Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-05-20

do ! forgetp l wish | could ~ he
says, with bitter little smile.
Row me back" orders Maggie i'm
periously.
mot until you have answered me. ,,
ANA the love that has flushed his face
IS giving place To hard set expression.
Il VIII answer nothing so absurd.
Row me back at once"
Il have said | will nOt-and / won't
until you give me an answer" saws
Dennis, wondering at his broken allie
glance almost as much as Maggie does.
This audacity and resistance on the
part of her usually tractable knight
rouses Maggie's anger. Her gray ewes
darken and flash scornfully. Words
burst from her lips which, when too
late, she would give much to recall.
Then, If you will have it, | do not
love yon. Love you, a lad who from
the lowest place in my fathers office,
through kindness and much indulgence,
rose to he my fathers clerk? You for
get your position, Mr., Lynnel Take me
back, if you please"
81 will, " answers Dennis, resuming
his former place, and shipping the sculls:
but first let me tell you that you are a
cold heartless filrt, and that think you
VIII live to repent what you have just
said
The lads face is altered, and so is his
voice; Miss LortOn is frightened.
Il am not fiirti' she says imperi-
OuSly. 81 have never encouraged you'll"
Then why have you been SO cruelty
KIND TO me all these yearS?" he asks bit
terly. why have you let me come
day after day, and seemed glad when /
came and sorry when | left you? Why
do you treat me with more familiarity
than any of the other fellows that come
dangling after yoa?"
My father wished me to be kind TO
| YOU, when lie brought you to us years
ago; and | thought you would under
| stand"
Then l have been fooled; and you
| are cruel cOquette, Maggie
Il am nOtl" cries Maggie Indignantly.
Row me hOmel'
Without another word the sculls are
I dipped into the water, and, saving for
their mCnOtOnOus splash, the little bark
steals through the twilight shadows in
| grim silence. For the sun has set, the
fairy palace is dissolved, and the soul
OF the queen and her attendant sprite
are apparently sunk in gloom as deep as
that which is falling around them.
They reach the wooden landing-steps
at last, and Maggie is Obliged TO rest
her hand in the broad palm of Denni..
to enable her to land. He holds it a
moment after she has stepped from the
boat.
81 do not give up, Maggie he says
IN low firm voice. ''In spite of your
scorn, l will win you yet"
81 believe you wish to insult melr
she gasps angrily, snatching away her
hand.
"NO; but while we both live, and you
are unmarried, will not give up hope"
MaggIe's pride can stand no more.
She hurries into the house, gains her
own room, and, shutting the door,
bursts into a passion of sobs and tears
the source of which lies in complexity
of feelings she herself cannot analyze.
Foremost comes the sense of irritation
and anger towards Dennis. And now,
mingling with her indignation, comes
the remembrance of how she had re-
ceived the confession of the infatuated
youth. Hot tears flow afresh.
Poor Dennisl How despicable, how
narrow-minded she must have appeared
She had not thought herself capable of
such meanneSs. She might have crushed
his hopes in words that would not have
left behind them this intolerable feeling
of shame and dissatisfaction. But had
she crushed them? Here Maggie's cog
itatIons relapse into bewilderment, for
the present experience of Dennis has
overthrOwn every previous estimate of
his character.
"What's come to Dennis Lynne,
ThOmas?" says geod commonplace Mrs.
LOTtOn.
The family are at breakfast; ard Mrs.
LOrJon's ample form, clad IN Brilliant
ly-colored morning gown, presides over
her husbands handsomely-appOinted
table. There is a little heightening of
the color in Maggie's cheeks as she list
ems very attentively for the answer,
though apparently unCOncerned.
''Eh-Dennis Lynne?' says Mr.. Lor-
ton absently, raising his eyes for a mo-
ment from the letter he is reading.
Nothing What should come to him?"
"Well, his behavior is odd. seeing that
he used to be here 50 often. He hasn't
been in the house but once these two
weeks-and then he was so short with
Maggie and me-wasn't he, Maggie?-
quite queer ard altered and wouldn't |
stop moment when he heard you were
out"
ssHis head is full of something Of
more consequence than women's rub
bish," says Mr.. LortOn, folding his let
tiers methOdically and placing them
carefully in the breast-pocket of his coat. |
at can't be said but it's a place of great |
trust, ;, be continues ruminatingly; ''but |
think Pm in the right to give it him.
Besides, the lad told me himself he
wanted to go abroad"
"Abroadr' calculates Maggie.
"I'n do we'll by the boy for his
fathers sake. 1t was through cid Peter |
LYNNE | got my foot TO the ball; and |
III see his son has a chance of getting |
his foot to the ball tOo-and then it'll |
be his own fault if he doesn't keep it |
rolling"
ssI.aws. Thomas, is one obliged to go |
out of the country to get on! L don't |
ike the notion of sending poor Dennis |
among those nasty foreigners. l declare
| never felt at home day all the time |
we were in France-and the Germans
are worse.
Snow, Mary, who's talking of Francer
You women never understand business, |
and never will as long as you live. |
You're always running off double quick, |
and banging your heads up against some
stone wall or other"
s'Oh, very WE'LL It's a blessed thing |
for you there are some things we've
good notion of, Mr.. LOrton, or you'd
often come badly off" says Mrs. Lor-
ton, rising and retiring with grace
aud the last word.
"I,ye had it IN my mind ever since
moor Kendall died" says Mr.. Lorton,
when he and Maggie are alone.
"Then | suppose he will be going TO
New York;" interrogates Maggie.
n 4