The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-07-02

appearance with a very melancholy
air.
My work is completed he said
My vacation is over, and l must go
back to the city, cannot tell you
how sorry am, nor how much l shall |
miss these "sittings," And, by the
way, is not the story nearly fnished2
l was hoping you would read it to me
before left
oh, no! not now--it--it is not ready |
yet l exclaimed Il have not writ
ten much lately'-and there stopped,
confused by my own admission. But
he went ON quietly; You are quite
right. Put your work aside for time,
and you will take it up again with new
vigor. And now, my kind friend, will
you let me occupy this last hour of
the many we have spent together,
with my own affairs? I have written
to Birdie-for the last time, if she still
refuses me-and on her decision my
whole future now rests. If she is at
last won to say yes, you know how
happy shall be. If not, l cannot
stay in the city where I must meet
her continually. l shall accept my
uncle's offer, give up my profession,
and go to Germany with him, proba-
bly, for the rest OF my life.'
He paused, looking at me expect
antly, but l was silent. OF course, |
suppose it was sympathy, but it SEEM
ed to me as if could never be so ut
terly wretched in all my life as l was
at that moment. Finally, realizing
that something must be said, | con-
trived to get off two or three senten-
ces, with "best wishes" and "deep in
terest in his welfare" and the like,
but it was very hard work.
However, he seemed quite satisfied,
for he thanked me, and then added:
I shall not hear from Birdie before
Friday, but whatever the result may
be l must come back to tell you. So
please meet me here on Saturday af-
ternoon, and then, if I am happy, l
shall claim your congratulations, and
if am to be an exile, | shall at least
have the consolation of hearing a
friendly good by. Au revoir, kindest
of friends.
He was gone, but burst into tears
For long time / remained sitting in
the little arbor where he had left me,
trying to compose myself sufficiently
to return to the house.
Then | went up to my room, and
/ telling Susan that I had a violent
: headache and could not be disturb
ed, shut myself up and began to
think.
r My meditation during that day and
the next made one point perfectly
clear to me; / did not want Mr.. Ash
: ford to marry Birdie. But then, OF
| the other hand, | did not want him tC
g go to Germany. / began to feel pos
tive hatred for that girl, and to wisl
. that could warn Mr.. Ashford agains
s her; for was quite sure she coult
y never make him happy.
V In this way the hours dragged on
Q Saturday afternoon found me in tn,
/ arbor waiting for him with almost un
r comfortable anxiety.
o He made his appearance punctually
d and as watched him coming alonj
r the path that led to the arbor | forgo
i in one moment all the rules OF con
d duct I had had laid down for mysel
l. all the elaborate speeches I had pre-
c pared, and springing up ] held out m
l. lldllu WlUll " DItubllltSS
& 'Wellp
e No, 1t isn't we'll Birdie has not aC
= cepted me, he said, as he took m
Is hand. Now, the only thing can d
e. is to go away as soon as possible
is Don't you think SOP
s. l did not intend to say it. | sha
d always insist that nothing was furthe
l from my intentions that moment, br
l. I suddenly burst out with No, dom
" don't 60.
lie He was still holding my hand, an
e. when l said these words he put h
Id other arm very gently aroun
n me and whispered: If you want m
at l will stay
l am going to omit the greater pa
H. OF our conversation that afternoon j
e. the arbor, as it was strictly persons
IN and private. But ought to say thi
as Lyle confessed to me that he had bee
ID guilty Of a great deception. The
le was no such person as Birdie, and
n was |, myself, with whom he had bee
he in love all the time. OF course fo
re gave him, although 1 don't think
l was quite fair, and to inveigle Nel
he tool
i'm But as we talked over our Sitting
I exclaimed ruefully; And so n
er- love story has not been written aft
,le allp
Of Lyle smiled as he answered te