San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-15

may not stay just to be with him for
one minute-if he comes?"
She did wait till he came flor she was
such spOilt child that she could not
bear TO cheat herself out of thing she
longed for), and as he opened the door
at last, he greeted her with frank pleas
ure and surprise.
II did not know that you were here!"
he said.
II have been staying here while it
rained. Mrs. Gilbert had to go away,
you know,-and was just going too. /
think it is fair now," she answered,
nervOuSly enough.
Yes, the rain is over, but everything
is very wet still. Can you wait lit
tie longer? Perhaps my mother will
come back" he said.
"Qh no. am afraid she WON'T"
But yet she stood still and did not go,
and then almost at once he began to
talk to her about something else, so
that even if she had wished to 60 1t
would have been difficult to do it land
she did not wish to go).
He stood leaning his back against the
window, with his face turned to her,
and they talked, and the happy minute
passed, till at last, after quarter of an
hour or so, she said again half family,
flushing a little-''I think ought to
co." and then suddenly after that, when
he did not answer her, she looked shyly
up and their eyes met.
He had been long time in trusting
her; perhaps he had never yet trusted
her altogether. He had said to himself
hundred times before this that he
would go away without speaking to her;
not that he thought she did not care for
him flor he knew that she cared for
him in degree), but because he thought
if he went without speaking she would
forget him presently; and, if she only
loved him in such way that absence
could make her forget him, he said to
himself that it would be a thousand
times better that they should part for
good now. His pride-which was a
stubborn enough quality in him-had
led him astray here: he had been too
proud to trust her, or to do justice to
her. He did not know how dearly she
loved him, nor how utterly in her own
heart she had broken down every frag-
ment of the barrier that she had once
set up between them, nor how high she
had exalted him who had looked down
upon him once. He thought that there
were moments probably when she look
ed down upon him still; he had never
yet been able to rid himself wholly of
the suspicion that, If she accepted him,
land should he ask her, she 'o0uld &C
cept him, he could believe), she would
feel in the innermost depths of her
heart that she had stopped to him; and
George Gilbert with all his virtues was
too proud to bear the thought that in
marrying him his wife should think she
stopped. And so he had almost resolved
that he would 60 away and say nothing
to her; and he had no thought of break
ing his resolution when, just now, at
ter she had spoken these last words,
she lifted up her eyes to his face.
But that look that she gave him was
such timid, appealing, wistful look.
II think ought to CO." she said with
her lips; but her eyes said-''I want to
stay with you; will you let me gog" and
all at once, as he read this in them,-
for it was so plain that he could not
fail to read it,-all at once his resolu-
ton went to the winds,-he stood up,
the color came to his face. Almost in
voluntarily, after moment or two's 81
lence, he held out his hand toward her.
why should you go?'' he said hur-
riedly; and then instinctively the two
palms met ana claSped.
ave have so little time left now to
be together. 1 cannot bear not to be
near you'll" He said this hardly know
ing what he was about.
But she knew, and gave little, sud-
den, quick, short, GREATNESS, happy sob,
and let her fingers close about his hand.
And then, after moment more,-she
had heard two passionate words. MY
40 hn hn1 nd
was no more room for hesitation, nor
words, after that.
She had pretty fondling way, when
she was happy and being careSsed, of
pressing her cheek against the lips that
kissed her, with little soft uncon-
Scious pressure, as dumb creature
might: when arms closed round her that
she loved she had childish way of
nesting into them. For months before
this time he had been saying to himself
~ dare not show her how l love her:
with her light nature how could she
ever understand it, or care for it?' But
now! Well, he was about as reason
able as most lovers are,-in spite of his
woOing, about as cautious, as wise, as
COol-headed. AS she leant her cheek
against him-(aS if she could only by
touching him show how she loved
him)-the unconscious, childish, dumb
caressing made the last trace of his old
doubts of her all vanish like dream.
Did he think after that that his love
would alarm her, or fear that there was
anything in all his heart that she would
not understand? From that moment
all mistrust of her ended, all reserve be-
tween them ceased: the touch of a soft
cheek did in second what ten months
knowledge of her without it had not
done.
And then the happy day went on, and
Al. 4 HnlI 4 l.