The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-01-01

had done execution over and again. But
big, handsome Ned Perry looked only
like one in a maze: then he bent over
her in genuine concern:
"Why, Mrs. Belknap! What has hap
pened? What has gone wrong? What
do you mean by unkindness?''
She faced him, Indignantly now: ISIS
it possible you profess not to know"
''By all that's holy, Mrs. Belknap,
haven't an idea of what you mean tc
charge me with. Tell me, and I'll make
every amend l know how"
He was bending over her in genuine
distress and trouble; he had no thought
but to assure her of his innocence of any
conscious wrong. She was leaning upon
the balcony rail, and he rested one strong
hand upon the post at the shaded corner
above her head, as he bowed his own tc
catch her reply.
For moment she turned her face
away, her bosom heaving, her little
hands clasping nervously, the picture OF
wronged and sorrowing womanhood
His blunt, ragged honesty was some.
thing she had never yet had to deal with
This indeed as game worth the
candle" but something of higher order
than the threadbare fiirtations she had
found SO palatable heretofore. She had
expected him to be revealed by this time
as the admirer who had only been play.
ing part in his apparent acceptance OF
the situation of the last two days; she
expected to be accused of coquettina
with Dana, of neglect, GOODNESS, insult
tow ards himself; and this she would
have welcomed; it would have shown
him still victim in her tolls, mouse
she might toy and play with indefinitely
before bestowing the final coup de grace.
But instead of it, or anything like it,
here stood the tall, handsome young fel.
low, utterly ignoring the possibility OF
her having wronged him, and only beg
ging to be told how he had affrOnted her,
that he might make immediate amends.
1t was simply exasperating. She turned
suddenly upon him, hiding her face in
her hands, almost sobbing:
''And l thought we were such-such
friendsv
Even that suggestive tentative did not
lay him PROSTATE. Fancy the utter in
adequacy of his response:
"Why, so did II This was too much.
Down came the hands. and were laid in
frantic appeal upon his breast He did
not bar the way; she could have slipped
from the corner without difficulty, but
the other method was more dramatic.
LET me go, Mr.. Perry" she pleaded
I'll might have known; | might have
known" The accents were stifed, heart
rending.
Don't go yet, Mrs. Belknap; don't &c
without telling me what-what I've
DONE" And poor Ned imploringly seized
the little hands in both his and held them
tight please tell me, he pleaded
mo, no! You would not understand
you do not see what | have to bear Let
me go, beg, please; cannot stay"
And her great dark eyes. swimming in
tears. were raised to his face, while with
faint-very faint-struggle she strove
to pull her hands away, relenting in her
purpose to go the moment she felt that
he was relaxing the hold in which they
were clasped, but suddenly wrenching
them from his breast and darting from
his side. leaving Perry in much bewil-
derment to face about and confront the
doctor.
A little opening had been left in the
railing at the south end of the veranda-
the same through which the post surgeon
had DaSSnd the night Mrs Lawrence had