The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-08-09


at dinner, the hauteur she assumed
melted away and she bluShed and
smiled at his glance for what i, 50
fascinating as the homage of one who
seems utterly. almost contemptuOusly
careless of all beside9 Ii Walter had
spoken shat evening he would have as
suredly gained his object, and Mrs.
Goodwin been made / Apply woman.
The Red Pike was red indeed in the
evening sunlight, every light that but
tressed its rugged top Furnished to
ruddiness, and yet the party fingered.
reluctant to abandon the view of sea
and land from Forth to Windermere
that held them entranced. Tea was
over and the servants had started
downwards with the baggage vet the
party, which all day had wandered
separately or in pairs at their several
wills, still sat together on the top. Bob
only was on the move, skirmishing
hither and thither untiringly.
IL say, Gertrude, here's specimen
| for you'll Here's q blue gentian grow
ing on this cliff, and rare good climb
it will be to it,
The party FASTENED to the edge of the
cliff; in a Granny of the rock about
twelve feet down grew the flower Ger
trude had been long seeking to obtain
A slight open ng in the wall of the cliff
made it Just feasible, if somewhat dan
| gerous, to reach it.
Robert, don't go too near ~ cried
Mrs. Goodwin.
| Gertrude turned with her face little
flushed to Losford. "Can you get it
for me, Mr.. Losford?" she said gently,
and with something of appeal in her
voice.
mot without rope" he answer ed.
calmly; 1--WE will bring one up to-mor-
row."
Tomorrow ~ cried Gertrude, with
sudden heat. II want it now. Bob
would get it for me in a moment, if
asked him, Mr.. Losford''
"Bobs head is perhaps steadier than
NINE" answered the other, keeping at
safe distance from the edge. He was
in no way discomposed until, as he
finished, his eyes met the girl full of
contempt and anger Stung by the
look he took hasty step toward the
edge of the cliff and bent down to make
the attempt. For moment he re-
manned in that position as if entranced,
scanning the depth below, sheer three
hundred feet, and then u green ledge,
and then, far beneath, pale-blue Crum-
mock Water. With a quick shudder
he passed his hand across his eyes and
recoiled, white to the lips.
Il can't get it for you,' he said
hoarsely falling back, while the others
looked at one another in establishment.
"And quite right, too, MIR. Losford;
don't try any such foolhardiness, beg"
cried Mrs. Goodwin loudly. Loudly, but
not so that he failed to hear the one
word Coward" or to distinguish the
tone of contempt in which it fell from
her daughters lips, as she turned away.
The next instant he was his old calm
self again, but be knew that he had his
dismissal. H.-
AS for the bit of blue gentian, Bob
brought it up in a twinkling, and chat
tered on in such way as TO earn every
ones gratitude. Yet it was a dull party
that wendell its way down the hill. and
clear it was to more than one that bud
ding romance had come to an end over
the little blue flowers which nestled so
harmlessly in Gertrude's fair hair. Yet,
mothers are sanguine, and Mrs. God
win 5 face grew scarlet with anger when
the spray appeared again at dinner con-
spicuously fastened in the bosom of her
daughters dress.
If it was only an awkward hour at
dinner that Mrs. Goodwin feared, Fate
was to save her hospitality from, to do
her Justice, an unwonted slur.
Where is Robert?" she asked, pet
tishly, after helping the soup. ado you
know, Violet P"
MicS Mansion Ala not 20 uroo ~
wont to be punctual, and she was about
to say so, when the butler, who had
been called from the room, entered
hastily and VIII spered something in his
masters ear. Mr.. Goodwin rose quickly.
my dear, this is bad news. There
has been fall at the lead works"
"How unfortunate l am thankful
the men were not at work Or even
worse, we might have been viewing
them, as Robert had been plaguing us
to do. and been all crushed together,
like any common laborers! Shocking!
But where can Robert bep"
al am afraid, ma am" put in the
butler in low voice VIII ch every one
heard well, with preternatural distinct
ness. .that Master Rohert-leastw Sc he
went that way when he came back-is
in there. John has gone to the village
for help"
There was dead silence round that
fair show of linen and glass and CLEAN
ing silver, as if the hand which warned
Belshazzar had appeared upon the wall.
Then Gertrude 81 ded to her friend 5
side and put her arm around her. The
gentlemen hurried from the room. But
almost as soon as they reached the
scene the women appeared there also;
the poor boys sister could not be re-
strained, and Mrs. Godw n, whose wo-
| nnan,s hnaI.t was snnnl within her