Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-08-07
mo, cannot stay any longer" she said,


and for moment her hand rested in his as
he helped her in. Then the chain ratified
lightly as it fell in the bottom of the boat
the oars dipped in the water and they
swung out into the middle of the stream.
"Are the two young ladies nearly related
to your" he asked.
Eyes, they are my cousins"
First cousins?"
"Yes-why2"
81 did not think they were near relations
of yours, that is all. They are not like you;
they are rather plain, Ithink-particularly
the elder"
Cora was astonished at what seemed to
her the audacity of this speech but she did
not resent it.
"You do not mind my saying that, do
youp"
"Oh, not at all. Why we are going down
the riverl'' she cried in surprise.
Yes" he said "but only a very little
way, there are some water lilies down
near the dam. want to get you one to
keep in memory of me-"
He saw the frightened expression in her
face and stopped rowing.
"If you do not wish it, | will turn back
at once" he SAID gently. ut shall be just
as you direct but would like to give you
the flower"
Cora sank back in her seat. go on" she
said. Her voice sounded strange in her
own ears-she felt that she longed to be
forever thus-to glide down the stream
with this lovely youth, neither asking nor
caring whittier.
Your little cousin has told me some
thing of you" he said. HE is a very
bright boy. He told me what your first
name is Shall tell it you? 1t is Cora"
Il bod
Never had she dreamed her name was so
beautiful as it sounded from his lips.
"He told me something else Tommy did,
which | would like to believe is not true
which it pains me to think of. Shall tell
you what it is?'
Cora was silent.
"Shall tell your"
She let one hand drop over the side of
the boat into the water
81 know what it is"
"And it is true9" he said softly.
The poor girl had no idea even of the
meaning of the word coquetry If he
asked her question she thought she must
give him direct answer. She raised her
great brown eyes to his, one corner of her
mouth trembled little, and the hand in
the water nervously opened and shut, as
though trying to clasp the shining drops.
Yes, she SAID.
The distress and sorrow in his face as he
looked at her silently made her eyes fill
with pity.
There were, of his friends who knew him
well, those who had seen this same express
sion on occasions when he deemed it fit to
employ it. They loosely referred to it as
"Fairfax's heartbreaking look" To Cora it
was just then the one serious thing in life
"Why should you care?" she murmured
thickly, you do not know me-"
81 do not know you?" he repeated softly
and looking into her eyes as though he
would search her SOUL do not know
you Corai"
They had drifted down almost to the
dam. The girl looked about her wildly, a:
though seeking to escape. Her eyes fell
upon bunch of lily buds just ahead OF
them. There are the water lilies" she
cried, "let me get them" and scarce know
ing what she was about she stood up in
the boat,
BE careful, Cora, or you will fall" hi
said. II will get them for you"
AS she turned to sit down the boat tipped
and she fell backward. In flash he haC
dropped the oars and stood up to catch her
She fell against his breast, and the boa
; whirled half around He casped her close
steadying them both, and as he held he
thus he pressed upon her lips long kiss.
. The roar of the water rushing over tn,
dam Numbered in her ears and looking up
ward, past the locks of blond hair CLEAN
ing in the sun, she saw the branches of tn,
trees which seemed to whirl in a mat
dance against the blue sky. Then sh'
; heard Tommy's voice calling:
, "Cora-Cousin Cora"
. She was sitting quietly in the stern, ant
Fairfax was bending over the oars whel
! Tommy appeared on the rocks above them
Q Here she is, sis-I've found her. Addi
t come on. How do you do, sir, and II
a say goodby. too, for I'm about going away.
Q The boat touched the shore and MARI
! and Adelaide reached the summit of tn
bank Just as Cora stepped out.
t you will come again in the morning
( at the same placer" he said in a low voice
s II shall be there. | must see you befor
!. you 60"
4, Cora made no reply, but clambere
Q quickly up the bank.
}; MY eye, what hunt we've had for you
s Coral' shouted Tommy; you'll only hav
e just time"
81 would not have believed such a thin
g possible" said Maria, freezingly; "a cousi
a of mine to go upon the water alone with
IS strange man."
l. GLOW did it happen'"-from Adelaide
e "Who is he?"
n 81 say, Cousin Cora, did he come benin
e you and speak before you knew he wa
lie thereS That's the way we did the day
20 was catchn' frogs"
lie And you expect to be married in III
spring Wellr'
d Cora heard only confused fragments c
20 these sentences, uttered as they wake
e away from the river. There was buzzin
he sound in her ears and her cheeks wei
ID burning She took off her straw hat an
re famed herself.
I'd well, have you nothing to sayt" aske
Maria
,e Eyes; he lost his oar and found it fC
We him." said Cora. "He thanked me al
I'd talked to me for awhile, and then otfert
lg to row me as far as the bridge, and can
Ill that is all"
~ "That is ALI And do you think that WI
n a proper proceedingf"
ps at did not seem wrong to me at Il
er time"
We perhaps it isn't considered so in Greer