Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-05-11

wayward. fanciful play ulness. Almost
Immediately, however, she reused her
self again, as though unwilling to let
ightsome huIpor escape so soon.
-"Well. let us pretend that you have
married me, fer better or worse, and
that it is all settled. Now, where win
you take me to frst2'
where do you wish to goT''
"Oh, it must be somewhere where no.
body could come after usT' she exc
claimed, with a curious, subdued laugh.
Nobody that either of us have ever
known; neither your mother, nor my
father, nor-nor-anybodyl And there
we must stay always, because as soon
as we came out we should lose each
other and never find each other again.
And that would be sadder than never to
have met, wouldn't itr'
"But my darling Kate" interposed j,
laughing again, where on earth in this
age of railways and steamboats, and tSle-
graphs and balloons are we to find such
retired spotS Unless we took voyage
to the moon, or could find our way down
to the center of the earth, we should
hardly feel safe, L fearP'
"Oh, well, you must arrange about
CA4SsOS OA4y ~ 10 % l BC4A yOuR anu you S60
marrying me4is not such simple mat
ter after all. Well, now, suppose we
have reached the place, wherever it is
what would you give me fora wedding
PRESENT.
''What would you ikes
mo; you are to decide that. It
wouldn't be proper for your wife to
choose her own wedding present, you.
know"
81 believe such a thing does sometimes
very fashionable and aristocratic,"
But am not aristocratic; l am an
American Now, what will you give
me9''
what do you say to the diamondsp"
"Well, think will take the dia-
monds," she said, meditatively, as
though weighing the question in her
mind. eyes, papa said I might wear
diamonds after | was married. But
might not your mother object2"
"Not when she knows whom they are
for, and at any rate she is going to leave
them to me in her will"
"OhI and you expect that the news Of
our marriage will kill herr"
"It ought rather to give her a new
lease of life. But you shall have the
diamonds all the same. viii you try
them on nowT'
"Why, have you got them with your"
Certainly; 1 always carry them in ,
this pocket" !
elbow carelessl You might lose them"
mo; the pocket buttons up-seet' and
turning back the flap Of my coat1 showed
ho1s h0Hxy oil TaaaAn aonT1a
"But what If robbers were to attack
your"
"Then 1 should talk to them with
this" l rejoined, taking my revolver
from another pocket and hoEding it up.
"Oh, that's DerringerI They have
those in America. What a pretty oneG
Let me look at it."
"No," said 1, replacing itin my pocket;
sit has hair trigger and every barrel
is loaded. You shall look at something
much prettier and not dangerous at all.
Here, sit down on this stump and take
off your hat and I'll put them on for
YOU"
the end Of the path we had been follow
ing, and within few rods of the brink
Of precipitous gorge, which entered
the side of the steep mountain spur
nearly at right angles. Across this gorge
(Which, though seventy to one hundred
feet in depth, was scarcely more than
half as wide at the top wooden bridge
had formerly been thrown; but age or
accident had broken it down until only
single horizontal beamremained, span
ming the chasm from side to side, and
supported by three or four upright and
transverse braces. The beam itself was
scarcely nine inches in width, and the
whole structure was dizzy thing to
look at. My nerves were trained to
steadiness by good deal Of gymnastic
experience, but it would have needed a
strong inducement to get me across that
beam on foot.
Kate sat down on the stump as direct
ed, but her manner had become languid
and Indifferent; the brightness and spar
kle Of her late mood were gone As she
looked up at me her level eyebrows were
slightly contracted and the corners of
her mouth dropped. Her hands were
folded istlessly in her lap. She was
dressed in some soft white material
through which was visible the warm
CLEAN of her arms and shoulders; the
skirt was caught up in such a way as to
allow freedom in walking; she wore
broad brimmed white hat over her black
hair, a yellow sash confined her waist
and her hands were bare. l united the
ribbon of her hat, she permitting me to
do so without resistance; and then
heelng before my unbuttoned the
diamonds from her pocket and laid
them, in their case, upon her lap.
"Now, dear, shall put them on you,
or will you do it yourself2'
She opened the case and the gems
flashed in the checkered sunshine that
filtered down between the leaves Of the
trees. The sight seemed to rouse her
somewhat; faint spot Of color showed
in either cheek, and she drew in long
breath.
"They are splendid" she said II
never saw anything like them. No,
your mother would need to die before
u