh
cared very much. lori i woadcr HOY
she would feel 1.-The very thought of
makes me shutider still more horribl
IF such a thing could be-that It wa
her lover who forgot her. and sh
should hear him say SOL Happily, sue
a thing is impossible. she concluded
laughing at the phantom she had herseI
created
Quite impossible to you. Miss -Cutt
bert, " he said, laughing, too. She ha
initiated the shudder and the look c