Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-01

4
/ people that about here they hint that Pm
] not farmer. In other words, l don't
| know beans. But grapes-I fancy know
! grapes, and Pm glad to find an unpreiu-
/ diced subject. Try the experiment, Mr..
March"
he said many more things in his
4 snrewd, smiling way as they walked
about.
Mrs. EchOls joined Constance when
/ they encountered her, and went about
with her for a time, but presently re-
turned to the party which March was
/ leading back TO his own residence.
THIS ancient dwelling was decorated
/ with piazza like enough Mr.. EchOls' to
. have been the product Of the same mould,
and when ne had seen his visitors seated
I upon II, March left them in the cOmpr-
| tent care of Lincoln and went to find Con-
stance. lie met her coming out of one Of
the cottages.
i hope you have been making excuses
| for us. " he said.
There is not so much need as l fan
| cIed," returned she. but there are ever
so many things tO'be done. You can't
! think"
''Ive heard" he said, smiling.
They walked slowly toward the house.
Not the unabridged version" she ar
! swered, confidently. They wouldn't tell
il all to a man, even if they could remem-
Der it. l can't recall everything myself
/ even now. There is 50 much-nO man
could have an idea. think / shall have
to come again and make a list of the
| things they have. That would be quite
simple"
Come again. anyway" he said.
Never fear! 1 shall come often enough.
/ am greatly Interested"
You cannot come too often" said
I March, earnestly.
! III l can do any good. No."
81 hope you will come for something be-
sides the good you may do"
For my own enjoyment? l am afraid
/ l shall. l really think / shall find pleas
ure in the work"
Il had looked forward to your coming
tor another purpose besides-a less selfish
one"
''Oh, that is what l told you. 1t seems
as if l could never do anything Altogether
generous. l need some good solid, selfish
1 foundation. / feel at home when l can
have that"
NV dear Miss Van Cleef, we are all
so. But that is not what meant"
"What did you mean"
Now that he was brought to the neces-
sity of saying it outright ne was seized
with a curious hesitancy. Their talk had
always been singularly free from the per-
sOnai cast. At least, until the night in
/ the cemetery, il lad only remotely
| brushed it. 1t was true that tlev had
| often talked of themselves, but it had
/ been from a secure distance; they mad
+ looked down impartially from a pinnacle
I and corded their impressions. What he
IN ant 10 say would not, he felt, have
! seemed important at this beginning of
/ tteir acquaintance. But their habit had
! been established, and now it was rich in
{ implication. And at length he found that
I he could not say az that ne intended, and
/ flied the gap with:
II had hoped you would come little
! for the pleasure Of the Lord Proprietor"
/ He spoke ia Il low voice which, do what
/ he would, was full of meaning. A fleet
| ing expression halted abruptly on her
| face, and she glanced quickly toward him.
| Then:
/ y suppose you know, Mr.. March, that
/ those poor women have no washboards ?"
XVII.
/ March stood upon the portico and
I th0ughtfully watched them ride away.
/ Then he came to where Lincoln was sit
/ ting and flung himself into a chair beside
him. lie began 10 beat the sides of il ner-
vously with his hands. March was ordi-
narily so cain that his restlessness attract
ed LiucOln's eye.
WI is it, March?'
ITS long story"
That is what you said yesterday wnen
l asked about Miss Van Cleers trans
/ gressiOn. You were speaking of some
| thing of the sort"
We'll, they are the same thing"
/ Lincoln smoOthed his lips musingly and
/ looked at his companion.
You give me credit for great deal OF
penetration" he sad.
| "HOw's thatE'
Il suppose you think l understand. 1
/ dOn't.'
March smiled.
! ~ bod no 40, vot, ,tudarstood Idor.t
/ myself"
/ well, then. 1 don't even understand
/ what you are trying to understand"
| You know that YOU will. You believe
/ that can have no reason for refusing to
/ tell you anything worth whllep
/ HIS face was full of the friendship to
/ which they did not give clearer express
NV dear felIowV" exclaimed Lincoln,
| impulsively, as he grasped his hand.
s'YOu see,' said March, as he finished
J his story, what 4 cheap position it leaves
| upon my hands"
! You couldn't have known"
No; but l needn't have been an ass"
/ 81 don't see how that is"
/ 1t was supererOgation to tell her that
| l didn't care for her.
! "Weil. YOU didn't. You wouldn't have
! had yourself kneeling and calling the
| gods to witness, would youY
Il might have SAID less. l need not
| have insisted on my Indifference"
MY dear fellow, you are trying to con-
| vince me that you made it seem like con-
1 ierring a favor. You must remember, L
1 didn't meet you yesterday"
/ DON'T, don't, Lincoln! Your friendly
/ imagination makes it worse. That is
! Just what did,"
/ And as if that wasn't bad enough.
| Eve no doubt / showed her that l felt it
was the gentlemauly thing"
'sWell, it was, and that is where you
/ have got to take your stand"
1T was unnecessary to let her see
! what prompted me, however you dress up
! the motive itself. / suppose you admit
that"
sSee here, March, l don't admit any
| thing. | wasn't there, and don't know
{ what you said, but am as clear as though
/ 1 had taken il down in shorthand that you
said nothing ungentlemanly, or that you
ought to be repenting Of"
s'Said, 1t was my manner. She must
have thought me a brute"
'Tye no doubt she did, returned LIN
( coin. with JUNCTION, land that is the rea-
/ son She has treated you with such I'M
! common consideration ever since. She
likes the race"
DO you think so, LjncOlny Tell me;
has it seemed so to yOu"
HOW 40 kHoNF uOH Gu4hh 9AS
dIslikes YOU"
March rose and walked up and down
the pOrticO with nervous strides, He
! paused suddenly before Lincoln.
Its a cOXcOmbs fancy, but l really
| believe l am not Indifferent to her. She
lets me do things; sne seems willing
| should be with her."
well, what more do you want? You
/ don't expect girl like that TO wear her
I baart IN her SlQaVpfN
mo, no. that's true. 1 should never
4 know any more than negatively from her
! manner if l went on until dOOm'S day.
She isn't girl who keeps her doors open.
| That is what | admired in her from the
I first"
eyes" said Lincoln, kindly.
He mad always felt that it was one of
! the offices of friendship to listen patient
ly to the lovers rhapsOdies OF ones
friends.
And if. as you seem TO think, she has
forgiven that cruel afrOnt to all her
maiden pride 1t is only the mercifulness
that have always felt in her"
Il didn't say she fOrgave it. That isn't
the word. She didn't believe you"
! "LincOlnlv
Yes. l mean It. 4 girl with her intui-
tions, with her imagination, could not
/ have avoided seeing what you were able to