Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-06-05

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Briullley started from his abstraction, and
looked at the girls blushing face.
sEh2 What did you say:"
'sI Didn't tell William Jones that you
kissed inc!'
These words seemed to remind the young
man Of the position Of his arm, for LIE hastily
withdrew it. Then the absurdity of the
whole situation appeared to return upon him
and he broke into burst CT boyish laughter
at which his companions face fell once
moro. It was clear that she took Ifs seri,
ously, end dreaded sarcasm.
''Matt," he said, this won't col This
won't do at alp
''What won dog
'sWell-thisr' he answered, rather am
biguously. "You're awfully young, you
know-quite girl, although, SIS you sug-
gested just now, end, as you probably be-
ieve, you may be 'growed up You must
ha-you must look upon me as a sort OF
father, and ell that sn-FFi IF thine"
you're TOO young to be my father" an.
swered Matt, ingenuorsiy.
"Well, say your big brother. I'm inter
ested in you, Matt, very much interested
and should really like to get to tho bottom
of the mystery about you; but we must not
forget that werewolf, almost strangers,
you know. Besides" he added, laughing
again cheerily, "you are engaged to be mar
ried, some day, to gentleman of fortune"
Matt sprang up, with heaving bosom end
flashing eyes.
s'No, 7 ain't!' she said. tIhate hin1r'
tHate the beautiful Monk, Of MonksllrTstl
Monk the beneGcent! Monk the sweet
spokenl Impossible!'
eyes, I hate him, cried Matt; s'and-and
and when he kissed me it made mo sick"
t'What, did hes Actuallys Kissed YOUR
AS he spoke the young man actually felt
that he should like to assault the redoubtabIe
Monk.
eyes, he kissed me-once. If he kisses me
again I'll stick something into him, OF scratch
his face.1
And Matt looked black as thunder, and set
her pearly teeth angrily together.
''Sit down again, MattI'
81 shan't-if you laugh"
ooh, I'll behave myself. Comel''-and he
added, as she returned to her place, 'did it
make you sick when kissed you?"
He was playing with fire. The girls face
changed in moment, her eyes melted, her
lips trembled, and all her expression became
inezpressibly soft and dreamy. Leaning
gently toward him she dropped her eyes, and
then, seeing his hand resting on his knee, she
took it in hers, and raised it to her lips.
II should like to marry you," she said,
and blushing, rested her cheek against his
shoulder!
Now, our hero of the caravan was true
hearted young fellow and q man of honor,
and his position had become extremely en-
barrassing. He could no longer conceal from
himself the discovery that he had made an
unmistakable impression on MATHS unsophis-
ticated heart. Hitherto he had looked upon
her as a sort of enfaiat terrible, a very rough
diamond; now he realized. with a Shock OF
surprise and self-reproach, that she pos
sessed, whether ''growed up" OF not much of
the susceptibility of grown-up young ladies.
1t was clear that his duty was to disenchant
her as speedily as possible, seeing that the
discovery Of the hopelessness OF her attach
ment might, if delayed, cause her no little
unhappiness.
In the meantime he suffered her to nestle
to him. He did not like to shake her off
roughly, Or to say anything unlzind. He
glanced round into her face; the eyes were
still cast down and the cheeks were sufused
with a warm, rich light, which softened the
great freckles and made her complexion look,
according to the image which suggested itself
to his mind, like a nice ripe pear. She was
certainly very pretty. He glanced down at
her hands, which rested in her lap, and again
noticed that they were unusually delicate
and small. Her foot, which he next in
spected, he could not criticise, for the boots
she wore would have been a good tit for Will
liam Jones. But the whole outline of her
figure, in spite of the hideous attire she wore,
was fine and symmetrical, and altogether-
His inspection was interrupted by the girl
herself. Starting as if from delightful
trance, she sprang to her feet and cried:
II can't stop no longer. I'm going"
stBut the picture, Matt~ said Brinkley,
rising also. ashanti I finish it to-day?'
81 can't wait, William Jones wants to
send me a message over to fencrees, and if I
don't go he'll scolda
every well, Matt.H
'But I'll come" she said, smiling, to-mor-
row; and I'll come in my Sunday clothes,
| somehow"
s'Don't trouble. On reflection, think you
look nicer as you are"
She lifted up her hat from the ground and