San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-11

thing you like, and | would tell it TO
you: why will you let me know nothing
about yourselfg"
"What do you want to know?' she
answered to this appeal. looking up to
him after moment or two's silence
with timid and uneasy eyes.
II want to know why you are so re-
served. Do you think we are not worth
trusting?"
You kno,o 1 do not think thatl" she
said.
"Yet you do not trust u.s."
And then she made no answer, until,
after nearly minutes silence
' "Mr. Dunstan, will you let me go
away?" she exclaimed suddenly, almost
in tremulous voice. 1T hurts me so
when you speak like this to me,-and
you know cannot help it. AT least,
will you not believe that 1 cannot help
it? Do you think if l could speak
openly about myself would not do itp"
II cannot tell why you do not speak
openly about yourself" he said.
And then there was another pause,
which lasted The had been occupied in
this work when he began to speak to
herr while he put score of books
straight in their shelves; then all at
once ?
But, as for your going away-what
had that to do with itp" he said. ''Once
for all, / ask you to stay with with us.
If you will not be unreserved to US
well, we cannot help it, but at least do
not throw back in our teeth the only
kindness we are able to offer you. Do
not talk about going. Give up your
rooms and stay here. If you want to
show that you care for us, do that"
You know cannot do that" she
said.
The he went on with his work, and
did not speak again. She had been help
ing him little, but he asked no further
help from her, and she stood still, a lit
tie behind him, leaning her hand upon
his writing-table,-unhappy, hesitating,
not knowing what to do.
If she had been stronger than she was
her wisest course would have been to
go away and leave him, but she was not
strong enough to do this. How could
she go away while he was angry with
herr She let a few minutes pass, and
then she moved step or two and spoke
to him.
do you think refuse what you ask
because am not grateful to your Mr..
Dunstan, you are angry with me, and L
cannot bear it!' she said. "What do
you want me to do? God knows l do
not ,oish to be reserved with you. l will
tell you anything / can"
II think you have acquired habit of
reserve that is a great mistake, he said.
while we were almost strangers to
you of course l had no right to find
fault with it; but we are not strangers
now, and l complaint think we have
all right to complain-that you still
make it barrier between u.s."
II know you have every right to say
that" she answered in low voice.
"Then why do you do it?" he asked
instantly. "Why should you insist on
making such barrier"
He turned round suddenly, and, hold
ing out his hand to her, looked straight
into her face.
Esther Hill, do not do it; trust mel"
he said.
And then she burst into tears; hon
could she trust him?
He was very tender to her after he
had made her cry,-more ten .er than
she could almost bear. He put her in a
chair, and stood beside her, soothing
her, and stroking her hand.
Now am brute to have done this
to you" he said to her. You see
have got so rough from knocking about
the world that hurt people sometimes
without meaning it. You don't think
l meant to hurt you just now; do your
l would sooner hurt myself thousand
times!"
AS soon as it was possible she took
her hand away from him; after one rush
of tears had come, too, she did not cry
any more.
pray forgive me: don't mind me-"
she said to him beseechingly; and then
presently he left her-which was the
trueSt kindness-to sit in quiet and re-
cover herself, while he went back to his
books, and the next time he spoke to
her it was merely to say something in
his ordinary way about the work that
he was doing; and, after ten minutes or
so had passed, she too rose up, and went
back to him. and helped him again. For
half an hour they worked side by side,
and the little that they spoke at all was
of the books they were arranging; then
at last he stood still, and began to shake
the dust off his hands.
I'VE won't do any more to-day" he
said. There are good many changes
to make about heTe,-but We'll pause
now for the present. We shall both
have to wash our hands though. Are
yours as black as miner" and he dis
played pair of palms very obviously in
need of soap and water. "N0-they are
a great deal whittier? How can you have
come off so well?" he said.
because you have done so much
more than l have" she replied. II have
hardly done anything at all"
..Well, Unjust get myself purified, at
any rate"
And then they went to the door to-
gether, but, as they stood still for mo-