The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-10-05
course I was wrong" Then, "Nhy
didn't you fall in love with hcr?'


would have suited you better than /
SHALL"
THAT is one point OH which will not
give i'll to YOU"
"She is clever, and handsome, and"-
Dear heart. you are all that, and a
thousand other things besides"
"a thousand bad things, l dare say;
whereas she-slc seems to lack nothing. :"
Beyond the crowning impcrfection
that she is not-you."
"And yet She lallses, and casts at
him glance swift but anxious from
under her long lashes. "Somctimcs l
veN You, don't II" she says, dropping
her lids again.
Mo- lie is beginning, but she stops
him with a merry little gesture.
Let us have the whole truth and MOTH
ing but it," she says, with charming
smile. You were angry with me only
twenty minutes ago"
"When, my dearcst:"
"Whcn l forgot my dance-this dance
with you; and again when promised
Sir George Grande one later on. Deny
it if you dare"
"How do you know that"
"1our eyes told me. Ah!"-laughing
softly-"I can see things sometimes"
"You are a little witch. Iconfess all
Your forgetting grieved me sorely; but,
besides that, didn't like YOU to dance
with Sir George"
"But why:"
For many reasons He hesitates
Why raise unlovely thoughts in the mind
of this tender child?
He looks as if he could bc amusing, /"
says she carelessly; 'and lie is staying
hero with lis, you know. He camo this
morning, and will he here all the week.
And aun,ie says Lady Fanny Davenport
is very anxious TO marry him"
sis she? Well, never mind. Let us
forget him. You are going to marry
me, are you not? And soon, darling??"
II think SO" says Miss Disney, with
the utmost serenity. mamma SAYS
Maudie can't come out until am got
out of the way; so it is unfair to her to
delay too long. And it is all tho same
to you, suppose, isn't it?'-anxiously.
The humor of this naive remark might
have struck the young man but for
something else that strikes him still
more kccnly, and that has no humor in
it; shade saddcns his face.
is it to please Mau,lic or me YOU give
SO ready conscnt?" he says, u tingc of
bitterness in his tone. 1t may bc that
the girl marks it and rescnts it, AT
least she turns from him with a gesture
that is pctulant.
"Perhaps to please myself more than
either" she says; and, though the words
might he made to convey a compliment
the delivery of them spoils the effect
"Iou love mc?' asks Ponsonby, sud
denly turning to her and taking her
hand.
Still skep,ic? Has not this mystic
flower assured You of my truth!"-nod-
ding her small head at tho marguerites
hard by. II should be the one to doubt,
considering the dreadful tale it told mel!
"lf ever, says Ponsonhy, drawing her
close to him, "you should feel that the
the affection you now bcarmc is less than
you imagined it, and that you could
growing very palc-"givc your heart
more entirely to another promise Inc
you will let mo know of it In some way.
by some sign, or word, or token"
81 couldn't promise to be as rude rs
that, she returns mischicvously.
BE serious for once" cntreats he.
Something in his tone touches her The
smile fades from her lips, leaving only
a sweet reflection of it behind. Coming
closer to him, she lifts ono baro round
arm and with very tender little fingers
smooths back the hair from his brow.
''Ihcrc is no need for me tomake such
a promise" she says, "bccause | shall
never have to tell you that"
"Ncvcrthcless, pronise!"
"'A willful man must have his way.'
You have my promise, then; but not in
words shall | redeem it. When have
learned to hate you, will send you one
of these'-again pulling a marguerite
from the tall bunch growing near-"with
not at all us its last petal Poor fluwcr!"
compassionately apostrophizing it. ."wlat
a sad mission should send it ON! DO
you know never invoked my fortune
with one of these until tried it tonight
with you?"
al am glad of that; and"-eagerly-
you never will again, will your
"Why. how can nowY" says Miss Dis
ney, with uplifted brows "Ny fortune
is told; you are it. How funny that
soundsl it puts you in the ncutcr gender
| at once"
81 shan't see you again for n week."
says Ponsonby suddenly. "I go to town
by the carly train You will not forget
ME during my absenceg
"No Take this with you, to remind
you of me, every moment, until we meet
again SHE places the marguerite in his
coat as she speaks-"and, when you look
at 1t, remember the message it brought
you" she says coquettishly.
For that reason its whole tribe shall
be sacred to me forevermore, says Pom
sonby, with smile that lights his face
into actual beauty
1t is midday, and all the world IS
mad and merry with excess of sunshine
and the myriad harmonies of natures
gigantic choir. Even through the care
fully closed curtains of Indian muslin
that shade the morning room at Moor
lands, great Sol is penetrating. rendering
the air hot and languorous.
81 have como to a conclusion" says
Miss Disney suddenly, sinking back in
her huge arm chair. that might easily
entomb her, and hinging her arms with
lazy grace above her head.
"Yes?' Tho answer, which is half
question, comes in low soft accents
across the misty, hazy heat that fills the
room. yet with a suspicion of veiled in
science about it. 1t comes from beau
tiful mouth. however. and Katherine
Nugent, as she uttcrs the unpleasing
monosyllable, turns her calm dark eyes
upon her cousins fiancee.
The fancee moves restlessly, and a
faint color creeps into her mignonne
face
II suppose" she says, with rather
SHY laugh, "that conclusion coming
from mo Involving, as it must, some
thought) may be regarded in the light Of