Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-02
THE ROCK BY THE SEA.

How absurdly disagreeable you can make
yourself, Jack. But therein not going to
quarrel with you. How much longer are you
going to keep me up to abuse meg and Ruby
laughed aloud in her usual saucy, tantallzing
manner Jack looked at her, his face as black
as a thunder cloud. on which was written
a stern determination. but she was in no way
appalled, by it. On the contrary, she looked
at him gayly and carelessly, as if she were
perfectly Indifferent to him or his moods
Miss Howard he began, Miss How
ard" she mmicked mockingly; since when
prayi How ceremonious we grow, to be
sure"
He resumed, as If she had not interrupted
him; 81 will not detain you but moment
longer. While am convinced that at the
present time you are perfectly heartless
owing more to the unhappy way of your
bringing up and to the influences and fash
ions of society than to natural hardness of
heart oh thanks, thanks awfully,
you are too good" she broke in again, laugh
ingly 1t was all as good as a burlesque to
her accustomed as she was to lovers rant
ings Il am as firmly convinced" he went
on. in so calm tone that it should have
warned her that this meant more than an or
binary tiff, that YOU love NE, but, with
your natural perverseness, will neither &C
knowledge it to yourself nor me"
As he said this-with an air of a Judge
pronouncing sentence on some unhappy pris
oner-with his gray eyes fixed on her face
with the sternest gaze they were capable Of
in spite of herself the bloom on her soft,
round cheek deepened to a bright red, and
for an instant her saucy, mocking eyes fell
before his transient smile passed over his
gloomy face at this evidence of his power and
left 1t even gloomier than before As he re-
garded the lovely, half shy face before him
he commenced again bitterly; And why
will you not yield to that love and make US
both happyi will tell you. You do not
wish to be tied TO one, to receive the love and
homage of one is not to your taste Oh, no;
not for years to come If | would wait pa
tiently, and in the meantime be always ready
to dance attendance on your whims, not no
ticing any one else, and always keeping in
the background when desirable Irritation
came up, then, perhaps, If you didn't meet
some one you preferred to me, after keeping
me In suspense all that time, you might gra-
ciously condescend to marry me. But | de-
cline to become the slave Of any woman,
and, as much as lore you. am going to
leave you forever"
"Ha, har' and her sweet, low laugh rang
out like q chime Of silvery bells. TT plot
thickens Ple-se go on; it is as lovely as a
play"
Il know and feel" said Jack, earnestly.
that we are especially suited to each other,
and believe that in time you will realize the
truth of what say and will regret me, even
as regret you now-but no more I've al
ready said too much-more than | intended.
Good-by,r and with deep bow he turned
and left.
Well. Of all things ste murrnured.
''Foreverl Fudge III see him tomorrow
on the promenade the same as usual He is
delicious | do like him the best when he as
serts himself He is grand when be gets en-
ragged He looks 50 stern and glares so, and
is so unapproachahle that am almost afraid
of him-the darling. II don't look out he
will end in making me marry him before the
season is over. Of course l shant marry
any one else, but I'm not going to hurry my
self; there's plenty time" After which sage
conclusion she went up to her room in gay
spirits, thinking Of the good time she would
have in making up with Jack as she bad done
a number Of times before.
The next day Miss Ruby failed to meet
Jack as usual In fact a week passed, and in
all that time be bad not called She had
missed his presence from ball and opera and