The Delaware ledger., 1883-09-15
Chameleon Like.

DAiubb. - E'
cat your service, Sir Wilfred."
From the gay worsteds she was sort
ing, she looked up with. mischievous
expression befitting her words, yet un-
DERIVING it a goodly measure of the
rare tenderness that only a woman's
face can wear.
Hers seemed strange face for o
lover to fro wn upon /; but frown he did
-unhandsomely, emphatically.
sI am in no mood for jesting, Sal
dee, !" he continued, glumly, ''nor prob
ably will you be, when tell you that
what we have so long debated must be
decided between us now."
The sunny smile died from her coun-
tenance; the rare tenderness seemed
but the rarer for its gravity.
"I am so sorry, Wilfred," she an
swered softly; 81 so hoped you would
see its impossibility and agree with
me-"
He could but read how she leyed
him. but he read something else now
in look and tone--something that mo-
mentarily banished the frown ano
nailed his handsome face. With pas
sionate impulse he arose, and, cross
| inc over to where she sat, took hel
| hands in his, and gszed down into hel
brown eyes long and steadily.
"saidee, do you care at all for me P
he asked, finally.
"Do care for you, Wilfred ?" sh
murmured, reproachfully, yet with tn
rapture of his touch reflected in he
face, 'tDo care for you? Oh, hoy
can you ask me that, when you kno'
that there is only you-only you In Tn
whole wide world for me l'
His hands fell; he turned ava
from her impatiently, with a bite
smile.
uIf I am all the world to you, Sa
dee, you certainly have a strange wa
of showing it. Your words are pre-
ty, but they do not weigh at all vii
me. If you would have me behe'
you, come and promise to obey me
woman should the man she loves. "
He extended his arms toward her
he spoke there was look on D
face she could not mistake. She kns
it would be the last, time but 81
she took no step forward she simI
stood terrified, appealingly gazing mp
him.
"Wilfred-"
He was frowning again, now deeI
than before.
''Iknow what you would say, saidee
IL he interrupted, Sand it is only wa
Mt of words. AS said before, your wol
st. have no weight on me it Is enou
ne for me that you are ready to have
en- go tomorrow, we might as well
no good-by."
Ith She had not taken her eyes from
on face, and he still looked back at |
ZEN steadily, relentlessly. AT his last W
led she shivered, death-like pallor spr
'al. over her countenace, and she answe
ere brokenly:
lnd "Wilfred-"
the He did not interrupt her now |;
re- bent forward with conscious eager
the for her words. His own were hor
Iere but he felt certain of their effect
4lt did not doubt that in this decisive
1t ment, he would gain her to his will.
the would surely not let him go she
ned about to yield to him, to say that
'ook could be no good-by between them
the sooner than this, she would abjur
ent, and follow him. And so he bent
TO ward for the answer, eagerly, wi
hole certain hope.
"wilfred, if you SO will, you
anne 90, but l can never say good-b.
'one YOU"
lage That was what she said,
nem- enly, tenderly, yet with 5he 6
that firmness that bad so startled hin
-ieuI now.
. IL ''If you 80 will you must 60"
0a1o A moment he stood rega
'aiue her, shaking with pain and
uienO pointment; a momentary passion 81
ssins him; fieeting, wayering
.n ~. pulse, but he quickly crushed
down.
noui0 ''I will do so, Saidee," he II
iesh with scornful emphasis; sand
'onui you object to goodbye, let us N
"ei W good-afternoon."
,hat q This was their parting 80 he lie
- striding out and past tho wind
t,ohly which she sat.
gain "Aho this 10 inc Gnu Vi !. ai
.itv of murmured; "when he knew
Ina n love him, when he knows how /
4 roix. die for him. Oh Wilfred my lo
lone dearest, how could you leave me