Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-04-30
oLEAD US NOT INTO TEMP.
TATION."

acres of such land as that? Guess you
amt the first one that has found out
that you could keep warm at my fire.
side; so you needn't take such airs
over the discovery
Paul, who had never looked into
Judith's blue eyes from this point OF
view, took his hat, bowed, and walked
away in silence.
The old elms sighed, because they
had heard and seen whisperings and
glances on the old piazza of which ia
cob Branthwaite had never dreamed,
and Judith, who had heard every word
through half-open door. dropped
three stitches to every two she knit
that evening, and had to pull it all out
the next morning.
There came early the next day--the
elms only knew how-a note from
Paul, burning, feverish, passionate.
Judith read it with an instant's
flush, then hesitated, and sent an lev
line back.
She could never marry against her
fathers will.
That night the Strathmore's had a
merry-making. Both went-Paul, an
CRY and reckless; Judith. under her as
sumed GOODNESS, with throbbing and
expectant heart.
Already she had half repented of her
rigid answer. She might have softened
the manner, if not the matter, of it.
She was sick with Impotence to speak
with him.
She declined all invitations to dance.
and waited eagerly till the merry mu-
sic should ring out for the opportuni-
ty.
She knew that he was sullen, for he
had not even spoken to her; but he had
some cause, and it was not bold in her
to seek him out, since she promised
one day to marry him-aye, and
would; and her heart beat high and
fast.
As she thought, the cornet sounded
the call to the floor.
Paul rose quickly and led out Bessie
Strathmore.
Judith drew her breath hard for an
instant, and then turned, with n gay
laugh, to one of the young men near
her:
.Mr. Conway, have you forgotten
you were to dance with me?''
Paul heard the laugh, but not the
words, and looked searchingly into
her face as she came and stood opposite
him.
She smiled haughtily, and when he
took her hand, suffered it to lie cold
and lifeless in his grasp.
Farquhar Conway was hardly the
most brilliant of partners; but if he had
been block, Judith, in her present
mood, would have hung out the flag of
Irritation.
She blushed, she listened admiringly,
she taught the clumsy lout how to hold
her fan and handkerchief, all the time
hating herself for her meanness, and
yet exulting in the consciousness that
PauPs fierce eyes were burning into
her face.
To the most miserable dance succeed
ed more miserable evening. Paul,
raging at heart, and anxious not to be
outdone in folly, drew all eyes upon
himself and Bessie Strathmore. Judith
was frantically gay, and stopped at
nothing.
One moment in all that wretched
time they were alone. Perhaps pity
ing angels drew them there Judith's
heart beat fast, and she trembled from
head to foot. Paul's dark face softened
little, for he could not be near her
without something of the old tender
ness.
''Haye you been kind tonight" he
asked under his breath.
''Have you? half believe my faith
er was right, after ALL returned she,
with true girlish inconsistency, anx-
ious to hide the joy she felt even to be-
reproached.
He dropped her hand as if it had been
viper.
"May | ask you what you mean,
Miss Branthwaitepn His tone and
action aroused Judith's pride in an in
slant.
"You are easily consoled, sir; that
is all. After all, Bessie Strathmore
has almost as many acres as ]. :"
A dark flush leaped up in Paul's face
and he staggered back as if from a
sudden blow.
When he did speak it was in a voice
that she had never heard before.
judith, this strikes at my honor. If
you believe your words, we are strang-
ers from this night
Judith did not believe them. Moth
ing but Heavens testimony could have
shaken her faith in Paul's truth, but
she revolted at the thought of conces-
sion.
He was wrong. 1t was for him to
sue for forgiveness, since he had COM
menced this wretched misunderstand-
ing. She felt that he was seriously,
terribly in earnest; that, perhaps, her
next words would shape and color both
his destiny and hers; and, in the very
face of conviction, answered, with
flippant falsehood:
81 never say what | don't think,
SIR
A spasm contracted Paul's face for
an instant; but he answered only by a
low bow and left her.
The next morning, as she sat under
the elms, wondering how soon he would
come, and what he would say, some-
one passing told her they had just seen
Paul taking the train for the city.
An hour after came package for her
"a book he had promised, on the fly
leaf of which was written:
IAN eternal farewell!''
Time passed on, and old Branthwaite
died. Then Judith began to look and
wait for something. 1t could not have
been Paul; for, though she heard of
him often, prospecting and famous, in
the great city, she had never seen him
or received any token that he remem-
bered her existence.
Still she waited. There never came
knock or quick step up the walk,
but it brought flush to her cheek.
She never peered in the little post
office without an unacknowledged hope
warm at heart.
She was fond of meeting Farquhar
Conway; and all the village thought
that the clumsy. well-meaning fellow
was to be the lucky winner of the girls
heart and fortune