Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-08-21
The Rock Beside the Sea

can make yourself, Jack. But there
Pm not going to quarrel with you
How much longer are you going to
abuse me?" and Ruby laughed aloud
in her usual saucy, tantalizing man
ner.. Jack looked at her, his face
black as a thunder-cloud, on which
was written q stern determination
but she was in no way appalled, by
it. On the contrary, she looked al
him gayly and carelessly, as if she
were perfectly Indifferent to him OF
his moods.
"Miss Howard" he began, "Miss
Howard" she mimicked mockingly
"since when, pray? How ceremonious
we grow, to be sure"
He resumed, as if she had not inter.
rupted him; 81 will not detain you
but a moment longer While l am
convinced that at the present time
you are perfectly heartless, owing
more to the unhappy way of your
bringing up and to the in
fluences and fashion of society
than to natural hardness of heart
"Oh! thanks, thanks awfully, you
are too good" she broke in again,
laughingly. 1t was all as good as a
burlesque to her, accustomed as she
was to lovers rantings. II am as
firmly convinced" he went on, in so
calm a tone, that it should have
warned her that this meant more
than an ordinary tiff; chat you love
me; but, with your natural perverse-
ness, will neither acknowledge it to
yourself nor me-"
AS he said this-with an air of a
Judge pronouncing sentence on some
unhappy prisoner-with his grey eyes
fixed on her face with the sterDest
gaze they were capable of-in spite
of herself the bloom on her soft check
deepened to bright red and for an
instant her saucy, mocking eyes fell
before his. A transient smile passed
over his gloomy face at this evidence
of his power and left iteven gloomier
than before. As he regarded the
lovely, half shy face before him he
commenced again bitterly: "And
why will you not yield to that love
and make us both happy? l will tell
you. You do not wish to be tied to
one; to receive the love
and homage of one is not
your taste. Oh, no; not for
years to come. i'll would wait pa
tiently and in the meantime be always
ready to dance attendance on all
your whims, not noticing any one
else, and always keeping in the back
ground when Il desirable Irritation
came up, then, perhaps, if YOU didn't
meet some one you preferred to me,
after keeping me in suspense all that
time. you might graciously condo
scend to marry me. But | decline to
become the slave of any woman; and,
as much as | love you, l am going
to leave you forever"
"Ha, hal" and her sweet, low laugh
rang out like chime of silvery bells.
"The plot thickens. Please go on;
it is as lovely as IA play"
81 know and feel said Jack earn
estly, that we are especially suited
to each other. and | believe that in
time you will realize the truth of
what | say and will regret me, even
as | regret you Eow-but no more.
I've already said too much-more
than | intended. Good-by," and
with deep bow he turned and left.
"Well, of all thingsl" she murmur-
ed, "Foreverl Fudge. I'll see him to-
morrow on the promenade the same
as suual. He is delicious. | do like
him the best when he asserts him
self. He is grand when he gets en-
ragged. He looks so stern and glares
so, and is so unapproachable that |
am almost afraid ofhim-the darling.
If | don't look out he will end in
making me marry him before the
season is over. OF course | shan't
marry any one else, but I'm not
going to hurry myself;
there's plenty time" After which
sage conclusion she went up to her
room in gay spirits, thinking of the
good time she would have in making
up with Jack as she had done num-
Der of times before.
The next day Miss Ruby failed to
meet Jack as usual. In fact a week
passed, and in all that time he
had not called. She had missed his
presence from ball and opera, and
every place that she had graced
with her bright presence. At last,
making few inquiries she
found that Jack was out somewhere
on the ocean on his way to China
to Join his brother, tea merchant,
and was likely to be absent a term of
years.
Although outwardly Ruby man.
aged to conceal the shock she had
received. she could not conceal from