The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-07

II you 90 not WISH III, Will tuIn DaSA
at once" he SAID gently. ut shall be just
as you direct, but would like to give yoa
the flower"
Cora sank back N 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 very
bright boy. He told me what your first
name is Shall tell it your 1t is Cora
The girl looked down and blushed.
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. 4"
"And it IS true?" 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
great brown eyes to his, one corner of her
mouth trembIed 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 be
looked at her silently made her eyes fl!
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-"
II do not know your" he repeated softly,
and looking into her eyes as though he
would search her SOUL do not know
you, Cora2"
They had drifted down almost to the
dam The girl looked about her wildly, as
though seeking to escape. Her eyes fell
upon a 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" be
said II will get them for you"
AS she turned to sit down the boat tipped,
and she fell backward In fash he had
dropped the oars and stood up to catch her.
She fell against his breast, and the boat
whirled half around. He clasped her close,
steadying them both, and as he held her
thus he pressed upon her lips long kiss.
The roar of the water rushing over the
dam thundered in her ears, and looking up
ward, past the locks of blond hair CLEAN
| ing in the sun, she saw the branches of the
trees which seemed to whirl in a mad
dance against the blue sky. Then she
| heard Tommy's voice calling:
"Cora-Cousin CoraP
! She was sitting quietly in the stern, and
| Fairfax was bending over the oars when
Tommy appeared on the rocks above them.
Here she is, sis-I've found her, Addia
come on. How do you do sir, and Pil
say goodby, too, for I'm about going away"
/ The boat touched the shore and Maria
and Adelaide reached the summit of the
| bank Just as Cora stepped out.
you will come again in the morning
/ at the same placer" be said in low voice.
/ 81 shall be there | must see you before
| you 60"
Cora made no reply. but clambered
! quickly up the bank.
| MY eye, what hunt we've had for you,
| Corar shouted Tommy; you'll only have
! just time"
/ Il would not have believed such thing
| possible" said Maria, freezingly; "a cousin
/ of mine to go upon tue water alone with
strange man."
Glow did it happeu?" Adelaide
"Who is he?"
81 say, Cousin Cora. did be come behind
you and speak before you knew ne was
/ there? That's the way we did the day
was catchn' frogs"
And you expect to be married In the
spring. Wellr
Cora heard only confused fragments of
these sentences. uttered as they walked
away from the river There was a buZziDg
sound in her ears and her cheeks were
burning. She took of her straw nat and
famed herself
We'll, have you nothing to say" asked
Maria.
Yes; be lost his oar and I found it for
! him." said Cora He thanked me and
! talked to me for awhile, and then offered
to row me as far as the bridge, and came
| that is all. "
That is ALL And do you think that was
a proper proceed gf"
1T did not seem wrong 70 me az the
time"
Perhaps it isn't considered so in Greene
county" sneered Maria. New York girls
I don't do that sort of thing. We must
. hurry back now as fast as we can, papa
has had a telegram. and we are 20 leave
this afternoon Instead OF tomorrow. 50
there is no time to De lost. We mus; ge-
our things together"
Cora stopped
You are going away this afternoon"
Yes; in tnree hours.
Then she would never see him again. S1e
had not said goodby nor spoken to h.ra
even when be had asked her 10 co1-e to tie
river in the morning.
We'll, what Is the matter"
81 must 90 back.
"Whst for. II heaven : nameF
81 have left my handkerchief"
LEFT IL where"
ON the boat"
"Why, there il your hardkerchiet IN
your belt" cried Adelaide
Maria came a step -eArer. W TAT : the
matter with you, Cora, you are not Ike
yourself What has happened"
Nothing But If an going away to
dag wish 70 20 back aud say goocby %
that gentleman did not speak TO him
when len, aud do 0ot want 70 o
thought rude"
Maria's long hand eucircisd Cora
wrist You VIII come with ne, II yo1
please. she said il low voice
Cora looked in her COUSINS face The
SUI shoue full upon i. and The p.tiless
glare Naria's skin showed Of 3 greenlsa
tiuga, her lips looked dry and oioodless-
Eaf- --.-aN -