Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-12

1e had not felt her hand linger in his own.
he had not seen sudden blush dye her cheek
Is he drew near. Ho had not caught those
'arnest gray eyes fixed upon him with mean
ng which lovers readily guess. 1t was per
laps the very absence Of anything approach
ng coquetry and encouraging which to Frank
lad made the girl so well worth the winning
Nevertheless, there was something-he
ould not dared not Notwithstanding
her manner, more especially during tho
asst few days, which had, well, to say the
east, been OF great comfort to him. He
ancied, it may have been but fancy, there
vas change in the way in which she spoke
O him-perhaps in the way in which she
ooked at him. Yes, there must have been
emsthing, for, although he did not put the
bought into words, Carruthers knew that
lad Beatrice been the same to him AZ in the
arly days of their acquaintance, no love OF
MS, however dominant, could have forced
him to put the question he had just put with
such a sorry, and, it may be, Unforeseen re-
suit. Tho mans half cynical exterior hid
proud and sensitive nature Had hope been
entirely absent he would not have barred
his heart to the woman he loved best in tho
world.
Even in the first bitterness Of defeat he did
not blanc hor. That nil was ended and over
bewilderment. He could not understand it i;
could see no reason for this summary and
without-appeal rejection Of his love.
81 must 60 and think it all over he NUT
tered. 81 can't think here, in this room where
the perfume Of her dress still lingers'
He stopped and picked up flower which
must have fallen from her dress. He took q
glove which was lying on the piano.
"What q lovcler love lie" he said grimly I;
Zone laughs at the idotic proceedings Of
others, and when ones own time comes does
| just tho same A Clovcl A f1owerl Conven-
tional emblems, lacking even originality.
What fool am!'
Nevertheless he kept them both, and no
doubt derived us much comfort from them as
the possession of such things is supposed to
give.
After this he took his hat, and. forgetting
all about the dinner-partv, went out into the
garden to think. In spite Of his assumed
calm he must have bcon strongly moved, for
he commenced his operation OF thinking by
digging biz heel into tho immaculate gravel
path 50 vlciOlisly that the ln'ge roller was
needed for half an lour tho next morning in
order to smooth matters down. Then,
ashamed Of this burst Of passion, he walked
down to the bottom Of the garden, and re-
himself on seat and strovo to account for
what had happened, and to determine its re-
suit so far as his own future was concerned
But think as he would, and we may pre-
sumo his brain was u clever and able one,
Mr.. Carruthers could only get t. three con
illusions, unsatisfactory when taken singly
and, Of course, trebly so in the aggregate
Firstly, he was more in love with Boetrict
than ever. Secondly, he could nov under
stand why she had refused him. Thirdly
having once asked n woman to be his wife
nothing would induce him to rcrcst The
question.
"No won't grovel " said Frank. "Mos
fellows seem to grovel when they ara in love
Hang it, l won't! I'll be original in tina
respect il have to cut my heart out
These remarks were Of course applicable t.
conclusion number three-a conclusion a
which love always laughs. Given proude
man than MIR. Carrp;Eers, and az honclessl,
in love with wopan, that woman, if sh
wished, might have u fresh declaration OF un
dying passion every week in the year. oh
yes-all lovers can "Crovel' If needs be.
By and by a curious whim seized this par
ticular lover. He would go down and SO
Sylvanus Mordle. Not that he wished to I'LL
bosom his woes to the curata-that would b
seemed certain grim propriety in sockin
and sitting with the other man who Was row
ing in the same boat, or, to put it POLITICALLY
the man whose bark Of joy had been wrecke
upon the same rock as his own. Besides
Mordle would be sure to talk about Mis-
Clauson-he always did. what fool
am!' said Frank more bitterly than ever
Nevertheless, he walked down TO the curate
lodgings.
Mr.. Mordlo lodged in one OF a row of ne,
houses which sanguine builder had crecte
on plot OF ground not far from the church
When these houses were first built the villal
CTS expressed thar wonder as to who woul
, inhabt them. They were red brick hous,
: with freestone dressing-the kind Of house
! classified as 'genLeel" residences. AS sucl
they were cut above the villagers, an
many cuts-quite a cash, in fact-baiow til
are empty to this day the builder has cease
to wonder at the villagers wonder.
When Frank was shown into his ROOF
: Mordle jumped up and greeted him cheerful,
"HalloN' no jcrked out. you herei VIII,
what's upy'
II only came for a smoke and chat"
Thought you hadevcry one-all the swell
up at the house tonight
! Frank started. II quite forgot Them"
said with lack Of caution unusual to him.
Forgot theml How shocked Horace wi
below grieved Herbert. No matter. He,
y you are"
Whilst speaking tho curate hustled abou
lie opened drawer, took out a box of cigar
. then shut the drawer with a bang He penC
a cupboard, took out bottle OF whisky, the
! slammed the cupboard door. He slapped Il
= cigars, the whisky, Il water bottle and gla
u on the table in front OF Frank and waite
for him to help himself.
But Mr.. Carruthers sat silent and motto
II less He was looking at Mordle, who w
u still bronzed by the sun, and seemed to be
!, an aggressively rude state Of health l
. wondered if the curate felt as wretched VIII,
!, Beatrice refused him as he, Frank Carruther
u did at that moment. If so, and il Sylvan
had really conquered his disappointment,
was more Of man than his visitor, and
u such entitled to respect. He got so deep in
u these speculations that he did not notice Il
70 curate's curious glances.
= "Look hero, Carruthers,n said Mordl