The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-02-12

door. Perry had seen the albums dozen
times, but he was for going in with the
others, when he felt little hand press
ure on his arm, and Mrs. Belknap's
great dark eyes were gazing up into his
with mournful, incredulous appeal
Don't you know want to see your
she murmured So that only he could |
hear. "Wait!"
And, much bewildered, Mr.. Perry |
waited
She stood where she could look |
through the screen door in the parlor be |
yond, watching furtively until the party |
were grouped under the hanging lamps
and absorbed in looking over one an
others shoulders at the famous albums;
then, beckoning to him to follow, she
fitted, like some eerie sprite, on tiptoe
to the southern end of the veranda,
where clustering vines hid her from
view from the walk along the parade.
Perry began to feel queer, as he after
wards expressed it, but he stalked along
after her, declining to modulate the
thunder of his heavy heels upon the re-
sounding gallery. She put her finger to
her lips, and, after a nervous glance
around, looked at him warningly, be-
seechingly.
What ON earth's the matterY' was all
the perplexed and callow youth could
find to say, and in tone SO utterly de-
void of romance, sentiment, tenderness
anything she wanted to hear-that In
all her experience-ands she had had not
o ittle-pretty, bewitching little Mrs.
Belknap could recall nothing 30 humil-
iating.
"How can you be so unkind to me?"
at last she whispered, in the tragic
tremolo she we'll knew to be effective; it
had done execution over and again. But
big, handsome Ned Perry looked only
like one in a maze; then he bent over
her in genuine concern:
"Why, Mrs. Belknap! What has hap
pened? What has gone wrong? What
do you mean by unkindness?'
She faced him, Indignantly now: lis
it possible you profess not to know?'
"By az that's holy, Mrs. Belknap, ]
haven't an idea of what you mean to
charge me with. Tell me, and I'll make
every amend I know how"
He was bending over her in genuine
distress and trouble; he had no thought
but to assure her of his innocence Of any
conscious wrong. She was leaning upon
the balcony rail, and he rested one strong
hand upon the post at the shaded corner
above her head, as he bowed his own te
catch her reply.
| For a moment she turned her fac<
away, her bosom heaving, her little
hands clasping nervously, the picture O
wronged and sorrowing womanhood
His blunt, ragged honesty was some
thing she had never yet had to deal with
This indeed was "game worth tn,
CANDLE" but something of a higher orde
than the threadbare firtations she ha,
found so palatable heretofore. She hat
expected him to be revealed by this tim
as the admirer who had only been play
ing part in his apparent acceptance o
the situation of the last two days; sh
expected to be accused Of coquettin,
with Dana, of neglect, coldness. insul
tow ards himself; and this she wouI
have welcomed; it would have show
him still victim in her tolls, nous
she might toy and play with indefinitel
before bestowing the final coup de grace
But instead of it, or anything like ii
here stood the tall, handsome young fe
low, utterly ignoring the possibility G
, her having wronged him, and only beg
ginc to be told how he had affronted hel
that he might make immediate amends
It was simply exasperating. She turne
suddenly upon him, hiding her face |
! her hands, almost sobbing:
"And I thought we were such-suc
: friends"
Even that suggestive tentative did NJ
Law him PROSTATE. Fancy the utter il
adequacy of his response:
why, SO did r. This was too mucl
t Down came the hands, and were laid
: frantic appeal upon his breast. He di
l not bar the way; she could have slippe
? from the corner without difficulty, b,
Q the other method was more dramatic.
, LET me go, Mr.. Perry" she pleade'
: IL might have known; I might hay
: known" The accents were stifcd. hea
!. rending.
Q Don't go yet, Mrs. Belknap; don't {
8 without telling me what-what T.
j done" And poor Ned imploringly seizs
;. the little hands in both his and held the
: tight. Please tell me-" he pleaded.
"No, mol You would not understan
t YOU do not see what have to bear. L
/, me go, beg, please; l cannot stay
f And her great dark eyes, swimming
o teas. were raised to his face, while WI
n faint-very faint-struggies she stro
" to pull her hands away, relenting in h
e purpose to go the moment she felt th
/, he was relaxing the hold in which tn
K were clasped, but suddenly wrenchil
p them from his breast and darting frc
is bis side, leaving Perry In much bew
# derment to face about and confront t
b doctor.
q A little opening had been left in t
Y railing ct the south end Of the veranda
4 the same through which the post surge
10 had passed the night Mrs. Lawrence b
rs shown to Perry the answering sig1
10 light; it was the doctors ''short cut"
a tween the colonel's quarters and his o.
20 side door, and soft, unbetraying turf
re there between. Absorbed in her me
h drama, Mrs Belknap had failed to n
a the coming of the intruder; absorbed
- his own stupefaction and his fair pa
Of ners apparent depth of woe. Ned Pei
heard nothing but her soft words
er softer signs, until deep voice at
ne shoulder voice whose accent betra,
he no apology-gave utterance to thus
Is compromising sentiment:
Up "Mrs. Belknap. this is the thirtiet
IS, not the first-of April"
ed 'And what has that to do with y
er sudden appearance, DR.. Quinn
to swered the lady. with smiling lips
ed flashing eyes. She rallied from the sh
nut of sudden volley like the veteran
OF was, and took the brunt Of the fight
he her own white, cleaning should
int needing no aid from the young feI
nd who stood there, flushed, annoyed,
ew too perturbed to say word even
M there been chance to get in one et
his wise. Blunt as he was, he could not
his realize the awkwardness Of the situat