The Florida agriculturist., 1889-01-09
CHAPTER v.
ARMING FOR THE CONFLICT

ARMING FOR THE CONFLICT.
It was difficult to tell who was. the most
confused, Allen Gray or the beautiful girl
before him.
Her dress and manner indicated culture
and refinement, and he felt that he must
apologize for his presence.
ell beg pardonp' he stammered, after
an awkward silence of a few moments 81
came for stroll to the bluff, not aware of
your presence. Ihope have not annoyed
you?"
There was an honest frankness in his
voice and manner, more reassuring than
his words. A change from surprise and
terror to pleasure, as instantaneous as it
was remarkable, came over her face.
"Oh, don't blame yourself, SIR" she said,
in tones the sweetest that ever fell on NOR
tai ears. What delicious voice, how like
the chime of silver bell. Then, as if not
altogether recovered from her surprise,
she stammered: ell was watching the
sunset"
''It is delightful view from here" said
Allen, recovering at once his self-posses-
sion. 81 do not wonder that you came here
to witness it; l came for the same purpose,
but seeing you, and not wishing to disturb
you, remained in the background"
{" You have lost much,' answered the
beautiful GIRL her angelic face wreathed
with smiles. "I frequently come to this
bluff to visit the sunset, and the scene never
grows old.''
"No doubt, were near enough, would
do the same.''
You are the new editor at the village,
are you not?" she asked, with charming
childlike simplicity.
" am; my name is Allen Gray, and am
editor and proprietor of the IVeS'erm Repub-
lc You live in the stone house on the hill,
do you not?"
She started, death-like pallor swept
over her face, and in confused manner she
answered:
Eyes, SIR"
1t was painfully evident that the stone
house on the hill was an unpleasant topic
to this young lady; therefore Allen deter
mined to avoid it. He began praising the
beauties of the sunset sky, the grand old
forest and delightful flowers.
" found some things to-day in my ram
bles,'' he at last said, and may be you can
tell me who is the owner" He drew
from his pocket the glove and locket. "Do
you know whose these are?'
With glad smile upon her face she
came quickly to his side and said:
They are mine. The glove lost this
morning; the locket was lost two weeks
ago. Where did you find them?"
He told her all about finding them, and
then, both having regained their equanimi-
ty, they became absorbed in a pleasant con-
versation. 1t seemed as if they had known
each other for years Little heed was taken
of the flight of time. Twilight shades were
long held in the background by the broad
face of full moon shining from a cloudless
summer sky. There was such a strange
fascination about each of the other that
they did not notice that the stars were
Wlnking at them from the heavens above.
When Allen asked what her name was
another momentary confusion seemed to
come over her, as she answered Be- thG Col
hns; but by his admirable tact the confusion
was but momentary, and she was discours-
ing as pleasantly as before. Those mo-
ments seemed to possess world of pleasure
to Allen and will never be blotted from his
memory. This lonely creature, whose beauti-
full face and golden hair bathed in moon
light seemed angelic purity itself, pro-
duced such an effect upon him as to cleo
trify and change his whole nature. The
dark mystery, which hung like a pail above
her, seemed to only heighten the charm
which made her so attractive.
Almost unconsciously they walked down
the path to the garden gate. Allen knew
not of what they talked, he only seemed to