McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-01-10

"A SllenC0 IOllOWs, uurlIS WHICH DOLL
are busy with their own reflections.
When Mrs. Fairfax lifts her eyes TO her
companions face it is 80 grave that she
exclaims in wonder:
81 was going to say, "A penny for
your thoughts but from the express
sion of your countenance yours must
be weighty enough to be worth more.
Won't you be generous and impart
them gratisp"
Along pause, during which she leans
over the side of the boat and idly dab
bles one hand in the water.
"Take care" he says, warningly,
"you will lose your rings"
81 have none on that hand except"
and she takes the little white fingers
out of the water and gazes half sadly
on the thick gold band-Jack's we'd
ding ring-placed there six years ago,
ana only eighteen months before
Jacks own honest heart was still and
cold.
Leslie Grahame is looking at it also,
and somehow the sight nerves him to
the next words he has to say.
cit is long time since we met, is it
notP l was riding with poor Jack
when he bought that ring, and a few
days later l had orders for India, and
so l missed the wedding But | did not
forget my old friend or his bride
nor" he adds more gently, "did | for
get you when sadder news reached me.
Poor jack" he says, dreamily, his
thoughts busy with the boy friend of
his youth, and in a manner forgetting
that he is speaking to that friends
widow; $50 young, so open-hearted
and generous
Gall that and MORE" she says quick
ly; che was too good for this cold,
hard world. All me, to think that
Jack, who was so strong, should have
been taken and little left me to face life
alone"
"You have your child" Uncon-
sciously his tone has grown a little
stern again.
Darling Queenie! Yes. But /; is
dull sometimes, and one wants some
one to consult-to lean on"
"And you think you find that some
one in Reginald VaneP"
He is sorry the next moment after 10
have blurted out the words, but it is too
late to recall them. She flashes =
glance at him, and he meets it steadily,
expecting to be assaulted with torrent
of feminine wrath, but is taken back
at meeting instead sudden burst of
tears.
s'AIrs. Fairfax-what brute am
forgive me. [ have lived so much alone
that | have fallen into dreadful haoit
of speaking my thoughts aloud"
"But how came you TO have such
thoughts?'
could 1 help it3 Only last night I
heard your names coupled together by
the voice of common gossip, and to-day
have 1 not seen some confirmation of
the report? And L would not presume
to find fault, though l was once not
only Jacks friend, but almost a rough
elder brother 10 you in the forgotten
days of long ago ~
':Not forgotten" murmurs a stifled
voice "only 1 wondered why you never
came to see me-"
SIT was best not. I Jack loved
and trusted me-his mentor-as he used
to call me, poor boy! But now-now,
Nina, I cannot but think of the old days
when see you about to take an ire
trievable step with one whom cannot
think worthy
"You ere jealous! Our grave colo
mel actually cond ascending to such
weakness? And pray, may l ask, what
makes you think Sir Reginald Vane I'M
don't say of little me-but
of any good thing that the world can
bestow?"
ellis dishonorable conduct towards
another woman. Forgive me, Nina
heaven knows l would sooner bite my
tongue out than say it-but he is play
ing double part in this, making up 70
you for fortune, while his heart--what
he has to give-belongs to Miss Elliot.
[ saw him by her side last night. [
the looks and signs that passed
between them, and l speak solemn
truth when | say that | believe he has
won that poor girls affections, and that
in sober earnest he cares for her. And
now that l have said my say, and
brought cloud over the face | have
always connected with heavens sun
shine, 1 will go my way, only asking
that, as time softens your anger, you
will try to think little kindly of me.
Here is your landing place"
And he pulls the boat into the tiny
creek, and resting on his oars waits for
her to spring ashore and give him his
final dismissal. But Nina does not
move. Her head is bent down and so
overshadowed by her that he cannot
read the expression of her family flush
I'd face.
1t seems an age to him before The 81
ence is broken. At last-"Did you
always think me dreadful firt?'
He is startled md taken unawares by
The appealing tone. Fain would he
answer reassuring negative, but men,
Dries of the old days again rise before
1iS mind-visions of the sweet little