Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-05-03
CHAPTER XXI.


1t was some little time before either
Nancy or Beautiful Jim could collect their
senses enough to say single word Then
Nancy made q remark which fairly took
Jim's breath away acting on him very
much like pail of iced water might do
on cold and frosty morning -
"Ohl you don't know. I've been nearly
mad" she cried; nearly madl They ell
say you have done it. and then Stuart
wrote"-
What did Stuart writer" he demanded.
sternly
She looked at him half frightened and
with doubtful eyes
Ought to tell you? 1t is all over now
and proved to be a mistake"
IL insist upon knowing" he returned.
harshly
In spite of the anger in his face, the
sunshine broke out over the girls lovely
countenance.
"Ohl my dear. don't put tina. word in
sist' between you and me-" she said,
gently 1T sounds ugly. and it looks
uglicr; but it feels the uglies. Of ell
There is no need of it. for will tell you
if you wish it. without any insisting"
Jim was penitent in q moment
Forgive me. my dearest. he said. be-
seechingly Il have had a good deal to
try me since saw you last. and the worst
of it all was that | wasn't sure that you
cared o button for me. 1t would all have
been so easy if Id only been sure Of
thatl" ..
Nancy gave q great sigh. not entirely a
doleful one. for q distinct thrill of salts
faction ran through il: Il
And was Just tho same As soon as
L 1n f,,1 tI,cx Ia.
had fallen on you-you of all men in the
world-I sat down and wrote to tell ycu
that for one did not and never would
believe it. And r.
"You wrote to me? | never had the
! letter" he broke in. impatiently.
because never sent it. she answered.
| quickly. "I-I-remembered that !
wasn't sure whether you cared abou. me
or not. and the letter I had written was
rather affectionate. and 1t seemed Typo
critical to write o stilted one; and be
sides. couldn't think of anything to say
in such one, or what reason to give for
writing Mt all. And then Stuart wrote,
and-and he seemed SO prcjudiced against
you.. said everybody believed you had
done it. and that so far rs he could see
| there could be no doubt Mt all about it,
and that he was very sorry Id ever met
| you. and all that sort of thing. you know
But still it wasn't that which made me
| not write. for didn't believe word Of
iit-not q word"
t. God bless you for that. my darling. I"
said: poor Jim, passionately. But tell
| me just what it was that kept your sweet
| letter from mer'
| ;,-"Wcll, Stuart said-of course, dare
say it was only gossip that was floating
about in:the regiment at the time" she
added. apologetically; but he said it was
very well known among the officers that
though you and popr Capt. Owen had
always been great friends. that he had
lately cut you out with one OF your
cousins Of whom you were awfully fond.
and that It was undoubtedly this that was
| you were fond Of her that you wouldn't
| care anything about letter from mo-"
Tho young houndi" muttered Jim be
tween his teeth.
| The girl tried to withdraw herself from
! the clasp Of his jealous arms.
"Jim!" she exclaimed.
"Forgive me. dearest" he said. soften
ing instantly. II forgot for the moment
that young Tommy was Your brother
| we don't call him Stuart In the regiment,
| you know" he ended. with . sad smile
but by the unromantic pame Of Tommy;
and it Is rather blow to me to find that
he Of all the fellows has been the ono to
blacken me. and to you"
Il dare say 1t vas only what he heard,
she answered. still clinging to the old
habit Of shielding her boy. though all her
love and sympathy were with Jim.
Jim shook his head
mo. my darling, Tommy knew when he
wrote that to you that was absolutely
innocent. and I'm afraid he trumped up
all the story about my little cousin out Of
his own head and to suit his own ends"
But whyf How could he knowf Then
there II . cousin7" she cried {.
Yes Ihave two cousins, great friends
Of mine, and poor dear Owen was utterly
gone on one Of them" he answered. II
should have bean enchanted II she had
taken him. but she didn't, or rather be
lieve she didn't, for Owen never said
word 70 me o. ! to him about It. 'As'for
To be Continued