The Red Cloud chief., 1884-03-28

w VI IN tO1 NhiOh l. hAo
read of it,"
Yes, indeedr.' sad Mabe.le, turn.
ing her head and seeing Grace beckOn
ing to them.
They went to her. and she said it wa
time to return.
CHAPTER XIV.
AN CLOSED.
After supper they went wandering
again in the garden by moonlight, an(
the moths and bats were fitting ant
circling round the light dresses of thu
girls. Not much was said. Grace hat
passed her arm through Philips, anG
taken Mabelle's hand, and said:
What shall l do when you boil
leave me?:"
After which there was silence, til
Mrs. Massey's voice called to Grace
and she left them.
II must 90, too, said Mabelle, re
solved at once to take the initiative
and display some firmness of character
"Go-why?"
"Oh, my packing, you know"
"Packing! At least you have time t.
stroll to the cliff, and look at the Ger
man Ocean Dy moonlight. Who know.
when we shall have another chance;
Comet"
He opened the wicket in time for DR.
johnson, who had appeared upon the
scene, to march unceremOniOusly be
fore them, and lead the way to thu
cliff.
He knows. you see,' said Philip
clasping his hands behind him as hi
paced beside the silent Mabelle.
They did not speak until, suddenly,
the great expanse of heaving waters wa
spread beneath their eyes, with a long
silvery track of moonlight down ia
Cold path of duty. leading to the sky"
The sky was cloudless, deep blue: the
stars were clear. the noon radiant, the
air like balm.
"How beautiful said Mabelle. soft
"; but Philip, instead of answering bel
remark. said:
"Mabelle. why don't you wish tt
travel with me tomorrow"
Il
"Is my company very distasteful tt
you?" =,
..What a question! 1t was only
"Only what""
angela will meet me at lrkford,
and she does not know you are going
there"
lis that all? She will be quite equaI
to the occasion. l am sure; and. l sol
EMMY assure YOU. | have the best hope:
for nv own presence of mind. Don
distress yourself on that account.
You are sure Won will not mind?"
ii shall not-that is. l should not, il
-Mabelle, l told you a month ago that
| was a married man after-after thai
episode YOU can not fOrget-and so, in
a way, / was. l know how it spoiled
me. l know my nature got q war;
then, and will never be quite smooth
again, and l know l am more adapted
to brighten q girl by my brusquerie thar
to win her love by my amiability. .
and l have no right to ask any woman
to bear with me, and love me in spite
OF nv roughness, as my dear Grace ha:
done, God bless her! but it seems that
trouble three years ago did not secure
me against ever falling in love again.
Not with mer' exclaimed Mabelle|
invOluntarilv recoiling. and putting w
her two hands. ..you do not say it wal
with me?'
'.But / do say it is with you. M
belle" said Philip. capturing her hand
and ciasping his arm around her. ''anl
l wonder what Just cause or impedimen
there should be to my loving you.
say that l love you now, very diiferen
ly from-bat we'll not speak of tina
Only | would never have told You had
not fancied that YOU would help M
wipe out this old account, Mabelle. ah
help me to become a better man than
have been since that day-yOu remerG
Der. | have often felt uicked when .
have thought of it; l thought YOU
would perhaps go on making repara
tion-will yOu:""
Mabelle's struggle between tears anC
smiles ended in Il convulsivc laugh
which would not stop.
Philip, deriving hope from this, and
perhaps pleased with his own ~ineeniou.
way OF re cOmmending himself as 4 suit.
or. by painting himself as not the best
of men, and inviting his beloved to be
continually making repar:.tion for 8
wrong which she had not committed,
was also struck with a sense of the
~ludicrous; sentiment and Solcmnity,
moonlight and lovers vows. were for
gotten in peal on peal OF laughter.
DIR. Johnson, conceiving that he
alone was the object of a merrimenI
which insulted and outraged his mos,
refined feelings. gave three short banks
and walked away in inexpressible dis
gust.
"But this ill-timed mirth has prevent.
ed you from giving 4 proper answer tC
my question:" Observed Philip, wher
the laughter had somewhat subsidized.
Il don't knaw w,iat to say" sale
Mabelle. turning away, the confusion
which her mirth had covered rushing
over her again.
Say yes"
ut seems such a wild idea for vor
and me to get married.
"Well, let us have a wild idea or two
then
What would Angela say:?"
''She would say that if you ha(
played your cards properly. You NIGH
have done better like herself. Say
yes, Mabelle! Say YOU love me a
least"
'Oh. l do indeedr'
And these lips of yours are so true
] orH this ,~h% I,- , 1 n.