Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09

found a balk OF UlmOer noatlng IN pool
which was commanded by the seaward slope
OF Fort Keeling, and they sat Down to-
gether before this new target.
Next holidays" said Dick, as the now
thoroughly fouled revolver kicked wildly
in his hand, well get another pistol-cen-
tral fire, that will carry farther"
There won't be any next holidays for
me-" said Maisie. "I'm going away"
"Where Io?"
81 don't know. NV Lawyers have writ
ten to Mrs. Jennett, and I've got to be edu-
Gated somewhere-in France, perhaps-I
don't know where; but 1 shall be glad to 60
away"
Il shan't like it bit. suppose shall
be lett Look here, MaIsie. is IL really true
you're going? Then these holidays will be
the last shall see anything Of you; and
60 back to school next week. / wish
The Young blood turned her cheek scarlet.
Maisie was picking grass tufts and throw
ing them down the slope at yellow sea
poppy nodding all bv itself to the illimita-
bic levels of the mudfats and the milk
white sea beyond.
II wish, she said, after pause, 'that
could see YOU again sometime. You wish
that, too?"
Yes, but it would have been better if-if
you had-shot straight over there-doWn q
by the breakwster."
Maisie looked with large eyes for
s moment. And this was the BOY who only
ten days before had decorated Amomma' s
horns with cut paper ham frills and turned
him out bearded derision, among the pub
lie ways! Then she dropped her eyes; this
was not the boy.
Don't be stupid" she said, reprovingly,
and with swift instinct attacked the side
issue. How selfish you are! Just think
what L should nave felt if that horrid thing
had killed you! I'm quite miserable enough
alreadv."
why? Because you're going away from
Mrs Jeunett?"
"No."
From me. then?''
No answer for long time. Dick dared
not look at her. He felt, though he did not
know, all that the past four years had been
10 him, and this the more acutely since he
had no knowledge to put his feelings in
words
II don't know" she said. 81 suppose
it is"
''Maisie, you must know. I'm not sup
posing"
Let's 60 home" said Maisie, weakly.
But Dick was net minded To retreat.
Il can't say things" lie pleaded, land
I'm awfully sorry for teasing you about
Amomma the other day. It's all different
now, Maisie, can't you see? And you
mIgnt have told me that you were going, in.
stead OF leaving me to find out"
You didn't. 1 did tell. Oh Dick, what's
the use of Worrying"
There isn't any; but we've been together
years aud years, and 1 didn't know how
much I cared"
- don't believe you ever did care"
No. didn't; but do. 1 care awfully
now. Maisie," he gulped, ,-"Maisie, dar-
ling, say YOU care too, please"
4 do; indeed l do; but it won't be any
use
"whv?"
because I am going away"
Yes, but if you promise before you go.
Only say-wilI you?" A second darling"
came to his lips more easily than the first.
There were few endearments in Dicks
home or school life; ne had to find them by
instinct. He took ahe little hand blackened
with the escaped gas OF the revolver.
q promise" she said, solemnly; "but If
! care there IS no need for promising"
And do YOU care?" For the first time 10
the past lew minutes their ewes met and
spoke for them who ha6 no skill in speech.
"Oh, Dick, doa'ti please don't! 1t was
all right when we said good morning; but
now its all differentr' Amomma looked
on from afar. He had seen his property
quarrel frequently, but he had never seen
kisses exchanged before. The yellow sea-
poppy was wiser, and nodded its head ap-
provinglv. Considered as a kiss, that was
q failure. but since it was the first, other
than those demanded by duty, in all the
porld that either had given or taken, it
opened to them new worlds, and every one
Of them glorious, so that they were lifted
above the consideration of any worlds at all,
especially those in which tea is necessary,
and sat still, holding each others hands and
saying not word.
You can't forget now, said Dick at last
There was that on his cheek that stung
more than gunpowoer.
4 shouldn't have forgotten, anyhow, 4"
said Maisie, and they looked at each other
and saw that each was changed from tine
COMPANION of an hour ago to wonder and
a mystery they could not understand. The
sun began to set and night wind thrashed
along the bents of the foreshore.
I've shall be awfully late for tea," said
Maisie. Let's 60 home"
Lets use the rest of the cartridges first, I"
said Dick, and he helped Malsie down the
slope of the fort 30 the sea, a descent she
was quite capable of accomplishing at full
speed. Equally gravely Maisle took the
grlmv hand. Dick bent forward clumsilyi
blushed.
IT'S very pretty" be said.
"Pooh!" said Maisie. with little laugh
of rratifed vanity. She stood close to Dick
as he loaded the revolver for the last time
and fred across the sea with a vague notion
AT the back o. his head that he was protect
ing Naisie from all the evils in the world
A puddle far across the mud caught tht
last ravs Of the sun and turned into
yvrathfuI red disk. The light held Dick
attention for moment, and as he raised hi
revolver there fell upon him a renewed
sense of the miraculous, In that he wa
standing by Maisie who had promised Il
care for him for an indefinite length o
time till such date as A gust of th'
growing wind drove the girls long blacl
hair across his face as she stood with he
hand on his shoulder calling Amomma e.
little beast" and Tor a moment he was il
the dark darkness that stung. The bul
let went singing out to the empty sea.
.Spoilt nv AIM" said he, shaking hi
head. "There aren't any more cartridges
we shall have to run home" But they dit
not run. They walked very slowly, arm il
arm. And it was a matter of indifference
to them whether the neglected Amomm
with two pin-ire cartridges in his insid
blew up or trotted beside them; for they ha,
come into golden heritage and were dis
7osinc oil it with all the wisdom of all thei
years.
And I shall be-" quoth Dick, vail
sntlv. Then he checked himself: 81 dom
know what 1 shall be. I don't seem to b.
able to pass any exams, but can max
awful caricatures of the masters. Ho! no!
BE an artist, then" said Maisle. Your
always laughing at my trying to draw; an