The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-15

afternoon" she added, laughing uervously
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 o garden hat
| and said "Come we will go and look at tho
| flowers; IL will be like o communion with
good and friendly spirits after visitation
OF demons"
Mrs Aliens garden was her pride. There
| all sorts of sweet od-fashioned flowers
| boomed together in rich luxuriance; stih
bachelors buttons, velvety phlox and ver-
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 II their acquaint-
ance had been matter of many years The
barrier Of conventionality 80 suddenly and
and unavoidaby swept away, they were
brought more closely together than they
might have bcen after months Of casual
| meeting.
The family returned at sundown 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, Strangford 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 a dream.
Upon such natures impressions are made
| instantly and indelibly. He required no
| time in which to determine If an acquaint-
| 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 a
desire to read, the Sunday papers or tho
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 sketching
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 a 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 woman is
an unfathomable mystery, and the mani
festation of its impulse as varying as the
effects of anesthetics or intoxicants in diff
ferent temperaments.
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 Quakeress," she ex-
planned, "and find myself still influenced
by the old forms. And there is another
reason that perhaps l may tell you some
no ;..a mas oao ,asU poi1un ~ .ns s. Mollu
foa;,ia,;t,, Lin and ho 0co oaIiod hom Wapat pp"n.
a ,,;..ht S,,aano,saa Gnu n.,,i, " M 90
he. ;,'r,;n;t,v. tha+ sha ,,,aa n,,r;t,, VI ;tso,s
.t,a4 a,in ,,,n. 81, 49, 49,, "an 80.
ona Ill ha ,.n,,, NJ ,,,o,, "" - ''u Nv, tu,
i,na,,,, a,,ary niro,,,,,stomoa of ha, h;,tau
f,,o,,, ah;,ahnod H. hna 49, ", n.,tnt -,
i,,st ,,,hat sha ,,o,,ohsasod th,t ho st",,Ia VIA
know, and did not seek to precpitate an