Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-30

| sun, and when he entered the pines that
surrounded the school house, they had
| scarcely vet lost their splcey heat. The
moon, riding high, filled the dark aisles
! with delicious twilight that lent itself
/ to his waking dreams. II was not long
! before to morrow he could easily man.
! age to bring her here in the grove at re
cess, and would speak with her there. 1t
| did not occur to him what he should say,
| or why he should say 1t 1t did not occur
to him that he had no other provocatlon
| than her eyes, her conscious manner, her
| eloquent silence, and her admission that
she had expected him. 1t did not occur to
| him that all this was Inconsistent with
what he knew Of her entecedents, her
| character, and her habits II was this
verg inconsistency that charmed aud con-
! WINGED him. We are always on the look
out for these miracles Of passion. We
may doubt the genuineness of affection
that is first hand, but never OF one that is
transferred.
He approached the school-house aud I'M
| locking the door closed it behind him, not
| so much to keep out human intrusion as
the Invasion of bats and squirrels. The
| nearly vertical moon, VIII lie it perfectly lit
| the playground and openings in the pines
| around the house, left the interior in dark
ness, except the reflection upon the cell.
| ing from the shining gravel without.
| Partly from n sense OF precaution and
partly because be was familiar with the
! Il light, and reached his own desk uuer-
ringly, drew his chair before it and I'M
locked it, CROPPED in it's dark Tecesses for
the myrtle spray, felt its soft silken bind
ing with an electrical thrill, drew it out,
| and in the security of the darkness, raised
it &c his lips
To make room for it in his breast pocket
| he was obliged to take out his letters
among then the well worn one lie had
tried to read that morning. a mingling
Of pleasure and remorse came over him as
he felt that it was already of the past,
and as he dropped it carelessly into the
empty desk il fell with a faint, hollow
sound as il it were ashes to ashes.
What was that
The noise of steps upon the gravel,
light laughter. the moving of two or three
shadows on the ceiling, the sound of
voices, aman's child's, and hers
4. Could it be possible Was not he mis-
taken No the mans voice was Mas
ters', the child's, Octayia's the woman 3,
hers.
He remained silent in the shadow. The
school-room was not far from the trail
where she would have had to pass going
home from the ball But why had she
come there had they seen him arrive
and were mischevously watching him {?
But the sound of Cressy's voice and the
lifting of the unprotected window near
the door convinced him to the contrary.
There, that'll do, Now you two can
step aside. 'Tave take him over TO yon
fence, and keep him there till l get in.
No--thanll you, sir-I can assist myself.
I've done it before. Itain't the first time
I've been through this window, is it,
'Tave ?"
Ford's heart stopped beating. There
was moment Of laughing eXpostulaton,
the sound of retreating voices, the sudden
darkenng of the window, the billowy
sweep of skirt, the faint quick flash OF q
little ankle and Cressy McKinstry swung
herself into the room and dropped lightly
on the floor.
She advanced eagerly up the moonlit
passage between the two rows of benches.
Suddenly she stopped the master rose at
the same moment with outstretched warn
ing hand to check Theory of terror he felt
sure would rise to her lips But he did
not know the lazy nerves of the girl be
fore him. She uttered no cutlery. And
even in the faint dim light he could see
only the same expression of conscious
understanding come over her face that he
had seen in the ballroom, mingled with {
vague JOY that parted her breathless lips.
AS he moved quickly forward their hands
met ; she caught his with quick signiti
cant pressure and darted back to the win
dow.
Yes" ave VERY '""s '''u'S'
"You two had better wait for me at tn,
edge of the tail yonder, and keep a lool
OUT LOT lOlhS gong DN. lJOH L leu JHetu SCI
, you hanging round SO near. DO you hear
/ I'm all right"
With her hand still mealingly lifted
she stood gazing at the two figures unit
they slowly receded toward the distan
trail. Then she turned as he approached
her, the reflection of the moonit roaC
, striking up INTO her shining eyes and cage
waiting face. A dozen questions wer
upon his lips, dozen replies were read
upon hers. But they were never uttered
for the next moment her eyes half closed
she leaned forward and fell-into kiss
, She was the first to recover, holding hi
,, face in her hands. turned toward thu
: moonlight, her own in passionate shadow
! Listen" she said quickly. They thinl
| came here to look tor something left il
my desk. They thought it high fun t
l come with me-these two. / did come [
look for something-not in my desk, bu
: yours"
"Was it this ?" he whispered, taking tn
> MYRTLE from his breast. She seized i
> with light cry, putting it first to her lip
: again between her soft palms, she turne
> it to the window and said Look at ther
and not at me-"
He did so-seeing the two figures slowl
walking in the trail. And holding he
there firmly against his breast, it SCENE
o blasphemy IS ask the question that ha
u been upon his lips.
: THAT'S not all, " she nurmured, moyin
{ his face backward and forward to her liz
= as if it We're something TO which she wa
/ giving breath. when we came to tn
+ woods felt that you would be here"
And feeling that, you brought him
!, said Ford, drawing back.
u why not ?" sne replied indolently
:, Gwen if he had seen you, could HAY
{ managed to have you walk home wit
/ me-"
But do you think it's quite fair? Woul
: he like it
e "Would he like it ?" she echoed lazily.
u Greasy" said the young man earnestl
: gazing into her Swallowed face "Hav
s you given him any right to object? l.
y you understand me p
e She stopped as if thinking. "Do yo
want me TO call him in 2" she said quietl,
i but without the least trace of archness
{. coquetry "Would you rather he wei
y here-or shall we go ont now and met
u him III say you just came as was &,
l. ing out"
E. What should he say "Cressy ?" /
y he asked almost CURLY. "Do you 10y
" me-"
% 1t seemed such a ridiculous thing to as
n holding her thus in his arms, If it wei
y true; it seemed such villainous questio