Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-06
FORTUNES WHEEL.

/ her knees into her embrace. Her large
earnest eyes are full of an intensity ri
most terrible in one so young and fragile
and are fixed upon the break in the view
through which the ocean can be seen. al
it lies moaning far down below.
In her lap "A heap OF dying roses ar,
/ emitting the sweetest perfume. Half for
gotten they are lying there, though pluCkeC
/ an hour a@One to adOrn the quaint ok
/ WedgwoOd jars in the drawing-rOOm.
"Hnat | love yOu?' says the young maj
who is stretched at her feet upon the
grass, gazing into her pre-occupied fac,
with curious intentness. Evidently his
/ prolonged stare distresses her; she fushei
4 delicately and turns her head away.
Let us talk of something else" she
says, with poor attempt at lightness.
"Afterward, if you will. But first
/ must get to the root of your mysterious
4 speech" returns lie, shifting his position
I SO as to bring his eyes to bear again upon
! her aYerted race. You have almost tOlC
me that you don't believe in my love fol
YOU"
Not quite that"
Eyes, quite that, as it seems to me.
want YOU to tell me why.'
How can [? Even to myself an eXpla
nation would be difficult; and to you
She hesitates; her head Is bent now; hel
slender fingers are toying nervOusly will
]
moment since has deepened into a Durnine
crimson. Still pitilesSly he Keeps his eyes
upon her face, as though her childish con
fusion and distress affords him some in
ward amusement. With a persistence
that amounts to cruelty he watches each
variation of her mobile features0 finding
in thus studying her Transparent mind, d
selfish pleasure not to be fOregOne.
''GO on" he says, evenly. 40 me-"
Nv nv Will Won plIrSuA "a eli hiaaf ~ ~
asks, TREMENDOUSLY, raising her large eyes
TO his tor a moment.
because | wish it," returns he, still
smiling. Under the smile, however, there
is touch OF mastery beneath which she
moves uneasily.
If you will have it, them she says,
lit is this: there are moments when |
think you love me; there are moments
when l seem to know it-but there are
many moments when l doubt your power
to be faithful"
He throws himself back on the grass
and laughs aloud. Perhaps he has not
seen the agony on her young face or the
wistful longing to be cOntradicted in her
beautiful eyes.
"What Il baby you are, Veral And so
you think, with the little wisdom bred in
your pretty head in this old-fashioned
grange-or borrowed from the village
L.
and through, and sift my character with
ease. Well! think so still"
''Such thought IS torture" returns she
in a low voice, desOlated by a touch of
tenderest passion. TEL me rather that
my doubt is false"
"A taste Of punishment will 90 you
good" retOrts he, smiling still and pinch
my her little shell OF an ear in a gay fash
ion. Tut! let US now speak OF that
something else you were 50 eager for a
while ago"
A sudden, curious flash lights her eyes
her nOstrils dilate. 1t is but mOmentary
thing and then Is gone.
"Well, what shall it be about?" she
SAYS calmly.
you, Of course; what other subject do
L care forY" says Stainer, quickly. Per
maps he has seen that sudden flash
''You don't ask me what / care forY'
saws The girl slowly, her manner still a
little strange.
'Because-was I wrong?-I believed l
would be your first thought as you are
mine! And, surely. you should take pre-
cedenCe in our discussion"
Her newborn anger dies. A heavenly
expression comes to her soft face as she
turns it upon him.
TO think YOU must leave me this very
EVENING"" she says, with tears in her
eyes.
"Only for a little time"
AZ, o. lad to 60 back to your Lon
don with a SIDE glance at hiiu null Of
suppressed reproach.
II can be glad of nothing that takes me
away from you.' There is real feeling in
his handsome face as he says this. you
know that, at least, Vera?'
For answer, che holds out one hand to
l. Il, l.. l~.r rff
holding il, drags himself even nearer 10
ner over the swaying grass.
'Still you love tue town." she says,
jealousy.
"Well-I like it,"
'.Yet when your uncle over there"
pointing vaguely in the direction of some
wooded lands on her left, "des, you Will
have to live down here most of your life"
Il shall have you then" says Stainer.
"Ah, yes. But if you prefer the town;
what a pity it is l could not so there
with you"
sit wouldn't suit you" said Major
Staner slowly. you are only q little
violeU-the more charming to me''-hasti-
ly-''fOr that, but you would, fear, feel
yourself lost in that big world you speak
Of"
mot lost. with you," says Vera, uncer-
i
on him as they do with soft question and
wonder in their depths, put him out woe
fully, man of the world though he be.
''Of course, not in that sense" he says.
'EBut you have no idea how different you
are from the women one meets up there"
Are they so very lOvelyp asks the girl,
in low, disheartened tone.
s'N0t so lovely by half as you, most of
them, if one goes into it.. But it isn't only
eyes and mouth and a stainless complex
ion that carries the day. There is an air
about those others that a little country
mouse like you, however highly bred,
could not acquire for years"
Il cannot see how even the Queen can
be more than lady" says the child with
pretty dignity, land surely a Wriothesly
NAV lay claim to that Old title"
birth and breeding have nothing to do
with it," says Stainer, with a touch of
wearsness. She is too ignorant Of the
worlds ways to understand him. lie Is
unaware that be himself is TOO ignorant OF
Heavens ways to understand the sweet
soul within her. "With these women
speak Of, who have spent their days in a
Whirl OF excitement ever since their
schOOl-rOOm doors closed upon them, you
would be misunderstood. You would find
yourself miles behind them in earthly
lore.'
could I not learn it?' leaning forward
eagerly.
Better not try. No. The material for
that sort of thing was not born with you.
You are IA tribe too earnest for fashionable
life. These Others l speak of wouldn't
like it in you"
'NOt even those aesthetic people OF
whom you sometimes tell me? Might not
this crime Of mine, this earnestuess you
condemn. be deepened into intenstyS II
| proved myself intense they should
claim me as sister. ShOnld they c0t?"
s'There would be a trifing objection y
says Stainer, laughing again. ''Fheir ear
nestness is all sham, yours startling re.
ality. Once they found that out they
would never forgive you"
$50 you think 1 shall never make great
'ladye,'" says she, with a smile that is
thOughtful.'
"Never."
"Yet | should like to try. l would that
some fairy sent me a fortune, and a face
50 fair that all the world should bow to it
/ then we should See"
! He shakes his head. "The strain would
! be too heavy for you. You are too simple
/ child to make n sensation in society
! Give up all such ambitious views anC
wish for something else"
"fEen [ shall wish for your return
every minute in the day, until we NEE
again." she says, prettily.
''By JOye! that reminds me-" exciaim'