Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-09-13

afternoon" she added, laughing nervously
as she thrust the wet brushes into the cup
of water where they were usually deposited,
removing the apron which she wore to pro-
tect her dress. She picked up garden hat
and said, ''Come we will go and look at the
| flowers; it viii b. like communion with
good and friendly spirits after visitation
of demons"
Mrs. Aliens garden was her pride. There
all sorts Of sweet old-fashioned flowers
bloomed together in rich lux1riance; stih
bachelors buttons, velvety phlox and YER
benas, mourning bride, love lies bleeding,
and white petunias, above which silvery-
winged moths lowered in the odorous dusk
They strolled up and down the broad,
clean walks talking of many things, with
as much ease and interest as if their acquaint-
ance had been matter of many years. The
barrier of conyentionality so suddenly and
and unavoidably swept away, they were
brought more closely together than they
might have been after months OF casual
meeting.
The family returned at SHUTDOWN and they
then went back into the house. Margaret
introduced Strangford to Mrs. Allen, who
remembered that she had known his mother
and insisted that he should remain until
after supper. Margaret shyly seconded the
invitation, and, though, fearing that he
| might weary her, Strangferd found himself
unable to refuse.
| AS he rode back to Gradon in the moon
| light, he seemed to have lived lifetime,
| and could hardly convince himself that the
whole experience was not dream.
Upon such natures impressions are made
instantly and indelibly. He required no
4 ny
| ance was to be friend or an enemy, or re-
main merely an acquaintance. He seemed
| to have known Margaret Wyatt, however, in
some previous state of existence-ages be-
fore Every word, tone and gesture were
familiar and in exacting promise that she
| would never again remain at the farmhouse
| alone, he felt as if he were re-assuming old
responsibilities that he had temporarily laid
aside
| 1t was friendship from the beginning
and progressed rapidly, the two being
drawn together by common sympathies, or
| by diverse opinions even still more potent
| The Allen farm was not so far from the
| Hester's but that he could ride over almost
| daily on some preteXt; now it was to bring
| her some book which she had expressed
| desire to read, the Sunday papers or the
late magazines. Mrs. Allen was absorbed in
| household affairs and rarely intruded. The
visits were presently extended into walks,
or he accompanied her upon her sketchlng
expeditions in the neighborhood, and on
these occasions usually stretched himself on
| the grass at her feet and read aloud while
she painted.
That he was deeply infatuated he did not
pretend to deny, although he was in pain
full state of doubt concerning her feeling to-
ward him. Her manner was strange
mixture of reserve, of discouraging ease and
frankness which he had supposed no woman
could assume toward a man whom she
| loved. She had shown nothing OF that shy
ness and embarrassment which are COM
monty held to be peculiarly feminine symp-
toms Of the grand passion.
Still, he consoled himself that she was not
| a school girl, but woman of mature years,
thoroughly conversant with the customs OF
the world The heart of such a woman is
an unfathomable mystery, and the mani
festation OF its impulse as varying as the
effects of anesthetics or intoxicants in diff
ferent temporaments.
After that first brief confidence she never
spoke of herself again. She had made one
request which from any other woman
Strangford would have thought peculiar.
She had asked him to call her Margaret.
| "My mother was a QualzereSs," she ex-
planned, ''and l find myself still influenced
by the old forms. And there is another
reason that perhaps l may tell you some
dayn She was the last person in the world
\ to have permitted even a hint of tippant
familiarity, and he called her Margaret as
he might have addressed Athine. He trusted
her implicitly; that she was purity itself,
that she was all that was sweet and true
and noble he knewgas well as if he had
known every circumstance of her history
from childhood. He had been content with
lust what she vouchsafed that he should
know, and did not seek to precipitate an
explanation-a confession he did not once
think it might be-which, for her own good
and sufficient reasons, she had seen fit to
withhold.
In all their talks the subject of marriage
was never touched upon, directly or indl-
rectly. 1t was evidently distasteful Or unin-
teresting to her, and if she had any opinions
she kept them to herself.
The days slipped by unconsciously and
September was near at hand. One after
noon they sat together under the shadow OF
a pine on a hillside, she painting and he
reading, as usual. She looked up and per-
ceived that the valley below them was al
ready in shadow
pardon me for interrupting you" she
said suddenly, sit is growing late and we
must 60 Mrs. Allen will think our friends
the tramps have returned and murdered
us.n Strangford closed the book at once
"And," she continued mechanically, as II
repeating something by note, Il must tell
YOU that return to the South tomorrow
evening, so our pleasant days are at an
end"
Strangford started violently at this moi
wholly unexpected but dreaded announce
ment; his checks flushed under their tan
but he recovered himself with an effort