The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-28
OVER THU BORDER.
BY WALTER BESANT.

CRITICALLY " HcdNCA II ouOWS CudC Lie
many corrections | gave him produced
their effect | was a throwing of the
bread upon the waters After many
days. as one may say. it hath come back
to me.
He spoke with sweetness which did
not deceive me.
And this prosperity. Drusilla. Who
told you of itY'
That must not say"
Where. in what place. is the boy?"
THAT | shall not tell you"
How is he employed then?"
Il must say nothing. Mathew. Do not
ask me 1t is very certain that Ralph II
alive. and that he is prospecting. shall
answer no more questions.
Il will ask other people then"
III is of no use. | said hurriedlv
There is no one knows except me- This
was not true, but at the moment was
thinking of my mother. who certainly did
not know
No one knows except your he re
peated That is strange indeed"
1T is very strange
And how long" he went on. lis the
mystery to be kept up?'
AS long" ! replied. las your cousin
pleases
Then his sweetness left him, and he fell
again into madness of wrath He went
away. however. when he found that
would tell him nothing
All this time | had not written my an
70 al -
was that feared my words would prove
SO poor and weak compared with his noble
language; and | was afraid besides tina.
what | might say would offend or disap
point him What maiden but would have
been ashamed? Yet this business with
Mathew made me resolve to lose no time
and began seriously to consider what
should say in reply to the long letter which.
| carried in my bosom and read daily LII
order to be undisturbed. carried paper
and pen to the fugeman's room at the
castle. and wrote my letter in the after
moons, whenever | could snatch an hour
from my work. What was | to say in
answer to the many tender protestations
of Ralph? And how was | to speak of
Mathew?
Tell him." said the fugleman. THAT
Mathew is villain Last Tuesday week
there was u un to COlds:ream-lacea end
brandy-Mathew stood in and found the
ponies Yet he is a villain
And what about yourself" asked
AS for me. he said. Il always sai
that once the boy got his too On the low
est rung. it would not be long before j.
was on the top of the ladder Half wa
up and more he is. | reckon by now \,
that | am not surprised to hear of hl
good fortune, and only wish | was young
enough to be his fugleman Tell hin
that first of all But Mathew is villain
Next you may say that I'm we'll anc
hearty and likely to continue IN the wa,
OF grace, such being my constitution and
my habits Mathew. his cousin. is
desperate villain Tell him that YOU
may tell him next that if ne still re
garaath eggs have got such a collection
for him as can't he matched AS for
Mathew, he is a rogue and villain
Fish. tell him. are plentiful this year, and
offers there be in plenty. Yesterday
trapped a badger. and know of a plarten
opposite the hermitage. The birds are
wild. but had good sport with his
worship last winter, and hope to do some
thing by myself when the nights draw
out. Say next that send him my faith
full respects and humble good wishes; and
Mathew is a villain. And as for your own
pretty self. you sit down and tell him that
there isn't a straighter maid, nor one more
beautiful, on the banks of COquet; while
as for eyes and shape and rosy lips
Indeed. cried, Il shall tell him ne
such nonsense. No. will not tell him
such nonsense"
why. he loves thee. sweetheart Sa,
1t. child, tc please him. SO lonely he is.
and so far away from us. | wish he had
thy picture just now with the pretty
bushes on the cheeks and all giri
ought to be proud for such as him to fall
IL love with her ="
lis he truly in love with me?" said
with tears coming into my eyes. because
now that the words were spoken | knew
very well how much | longed for that
very thing. why. he says he wishes me
happiness with my husband. AS if could
take any husband but Ralph"
"There-there, he cried. tell hin.
that. Tell him that. ana it will make him
happy and bring him home"
You think such little thing as that.
would bring him homer"
There's one thing" said the old man
(which women can never understand, and
that's the strength and power of love
There was man in Lord Falklands regi
ment-but | cannot tell thee all the story
There was young gentleman in the
Fourteenth. when we were stationed a.
Gibraltar. in love with Spanish lady
but of that at another time. What did
the soldier care that he got 800 the next
day? And as for the young gentleman.
he would have done the same-and always
said Soft another dozen of duels was to
come after it, and him to be pinked il
every one. Cheerfully he would hav.
done the same for such another charmer
All he would. and more; but women neve,
understand.
I'll these mysterious words did he Ell
courage me as to the force and vehemence
among men of the passion called love-
If Ralph was only home again. we
should have a protector. | thought of
this and hesitated no longer Yet it was
an unmaidenly thing which did, and to
this day am uncertain as to whether ]
was justified by all the circumstances 1t
was, besides. dangerous thing to do. be
cause | am convinced that nothing more
eifectually turns aside the fancy OF man
for woman-which is a delicate and ten
der plant. even at its strongest-than the
thought that she is lacking in the mod
esty I'D reserve which are the choicest
virtues of a maiden Yet | ran that dan