Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-15

longing longing with all her heart and soul to let herself drift into the full de- light of hearing his words of Iovc-but no, he was a flirt, it was his way, he meant nothing, and she was proud, and firm, and resolutely strong,
 May l say n0thing elsc?" he said, with oh! such a world of entrcaty and ycarning in his voice and eyes.
 There is nothing else to say" she said, in q frozen voice.
 An hour later, Lumlcy said to Mrs. Jock: "I want you to do mo favor. must get to town early. Will it be pos siblc for me to catch the eight o'clock train?"
 "Of course. But Gcorge-you are coming again?" anXiously.
 "l say, Mrs. Jock, it's kind of you to ask me to come again, but can't while Miss Nugent is staying with you"
 But why? I-I thought you liked her so," the little woman exclaimed. "George, has anything happcncd?"
 Miss Nugent definitely refused me last night" he said, in an odd, unmovcd, wooden kind of voice.
 George, am very sorry," she said, winlling hard to keep the tears out of her Cycs-they wero plainly to be heard in her trembling voicc-"but indeed think there is quite a misunderstanding. am sure We're likes you-how could she help it." she added, with uncon- scious iiattcry.
 "No"-shaking his hcad-''it is no u,e. wouldn't ask her to marry me again if you told me she was breaking her heart for mo. 1 believe in lady knowing her own mind when man of fCrs her all that Inc has and is and ever will be-"
 In two minutes he was gone and Mrs. Jock saw the tail of Vcre's blue serge Mrs Jock went after her and shut the door, "Vere," she said abruptly, "why did you refuse George Lumley?"
 But Mir. Lumlcy never asked me to marry him." the girl stammcrcd. "Ile said something about the sitting for his Penelope, and then-he-hc said some- thing very vague and uncertain about his wishes, and all that, and-and-I knew he was one of the greatest firts in London, and-and-I cut him short, that was all. But he never asked me to marry him, Mrs. Jock, I swear to you"
 "Oh! you silly girl" Mrs. Jock almost screamed, ''as if any man goes down on his knees and offers his hand and his heart formally nowadays. And you've sent him away-wrctched- wrctchcd!"
 "I am wretched, too," We're burst out, indignantly.
 "So you ought to be, so you deserve to be-" Mrs. Jock retorted, passionatcly. And then you say he's a hirt. Who told you that? Not II He can't help half the women in London being in love with him; he can't help being the most charming, delightful man in the world. But a Airt he never was. I've known him for years-years. never saw dear old George fiirt yet, though I've seen dozens of women trying hard to flirt with him. And you've broken his heart, sent him away wreIched and miserable, and l wish I'd never asked you to come down here at all, or him either-yes, do."
 It was not often that Mrs. Jock worked herself up into a regular passion, though she could, as Jock could have borne witness; on that par.
 
 boiling passion, and what the end of il all would have been I really cannot say, had not We're created a diversion by suddenly fiinging herself down upor the nearest sofa in positive agony ot reproachful grief. For a moment or SC Mrs. Jock was startled into silence then her kindliness reasserteG itself ant she sat down and drew the sobbing gir | to her heart.
 "Thefe-there, dear. was horric and unkind and a perfect beast to you, she cried. Don't cry like that, darl Ing. pray don't-I never mean half say when I'm In a rage. as Jock would tell you. It was only that I'm so font of dear old George, and couldn't bear to think he should be made un happy for no real reason, for you d, like hirn, don't you, Vere2 Oh, ID, deax, you don't know how dear Anl lssna Rnd Rrpd hs is--gou'd nsvaf thinl