Daily Republican., 1885-08-01

. significant backward glance toward
the two who were strolling across the
sandy knolls behind them.
Amy also glanced back, aad her
pink cheeks had somehow blanched
her rosebud mouth was curiously
tremulous.
Had she cared for the attractive
young gentleman who WasescortinR his
tickle Nellie across the sands? Frank
questioned mentally. Did Amy, too,
feel wronged by the Inconsistency OF one
whom she had dearly loved? he asked
himself. Well, there was q romantic
law Of compensation which allurel the
sympAthies and sometimes united the
hearts If two 80 injured as he and pret
ty Amy had been, he retiec led as they
walked on together to the pier where the
pleasure boats we're rocking idly in TIT
sunshine.
shouldn't t risk sail IL were you
l have notion we are TO have q thun
der storm" Al called Just as Amy had
luxuriously settled herself in one Of the
boats.
"Oh, like q spice of danger, -
she called back with unfamiliar will
fullness, and am never afraid when
have Frank with me-"
Let them do "a they like, they only
care to be together" Nellie com men ted
meaningly, as she locked her slim
hands about his arm and urged him
away.
I" have myself noticed that" A
averred with an Indignation which tn,
girl perhaps misinterpreted. " But W.
are all friends together, And l shonld
not have believed Frank would bsh av.
neelectfully toward yon."
Nellie shrugged her graceful should.
ers and smiled expressively.
What he may be pleased to do il
nothing to me-" she declared with q
look of supreme content, "a aud can
never feel neglected while have you
with me. But he and Amy might ha We
been more candid about ther mutusI
preferences, though"
For little time Al walked on in 81.
lence, his forehead wrinkled by o scowl
Of displeasure, his lips pursed in def
ant sort of whistle.
What an idiot he had been not to
have guessed tho truth long ago, he
bled mentally. He might have
guessed why Amy had been occ asional.
ly 80 iinappreciative of his devotion He
might have comprehended her affection
had been monopolized by another. But
he old not propose to enact any role OF
the disconsola.e and inconsolable-ss
pecially when the piuu ant and DEM ure,
the saucy and sympathetic Nellie was
near to enchant and solace him.
Yes, they might indeed have been
more candid. But you shall never
bave cause to feel neglected by me.
Nellie, l will promise you that"
he at length fervently avowed in re.
sponse to her hattering little assertion
made just before. "Aud perhaps |
might make my regard for you, Nellie,
so loyal you will not grieve for the de-
fection of another. The proposition
need not seem hssty and singular, my
sweet little friend; we have common
feeling of disappointment and our sym
pathy must be mutual"
Nellie blushed deliciously, but wheth
or with vexatation or with o sense ol
triumph she possibly could not have
decided even had she been gran, cd time
to decide at all.
But at the moment shadow dark.
ened the sheltered nook where they
we're sitting: there was sudden rush Of
chill air and then q rattle of grea,
raindrops, which fell splashinc
upon q sea already plunging un
easily before the coming of the sudden
storm.
1.-THE storm Is here and far more VIC
lent than l predicted" he muttered, M
flash after flash Of lightning blazed
from the mass of inky clouds which
had rolled up UNDECIDED to the zenith.
And yonder is the boat-iust 3
black speck on the water" Nellie cried
in terror as the billows began to seetbs
and roar responsive to the tbunderous
summons Of the tempest.
All the sting of ulssensiou and the
smart of jealousy, all the illusions OF o
|compensating solace for love aggrieved
were unregarded in the wild houI
which succeeded.
The girl with agoniz ed Dyes could
only watch the plunging sea whicf
might give back the endangered boa
no more. And the young man, silen
beside her and eolorless as marble, wa,
almost unconscious of her presen ,e Ii
his fears of one whom he might bel,olt
never again.
But presently there were shouts, .
rush, the murmur of an anxious Gro W q
through which group of resouers hae
just become visible.
And then two figures, drepched ant
exhausted, emerged into the sight of tn.
watchers who had awaited them as on.
might await the coming of the dead.
At the instant there was q joyfn
ejaculation, a pathetic, girlish cry, and
then pretty Amy was olasped i'm
petuously in the embrac, of one from
whom her gentle affections had never
even for one doubtful moment beer
estranged.
"I could not have lived, my precious
darling, had lost you," AL whispered
|distractedly, as he held ber to his hi.
heart ard caressed the faxeh looks all
dripping from the salt billows which
had well-nigh been her grave.
Nellie, half fainting with the agony
OF suspense and the misery and relief
of 1t all, gazed piteously at the lover
with whom she had 80 foolishly quar-.
relied.
Forgive me, my love-" the psnitent
witching brown eyes seemed to s,ly.
"My love, you are forgiven" an.
swered the blue eyes of her enlightened
lover.
And as he smiled down into the
dainty, wistful face, Nellie knew that
their misunderstanding had been set
Alright, and that he was still, as he had
ever been. wholly her own.
" The sunshine always follows the
storm, you know" he remarked as they
went together homsward bsneath sky
from which the clouds had again van
ished. And we shall have no more
jaalousies to mar our content my jeal
Jusy was absurd and unkind."
" And L was unkind to tease you,'
Nellie nenitently confessed
Nervous. Debflitated Men.