The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-08-07
FEMININE STRATEGY.
CHAPTER L.


He had been telling her all he had TO tell.
and now she stood there quite STILL neither
by word nor glance vouchsaing the answer
Tor which he pleaded.
Il must know the best or the worst.
Chr istine. he whispered. Speak to me.
darling"
She started violently, and viva color
rushed TO her cheeks. Her broad garden
hat hid that. but it could not shut out the
Sigh which died away in a low. half sob.
< am sorry If i give you pain. she said,
softly. so softly that the words came al
most in murmur. but l can not be your
wife"
Il understand" with short, hard laugh
you will not. Pray. be frank"
At tn she silently removed Ter glove and
held out her hand. soft white hand il was
and one little finger was encircled by heavy
band of gold.
MARRIED."
Not vet And Miss Illerton's voice grew
nrmer now. L am engaged 10 Arthur
Cover"
Her companion was tall. dark man.
with a sunDurnt face and a heavy mustache
aud honest brown eyes. evidently not the
man to D3 easily OVercOms by any paSsin =
emotion. yet now he fairly stagg red be-
meath the blow her words had dealt: so
when he spoke again il was with a calm
desperation.
Forgive me" said he; Il have had so
many hopes that
WY did you not write to mc?" she inter
irupted, turn NJ upon him sharply.
i waited TO tell you. l was "a tool. that il
alt"
Let us have done with folly com
menced Chtlst ne. almost YEARLY. %hen.
with sudden. pass onate outDut st-"Ahl !
why need you have done this? Could you
not see? could you not unde stakdT
Now he u-ht her outstretched hands.
and, holding her in his arms, pressed
her close upon his breast. For one Ii tie
moment tho poor lips quiVered benoath
rain Of kisses. for one little moment only;
'then. adroitly reeing herself. she said but
this:
Go now. Ralph
~Christine!"
Go" she epeated; 1T is too late; under
stand me-too latel / shall marry Arthur
Cover. and would not do otherwise now.
even ii / could"
And so. quitting the deep shadow OF the
willows. never looking back Miss Illerton
walked down the garden path. her d inty
white gown iluttering in the morning
breeze, uer whittier face hard and fixed and
strangely stern.
Some one met her as she crossed the
hail
Where is Mr.. Gresham. ChristineG-
Gone"
Are you i'll. dear2"
No; / Will be down presently. Clara.
passing on quickly.
This abruptness would have offended al
most any otner woman, but Clara Nolney.
being unlike almost any other woman.
simply turned away, panied pitifulness
easily read in the troubled glance Of her
blue eyes.
She stood leaning against the doorway.
Just little tinge OF color in her cheeks,
her slender little fingers mechanically
threading an unruly yellow curl. when Miss
lilcrton sharply called to her from the gal
lery above.
-Claral'
Yes. dear"
Il want YOU"
Obedient Clara was presently in hor
cousins chamber. listening TO "A half con-
fession horn OF self rebuks and a wild
yearning for some word OF tender consola-
zion.
We have no secrets from each other
have We. ClaraY commenced Miss Horton
NO, none.
From the tfme-so long ago!-when my
poor father disd-from the moment when
he put your hand IN mine. and babe Us love
each other, not as cousins only but as
sisters dear. have l ever. by word or decd.
put that last counsel to shame. Clara
Never. Christine.
Think again"
Never" reiterated the girl.
1T is falsel" cried Miss Illertou her
cheeks ablaze now; L have wron sed you
by n foolish silence; ] have insuited the
dead by willful disob 'dicnce In nothing
have l acted like n sister; a sister would
nhNt EOub ~ YOU Hntl = va = nara. L nave
promised 10 be Arthur Covers wi e: this
ring / wear is the token OF love: | am
happy. share my content That is what a
sister would have done-what / should
have done; IL nOtF'
Arthur Gowcrt"
The flush had quito fnded from Clara's
checks, but her eyes We're bright with some
keen emotion OF surprise or JOY. or maybe
pain.
Yes" went on Christine. never needing
this. and just now, ia the garden. who
shout come but Ralph Gresham and-he
loves me. Clara"
"Weil2"
But it Is too late said Miss Illerton.
almost in uGdertOne.
WHAT iii YOU tell hin1- asked her
cousin. eagerly,
What l have told you-that it was too
late. and that l would not. etan il l could. :
She spoke very slowly marking each word
with lingering emp Gsis; then. rs the last
Sell from her lips she started up with merry
laugh. Just th NIX II u. ClarH--Arthur
Covert Did I tell YOU what he said? Lis
ten IL was the drollc wooingl He took
my hand and sHpped that ring upon my
finger; j KIN w then what was coming, and
50 kept very still. Christine. said he, it
IS our parents wish. you remember. that
you = ould be my fs--wll you co sent2'
And 1 cOnsentrd. OF cou SO. 20, there.
nov. that tr. uIlc ONE affair is arranged.
and au 90 marry him. Ind For heav-
ems sake. LARA, open that Window one
stiles here.
She came end stood by hcr cousin. and
fn silence the two looked out upon he
stretch ~ land wllrre he Hat brown tracts
were all cut by low noes. no then bc-
vond upon tic ia belt 81 woods. ow scst-
saed and shadOwrd d. tho purole hazo ~
rShe fast fallias -.