Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-03-16

customer, who had ordered the spray of
yellow roses, came in and wanted more.
He seem to require great many bou-
quets and sprays, and sometimes the
young lady in brown tweed came with
him, but more often he was alone. The
flowers were packed in tin boxes and
sent TO Seaward Aylstone, ESQ.,, Cecil
street. Strand.
If Olive had forgotten the existence
of Aaron FenlalSe, Jane Challock's let
tiers must have recalled him TO her
mind. But she had not forgotten him,
and had asked many questions of Mi
chael about their old friend. She had
soon discovered, however. that Michael
hated to recall early associations, and
his answers were so curt and unsatis-
factory that at last she dropped Aaron's
name altogether. Still, il vexed her
sorely that she had no news to send to
Jane, for although there had been no
openly avowed engagement, everyone
in Eastmeon had known that Jane
Challock and Aaron Fenlake were
lovers true. In village it is not easy
to do ones counting unobserved. The
birds of the air tell the secret; the
trees whisper it; the stream babbles of
1t night and day. Aaron's unspoken
! love was freely discussed by all his old
neighbors; and poor James unuttered
hopes were the property of all her girl
friends
Aaron Fenlake had always been a
shy, slow fellow, one of those unluclSv
men who fail to express their feelings
by look or voice. He had often scowled
at Jane when he had meant to smile
sweetly, but Jane preferred his frowns
TO the smiles of other men, and in her
heart she did not envy Olive for having
won the magnificent Michael, so dear
was poor gloomy Aaron to her. Olive
herself respected Aaron and liked him,
not only for his devotion to Michael but
for the steadfast honesty that she had
always found in him. No, she did not
believe that he had changed TO Jane.
Men of his stamp do not change. but
they sometimes despair. Aaron might
lose his hope but he would never forget
his love
One day when June was drawing To n
close she wrote a little note TO Aaron
FeDlalSe and sent IL TO Battersbv,s
works. She asked why he had not been
TO see her and told him that he yould
hnd her at home any evening in the
week, Sundays excepted. On Sunday
she belonged exclusively 10 Michael.
and some instinct warned her that he
did not want 20 be intimate with Aaron
Yet, submissive as she was in most
things, Olive felt that tried friendship
had its claims and that something was
due 10 Aaron FenlalSe IL panied her 10
think that Michael did not acItnoyvledgc
that claim. and then she soothed herself
by tancying that he had shown his graf
itude and good feeling to Aaron in ways
unknown 20 her. But that was not
enough; she would be kind also and
she must see Aaron for James sake.
She had posted her note on Monday
and ON Tuesday evening when She was
sitting alone in the room upstairs
Aaron came in. lie paused awltwardlv
on the threshold, and Olive rose and
went 90 him with an outsfretched hand
and n bright face
'Oh, am glad 20 see you at LAST"
she cried ia her sweet voice. "Whv
have you been so long In cominQ?"
lie looked at her in an odd. con.
strained way. IT didn't know where
you were living" he said, bringing out
his words with visible effort.
'Hou did not know? Then Michael
must have forgotten 10 give you nv
messages"
Did YOU really send messages 70 me2"
he asked eagerly.
Indeed ] did, she answered. "and
have been thinking you quite unkind.
lie looked ~ her again very search.
inGly, rs she stood illuminated In the
evening light that touched her brown
hair with gold. She was wonderfully
pretty prcttier than he had ever seen
her yet; IL was as IL she had SUDDEN,
bloomed into fresh sweetness and
brightness. Her altered style Of dress
had something 90 do with her new AZ.
pect; but Aaron. being a man, could
not be expected 10 understand this. He
did full Justice 90 her beauty, but he
took no pleasure in &C. And vet when
she spoke again and drew him gently
10 a seat by the open window, he was
touched by the tender gentleness of the
face. There was look Of humility in
the liquid eyes that softened him.
TO BE CONTINUED