Democratic messenger., 1889-06-22
THE ROCK BY THE SEA.

"HOw aDsuruly uisngreeaDIe you can
make yourself, Jack. But there-I'm
not going To quarrel with you. How
much longer are you going 10 keep me up
to abuse me: and Ruby laughed aloud
in her usual sancy, tanializing manner.
Jack looked at her. his face as black as a
thunder cloud, on which was written n
stern determination, but she was In no
way appalled, by il. On the contrary she
looked at him gayly and carclessly. as II
she were perfectly indifferent TO him ar
his moods.
Miss Howard he began, miss
Howard" she mimicked mockiDgly ::
"since when. pray. How ceremonious
we grow, 10 be sure"
lie resumed, as IL she had not interrupt.
cal him; II will deiain you but moment
longer. While am convinced that ut
the prescn, time you are perfectly heart
less, owing more To the unhappy way Of
your bringing up and 10 the influences
and fashion of society than TO natural
hardness Of hcart"-- "Oh thanks,
thanks awfully. you are too good" she
broke in again. laughingly. II WAS all
good as a burlesquc to her accustomed as
she was TO lovers rantings. Il am as
firmly convinced" he went on, In So calm
tone that Il should have warned her
that this meant more than an ordinary
tiff "ihat you love me. but. with your
natural perversncss, will neither acknow.
ledge Il to yourself nor me-"
As he said this an mir Of judge
pronouncing sentence ON some unhappy
prisoner-with his grey eyes fixed on her
face with the siernest gaze they were ca
pablc of-in spite Of herself the bloom on
her son, round cheeks deepcncd to n
bright red. and for an instant her saucy.
m0cking eyes fell before his. \ transient,
smile Easscd over his gloomy face u, this
evidence of his power and left Il even
gloomier than ever. As he regarded the
lovely, half shy face before him he com.
menced again bitterly: "And why will
you not yield to that love and make us
both happy. | will tell you. You do
not wish TO bc tied 10 one. To receive the
love and homage Of one Is not TO your
taste. oh, no, not for years 10 come
II ! would wait patiently, and in the
meantime he always ready To dance at
tendance on your whims, not noticing any
one else. and always keeping In the back.
ground when desirable Irritation came
up, then, perhaps, II you didn't meet some
one you preferred To me, after keeping
me in suspense all that time. you might
graciously marry me. But ! decline To
become the slave Of any woman; and as
much as love you, am going to leave
you forever"
"Iia, har' and her sweet, low laugh
rang out like chime of silvcry BELLS
"Thc plot thickens. Please go On; Il is
as lovely as play"
II know and feel" said Jack, earnestly,
"that we are especially suited TO each 9th.
er, and believe that in time you will real.
ize the truth Of what say and will regret
me, even as regret you now-but no
more. I've already said To much-mOre
than intended. Goodbye" aud with n
deep how he turned and leil. We'll, oi
all things" she murmured. Forever
Fudge. I'll see him tomorrow on the
promenade the same Ms usual. lie Is deli.
cious. do like him the best when he
asserts himself. lie is grand when hc
gets enragcd. liz looks so stern and glarcs
So. and is so unapproachable that am al.
most afraid of him-the darling. II
don't look out he will end In making me
marry him before the season is over. Ol
course shan't marry anyone else, but I'm
not going TO hurry myself; there's plenty
of time" After which sage conclusion
she went up To her room In gay spirits
thinking orihe good time she would have
In making up with Jack as she had done a
number of times before.
The next day Miss Ruby failed TO NEE I
Jack rs usual. In fact week passed. aud
w hit tuht tiihc hc h"u HVs t"tou.-one
had missed his presence from ball and
opera md every place she had graced with
her presence. Al last, makinga Few In
quirles. she found that Jack was out some
where on the broad ocean IN his way ia
China TO Join his brother, ten merchant,
andiwas likely TO he al'sen, term oI
years.
Although ouiwardly l,uby managed TO
conceal the shock she had received, she
could no, conceal from her own heart that
something had gone from her that shs
missed and longed for with an ln,iiscriba
bic longing and wild regret. Il sas al
the more maddenlng that no one was d
hIame hut herself The old Dlaces had