The Penn's Grove record., 1885-05-16

'sNot until YOU have answered me-"
And the love that has flushed his face
is giving place to a hard set expression.
IL will answer nothing so absurd.
Row me back at once"
81 have said l will! not-and 1 won't
you give me an answer, says
Dennis. wondering at his broken allie
glance almost as much as Maggie does.
This audacity and resistance on the
of her usually tTactable knight
rouses Maggie's anger. Her gray eyes
darken and fash 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 you. Love you, a lad who from
the lowest place in my fathers office,
through kindness and much indulgence,
rose to be my fathers clerkP You for
get your position, MI. Lynnel Take me
back, if you please"
81 will, " answers Dennis, resuming
his former place, and shipping the SOULS;
ssbut first let me tell you that you are a
cold heartless flrt, and that think you
will live to repent what you have just
said
The lads face is altered, and so is his
voice; Miss Lorton is frightened.
81 am not a hirti'' she says imperi-
ously. 81 have ley encouraged your
"1hen why have you been so cruelty
kind to me all these yearsP" he asks bit
terly. "Why have you let me come
day after day, and seemed glad when l
came and sorry when | left you? Why
do you treat me with more familiarity
than any of tAe other fellows that come
dangling after your"
My father wished me to be kind TO
you, when he brought you to us years
ago; and | thought you would under
stand.n
Then | have been fooled; and you
are a cruel coquette, Maggie"
81 am notl" cries Maggie Indignantly.
''Row me homel'
Without another word the souls are
dipped into the water, and, saving for
their monotonous 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
81 the queen and her attendant sprite
are apparently sunk i'll 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 Denniss
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 a low firm voice. I'm spite OF your
scorn, | will win you yet"
ST believe you wish to insult meP'
she gasps angrily, %snatching away her
hand.
mo; but while we both live, and you
are unmarried, | will not give up hope"
Maggle'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 a 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 DennisI 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
itatlons relapse into bewilderment, for
the present experience of Dennis has
oyerthrown every previn's estimate Of
his character.
whats come to Dennis Lynne,
Thomas?" says good commonplace Mrs.
Lorton.
The family are at breakfast; and Mrs.
LOTIONS ample form, clad In a Brilliant
ly-colored morning gown, presides over
her husbands handsomely-appointed
table. There is a little frightening of
the color in Maggie's cheeks as she list
ems very attentively for the answer,
though apparently u~nconcerned.
"Eh-Dennis LynneY" says Mr.. Lor-
ton absently, raising his eyes for a mo-
ment from the letter he is reading.
"Nothing. What should come to him2''
"Well his behavior is odd, seeing that
he used to be here so 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 and altered and wouldn't
stop a moment VIXEN he heard you were
OUT
Ellis head is full of something of
more consequence than women's rub,
Dish" says Mr.. Lorton, folding his let
tiers methodically and placing them
carefully in the breast-poeket of his coat.
sit can't be said but it's aplace of great
he continues ruminatingly; 'but
| think Pm in the right to give it him.
Besides, the lad told me himself he
wanted to go abroad"
"Abroadi.' calculates Maggie.
'I'n do well by the boy for his
fathers sake. 1t was through cid Peter
Lynne | got my foot to the ball; and
IN 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"
Claws. Thomas, is n obliged TO go
OUT VI JuC COultig W gcI OnF l. uOu I
like the notion of sending poor Dennis
among those nasty foreigners. Ideclare
l never felt at home a day all the time
we were in France-and the Germans
are worSe.o
Snow, Mary, who's talking of France?
You women neve understand business,
and never will as long as you live.
You're alwaysrunning off double quick,
and banging your heads up against some
stone wall or other
sob, very Welt It's a blessed thing
for you there are some things we've a
good notion of, Mr.. Lorton, or you'd
often come badly of, says Mrs. Lor-
ton, rising and ret ring with grace
and the last word.
1--WE had it in my mind w since
poor Kendall died, says Mr.. LOrton,
when he and Maggie are alone.
Then l suppose he viii be going to
York?'' ~interrogates Maggie.
"I've no son of my own,and always
wanted to behave handsomely by Dennis
if ne turned out anything like what l
hoped. | believe he's a good fellow,
and a steady fellow. l liked the look
of him from the first; and, if | can, III
keep him from following his brothers.
g.,E ,.,I .r,saar T., 1ka Ios.aa -