The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-08
The Rock Beside the Sea

Morley.
The Rock Beside the Sea.
GLOW absurdly disagreeablc YOU
can make yourself, Jack. But there
-l'm not going to quarrel with you.
How much longer nrc YOU going to
abuse me-" and Ruby laughed aloud
in her usual saucy, tantulizing man
her. Jack looked at her, his face
black az a thundcr-cloutl, on which
was written Il stern determination,
but she was i'll no way appalled, 10y
it. On the contrary, she looked at
him gayly and carelessly, as il she
were perfectly Indifferent TO him or
his moods.
"Aliss Howard" he began. "Nliss
Howard she milnickcd mockingly:
"since when, pray? wccrcmonious
we grow, to he sure"
He resumed, as il she had not inter.
rupted him; Il will not detain You
but IL moment longer While am
convinced that ut the present time
you are perfectly heartless. owing
more to the unhappy way of your
bringing up and to the in
tluenccs and fashion of society
than to natural hardness of heart
"Oh! thanks, thanks awfully, You
are too good,' she broke in again,
luughingly. 1t was all as good as a
burlesquc to her, accustomed as she
was to lovers rantings. Il am as
firmly convinced" lie went Oh. in so
calm a tone. that it should have
warned her that this meant more
than an ordinary tiff; "tllnt YOU love
me: but, with your natural pcrvcrse-
ness, will neither acknowledge it to
yourself nor me-"
As lie said this-with IN air of IL
judge pronouncing sentence on some
unhappy prisoner-with his grey eyes
fixed on her face with the sternest
gaze they We're capable of-in spite
of herself the bloom Oh her soft cheek
deepene,l to bright red and for an
instant her sallcy, mocking eyes fell
before his. A transient smile passed
over his gloomy face at this evidence
OF his power and left iteven glo0micr
than before. As he regarded the
lovely, half shy face before him he
commenced again bitterly: "And
why will you not yield TO that love
and make us both lllppy' | will tell
you. You do not wish to le tied to
one; to receive the love
and homage of one is not
your taste. Oh. no: not for
years to come. i'll would wait pa
tiently and in llemr;,ntimc I've always
ready to dance attendance on all
your whims, not noticing amy one
else, and always keeping in the back
ground when a desirable Irritation
came up, then, perhaps, fyou didn't
meet some one you preferred to me,
utter keeping me in suspense all that
time. you might gr;,ciously con,lc.
sccnd to marry me. But decline to
become the slave of any woman; and,
as much as love you, lam going
to leave you forever
"Ha, hal" and her sweet low laugh
rang out like chime of slvery bells.
"The plot tlickens Please go on;
it is as lovely as a play"
81 know and feel,' said Jack earn
estly, 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 Eow-but no more.
I've already said too much-more
than intended. Goo,l-by." and
with IL deeI, bow lie turned and left
well, of all tlings!" she inurn,r-
ed, Forever! Fudge. III see hint
morrow ON the promenade the same
as suual. He is delicious. | do like
him the best when he asserts HIM
self. lie is grand when he gets en-
ragged. He looks SO stern and glares
SO. and is 30 unappronchahlc that
am almost afraid Ofhim-tlle,larling.
If l don't look ont he will end in
making me marry him before the
season is over. OF course | shan't
marry any one else, but Tin not
going to hurry myself:
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 had done IL num-
ber Of times before.
The next day Miss Ruby failed to
meet Jack ms usual. In fact Al week
passed, and in all that time he
had not called. She had missed his
presence from ball and opera. and
every place that She had graccd
with her bright presence. At last,
making few inquiries she
found that Jack was out somewhere
on the ocean on his way to China
to Join his brother, IL tea merchant,
and was likely to be absent term of
years.
Although outwardly Ruby man
aged to conceal the shock she had
received, she could not conceal from
her own heart that something had
gone from her that she missed and
longed for with an indescribable
longing and wild regret. 1t was all
the more muddening that no ono
was to blame for her sorrow but her.
self. The old places had lost their
charm. Everything and everybody
was insipid, flat and monotonous.
All! ii he would only return, how
gladly would she acknowledge her
love. and dhowgladly would she marry
him at the earliest date he might men,
tion. Had she known his address ut
that time she would have written to
tell him of her love and penitencc.
Four years after Jack WAS gone
Ruby was ut famous watering place.
Sho woa ofill tho hallo nj ovorv osao,,