Mower County transcript., 1891-06-10

with a mbleness and celerity which
would shame an acrobat. You under
rate my ability. Pm getting in stock
of substitution and suppression which
would furnish capital for the founders
of many theories. Besides, we've the
margin Of those six years, into which
considerable change may be crowded"
In which last statement Royal fastened
on truth, for with Phyllis all discrep-
ancies (and the time, az Mrs. Hart re-
marked, had been too short for many
were put down to the inevitable growth,
modification and readjustments effected
by the passage Of time. Phyllis was a
sensible girl, wise with the wisdom of
thought and nature, and she was con-
scious of 50 much change in herself that
it seemed reasonable to suppose that her
cousin had changed also. That he had
ceased to be a demonstrative man had
surprised her at first, because the lover
Of her memory had been addicted to en-
dearments.
Then she reflected that it was quite
natural he should no longer love her in
the old way, since, latterly, that long
gap had not even been bridged by let
ters. It would take time and mutual
knowledge to erect new love, or rather
a new superstructure Of love in which to
dwell; for the foundation must be secure
still, else he could not have done for her
sake the things which she knew he had
done. She did not associate the idea of
the money with his conduct in any ig-
noble way. There was no intimate jux-
Imposition between love and money in
her mind, for life on lonely country
farm prevents the two from seeming in
any way interdependent.
She could think the matter out at
leisure and demonstrate it quite to her
satisfaction, for she was no more active
ly in love than she supposed her cousin
to be-only deeply grateful, and filed
with trust in him and content that he
should be her husband. No man could
be more considerate, she thought, or
show more solicitude in regard to obedi-
ence to Instructions although, to be
sure, he was physician himself, which
Of course gave them greater value in
his eyes. Ills self convrv1 appeared TO
her noble and beautiful, and she deter
mined that when her eyes should be
opened-unconscious she used the
scriptural phrase-she would show him
how sweet a thing could be a woman s
gratitude.
Then her thought would hover yearn-
ingly, as it had done for years, over her
chances of recovery Of sight, until she
would bethink her Of the oculst's in
structions and dismiss the matter as
much as might be from her mind.
Save in the matter of caresses (Which
he felt would be an unfair advantage to
take of her), Royal was not remiss il:
loverlike attentions. He intended to
win the girls love if possible before he
should claim her as his wife, for he had
wholesome notions relative to marriage.
While not consciously in love as yet he
was strongly attracted, and he healthily
and manfuIy set himself to make of the
attraction line which the stronger emo
ton would find it easy to follow. It was
in his favor that he had had no previous
affaire de c@ur-that his profession had
insenably led him to generalize women.
It was in his favor also that when he
embarked upon an enterprise his nature
drove him on the course without much
regard for wind or tide. If man should
marry woman it was his business to love
her as his own soul, and to strain every
nerve to make her happy. Such was his
simple creed, as it is, unconfessedly, the
creed of more men than gain credit for
it with either the world or women.
So Phyllis discovered in him no lack,
being preoccupied by her great hope
and not rendered exacting by any self.
ishness of passion. Once thought, OF
rather speculation, as to the events Of
those six years of absence caused her to
put a question to him. They were sit
ting in darkened room, the girl at the
piano and Royal in low chair not far
removed from her. She had been play
ing for him, soft music with minor ca
dences. Something in it suggested the
thought to which she gave utterance
with the directness of child:
''Have you ever loved woman, John:
Not me, in that old time when we were
both so young and didn't understand
things. I mean real love-the kind of
feeling that makes thought of one par
ticular woman like the pulse Of a mans
heart to him. You needn't be afraid to
tell me if you should have. shall not
be jealous" Then, slowly, and more
truthfully, eat least I don't think
shall"
The end of her sentence suggested a
possibility which brought smile IT,
Royals lips and set his nerves to thrill
ing. Had she been other than she was
he might have been tempted to the ex-
pertinent of quickening love by goadin 8
it with the baser passion. But in her
helpless darkness he felt that a man
would be a brute who should even
wound her vanity.
mo-" he answered simply. II have
never loved woman-that is, any other
woman but you"
She turned toward him with the
swiftness and certainty of = woman
gifted with sight, and laid her hand
upon his arm. Then, before he could
divine her intention, she had slipped
from her place at the instrument and
was on her knees beside his chair, He