The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-10-09
MARGARET.
by LILY NJ. CURRY.

sunlight had slipped away, leaving only
@ mild reflection, and the sea breeze
came swelling up with a pleasant, salty
odor. He might have been very COM
Portable but for one thing, twinge-
giving conscience. The afternoon light
fired the great diamond of his finger
ring, and so diverted his thoughts for a
moment; then they returned to the
subject of his uneasiness.
III only he had not come to this place |!
And yet how pleasant it had been, here
on the peaceful New England coast, in
the Old sea-captain's house. How thor
oughly he had enjoyed the bay, the
calling, the fishing with line and reel
How many splendid bluetish he had
landed! Margaret, too-ah! Marga-
retl His conscience was at him again.
He stood up restlessly and looked at
himself in the glass. He was growing
stronger every day; the long illness,
from which he had come here To recup-
crate, was shadow of the past. His
friends, which was to say his mother
and Elinor, would be delighted at the
transformation. 1t was Eiinor's last
letter that had brought him to his
senses, reminded him of his obligations,
namely to get away from this place at
once and Join his mother and his be-
trothed at a fashionable summer resort.
He took his straw hat and went down
into the piazza. Margaret was sitting
there, slim and pretty in her white at
terTfoon dress. 1t seemed to him she
flushed at his approach; and he felt
still guiltier. He sat down on the
steps al her feet, and sighed family.
She stopped the motion of her rock
dng-choir and asked:
whats the matter?'
Nothing; only feel sad at going
away"
"Going away?' she repeated slowly.
Are you going away sooner than-than
you thought?"
"I'm afraid shall have to. I've re-
ceived letter-Ive heard from my
mother, and really think l must go to-
morrow"
Margaret began to rock again, not
speaking for some moments. Then
she said quietly:
I've shall miss you very much
mother and l.
you have both been very good to
me-"
Perhaps we shall hear from you
sometimes" she suggested. "Yon
won't forget us, quite.
There was always plaintive note in
her voice, voice that one might more
easily be enamored of than of its poses
.sor. For she was not a beauty, this
Margaret. She was too brown, too
agile. too sparrow-like.
Indeed, shall never forget you"
he answered, soberly. Il have written
much about you to my mother and
Miss Hastings"
! Miss Hastings?"
yes" For the moment he fairly
hated himself; Ru, he was determined
u .Sfave It out miss Elinor Hastings.
We are to be married in the autumn.
Then neither spoke. CHANGING up
into her face presently, he found 1T
passive, trife pale, perhaps, besides.
Maybe it was only his fancy; maybe
she did not care for him. He hoped so.
Then'he rose uneasily.
Il am going to row out to the Ledge ;"
he said.
But Margaret did not offer to accom-
panv him. And so he turned away and
left her there.
at is DONE" he said to himself.
~Well, hope she doesn't mind. Poor
little girl How fond one might be of
her One thing, I'll never board again
with widow and young lady daugh-
ter. L only; Rope she won't think me
too contemplate. L haven't meant to
siirt-only few soft speeches, a press
ure of the hand at times-wrong, of
course"
The tide was out and the skiff chung
to the sand. He pushed off slowly
into deeper water.
He had been out to the ledge" a
number of times ere this, but always
Margaret went with him to remind him
when they must leave the rocks. To-
day he must remember for himself (;
there was no plaintive voice to warn
him:
"The rocks are covered at high
water"
Margaret sat looking after him as he
went down the road.
"The end of it all" she said to her
self'in hopeless way. "The end of 1T
ALL"
And when he was out of sight, she
went into the house and up to her own
chamber, where she threw herself down
by the bed and buried her face in hands.
She did not sob or shed a tear; she
only knelt there and suffered.
II might have knownl" she moaned
al might have knownl What am / that
he should care for me? oh, Richard,
RichardI"
Meanwhile Richard Lester found II
rather pleasant out upon the Ledge
Now, that the murder was out" ht
could breathe more easily. He fasten
ed the rope of his boat around a rock
and went up higher. He sat dowr
where the sun had dried away the
-dampness, and contemplated. He pre-
sumed he should be happy as Elinorl
husband Elinor was considered hand
some; she was wealthy refined, accom-
plished; she dressed In excellent tast'