Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-02-17

the first moment.
"Oh, you mean because he is kind"
she said. "Yes he is kind-very kind
to me. haye not a wish that he
does not try to crafty. But let me
tell you, my dear Gertrude, that is
not quite the same thing. / love him.
That being the case. | am not satisfied
with his simply tolerating me, and
being kind and considerate. Do you
understand now?"
She had spoke with her airy, sar-
donic hucncy, smiling the while. But
suddenly her whole face changed and
a sort Of spasm passed over it. While,
drawn. with its glittering eyes, it look
ed for an instant positively CHASTITY.
seized her arm sharply.
"You should not give way to such
moods" l said with angry admoni-
ton. "Half of this is imagination.
Why should not Mr.. Merritt love
your"
"He shall He shall !"
The strange tentions of her features
gave way. She looked more natural.
Then her lip quivered.
"Do you think he will ever care for
me Gertrude? am so ungainly-so
repulsive-that he cannot? Oh,
God Why should | suffer SOP"
She suddenly stamped her foot like
oos III actual physical misery.
Hush, hush, Avis We must
al suffer. You are not the on Y Que.
rHsvs you eyer suffered dout
believe 1t. You are too calm. Ii
you had ever suffered as | do you
would not have such quiet eyes. Your
voice would not be so low and still.
Pc rbaps you think your people losing
all their money-being poor is a
great trouble. But it is nothing
nothing-to what bear! L"
She suddenly stopped short. The
pathos was gone from her voice and
face. These changes swept over her
continually. There were times when
they seemed to me almost uncanny.
She broke into her characteristic
laugh.
ooh, you need not look SO shocked
and grieved, Gertrude ! You are a
very good girl, a very good girl but,
really, | am quite determined that
my husband shall still care for me-a
little-some day."
looked after her rs she left the
room. | seemed to comprehend, to
fathom her, less day by day.
was still sitting in the same place
when the door opened again. l had
seen Avis drive off on a round of Wis
its half an hour before. | was dis
pensed from accompanying her on
these occasions, and | thought at first
that it was Servant in quest of
something.
| started at the sound of Mr.. Mer-
ritt's voice.
"Are you alone, Miss Watt? Has
Mrs.-ls Avis not in ?"
"She has gone for drive" said,
making movement to rise.
Don't CO." he urged, hastily. II
in fact, am glad to have an OPP
portunity of speaking to you. None
seems to have offered since | have
been back, and it has been constantly
on my heart-my mind to express
to you little of the grief-the SYM
pathy-I have felt at meeting you
again under such altered circum-
stances"
He spoke stammeringly, without
raising his eyes from the floor, as he
sat at little distance from me. He
was pale and his eyes wore haggard
expression. Avis PASSIONATE declara-
ton returned to my memory. No;
he was not happy.
81 have never forgotten those days
in your fathers house." he resumed,
&c murmured some undistinguish-
able words, "four years ago this past
summer"
Now, | had given this man up,
reader. ] had put him out of my
mind and heart. He belonged to an
other. But this-these "reminiscences
of these all too brief summer days
| could not bear IL was a touch on
the raw nerve.
moved toward the door.
zone word. There is one word
more ] wish, | must say" he stammer-
ell, more hastily than before and still
without looking at me, sit was short
ly after leaving you, Miss Watt, that
| heard of your fathers sudden fail
ure and of the consequent breaking
up of your house. II was going
back directly. wished to see you,
but at that very moment and a a re ,
suit of the same financial crisis which
ruined your father, our own affairs-
my fathers and mino-became grave
ly involved. My father is a very
Droud man. Miss Watt He had ho.p