Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-12-24

having been numerically snowbaled,
SO the start she gave when Alphonse
Damiens, hat in hand, presented him
self. might ce readily excused.
81 left the team and Mr.. Arundel at
Stewards, Miss Wanda, and walked
up here, hoping you would allow me to
accompany you home,'' he said, with
great Difference.
''Tnank you, shall be ready in one
moment, Mr.. Damiens,'' she replied,
carelessly, though her flushed cheek be-
lied the serenity of her manner. If she
| only knew the wild turmoil of passion
| which thrilled his soul she would have
been even less at ease.
He scarcely hears her, as she adds
another coil to the wrap round her
| white throat.
''NOw I am ready" Wanda says, and
| they pass out into the lonely road, with
| the frozen river on one side of it and
the snow burdened pines on the other.
II would not be preSumptuous. Miss
| Arlington, but may say that this lit
| tie walk is glimpse of Heaven to me?''
he falters.
He feels the soft hand on his arm
tremble, he sees the fearless misery
which comes into the eyes and dims
them.
''Let-let us walk faster" she whis-
! pers scarcely above her breath.
go faster!'' he echoes bitterly. eyes,
| had almost forgotten myself. There
| should be short cut to the left here.
| Are you cold?"
''NO," she says, but there is tremor
| in her voice, which she strives hard to
render light and careless
go faster!" he says with despair
| ing shrug of his shoulders. 'Ah. if
| these hours of torment would only go
| faster. Do you remember the day that
| first saw you? You were standing at
| Mrs. Evesham's cottage door one July
| evening and the wind blew my straw
hat to your feet. You picked it up and
gave it to me-"
81 do not remember-I have forgot
ten," Wanda says indistinctly.
| ''It seems an age to mean age
II
He stops, for something like sob
strikes his ear.
| He looks down into her face It is
pale, and the red, ripe lips are tremu-
| lous.
He has mistaken her emotion. The
red flush flies to his face, then leaves it
white with suppressed excitement.
"What! Wanda!'' he hesitates, for,
with a culver of the lids, tears are
springing to the blue eyes. What!
you are crying! Is it possible you love
me, girl?' and he seizes both her hands
and looks down into her face with a
hungry glare. SIS it possible? Look
at me, Wanda. Oh! Heaven! l long,
and yet dare not hope. Wanda, you
know l love you. You cannot help but
know it. l have loved you since the
| first moment l saw you. l never dreamt
that you Would give me hope to love.
! No, it cannot be. Look at me, Wanda.
| Is it possible hat-you-lOve-me?''
Slowly and fearfully the words drop
| from his lips.
Then she tries to draw her hands
away, but he only clings the harder.
Speak, Wanda" he says, hoarsely.
''DO you love me?"
Then she speaks. Slowly, heavily
she lifts her eyes to his and looks at
| him with great yearning misery and
solemn truthfulness in them. 81 am
so sorry that you should entertain such
feelings for me, Mr.. Damiens, for can
never return your love-"
She sees him culver under the blow
she has struck, and with woman's
tenderness seeks to heal the wound.
''Oh! do not look like that she cried,
for he has dropped her hands and
stands before her dazed like one in a
dream.
81 cannot help nay looks,'' he says,
bitterly. Nor can l help loving you.
1t is no crime to love you, Wanda-Miss
Arlington
''Nor for me to be unable to look up
on you as other than friend"
Eyes, yes, that is true" he replied
hurriedly. "You must be my friend.
will not annoy you with my solicita-
tions, will worship you in silence"
! She could not see his face. She
could not see the cunning malignant
CLEAN of those dark eyes. nor imagine
that the mans humble words but
| cloal1ed designs of future conquest.
He had recovered the first blow of his
| diSappOintment and was now himself