Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1893-03-10

makes me wonder great deal why she
should look at me so. But why are you
looking down2" The girl raises her
eyes to his bravely, and there is chal-
lcnge in them. ~ suppose, now that |
have told you all this" ho continues, 81
should tell you who she is, but think ]
scarcely dare. 1t means so much to me,
and she may think so little of it, and
laugh in my face. She laughs at me a
great deal and is very tantalizing, and I
do not think she loves mo. for il she did
she would not act that way; but am go
ing to ask her and find out for myself. ~
Grace Bcutly is uneasy now. and look
ing about for some way to escape, but
every one is far away at the other end OF
the pond.
mo" he says, noticing this. "I
think you cannot get away, and you
must hear the rest. could tell you a
great many more things about her-how
good aud kind-heartcd she is in spite OF
her thouShtlessness; but have already
said great deal, and | really think I
ought to let you know why am telling
it to you"
slow do you know the girl is so good
aud kind2" interrupted Grace Bently,
quickly. ''She may be selfish and in
sincere, and think only OF things as re-
lated to her; and you may misundcr-
stacd her and not know so much about
her as you think"
II know great deal about you
there, have said it, returns De Wolfe.
~ dare say you knew what l meant all
the time. | do not sec how you could
help it. I should have put it better,
perhaps, but | hope you will not think
thai lam apologizing for speaking to
you in this way, for am not. And
am not going to urge anything on you,
and all that, but have put it all before
you clearly, if l may say it, and 1 think
it is due to me that you be equally
frank"
The girl hcsitates moment and ap
pears TO be thinking.
81 am very sorry you have told me
this" she says ut length. cit is not be.
cause do not love you, neither is it be-
cause DO love you. l do not know
what love is. l like you very much,
bit, us 1t seems to Inc, could like "A
great many other men in the same way
like you, and that, think, is not love;
aud if it is love, it is not the right kind
of love. If l were to laugh ut you"
"Don't you think we had better be
starting2" comes voice just then. Both
of them look around, and there is Alice
Bently. She has been gliding noiselessly
toward them, and smiles meauingly. cit
Is getting very dark-rathor too dark
for skating" she adds.
DE Wolfe is very mnch put out, and
remarks that it is not very dark, and it
is evtr-so-much more fun to skate in the
dark, anyhow. But Grace Bcntly an.
pears rather relieved at the interruption,
and starts off quickly toward the other
side of the pond by herself, leaving ID,
Wolfe nothing to do but to offer to skate
over with that clever person who caused
the interruption and broke off Grace
Bentlys words at very interesting
point.
When they como up with the rest of
the party they find that preparations
have been going on rapidly for depart
ure. The party is large and there is
great confusion in taking off skates and
starting, and so thcJ are we'll on their
way home, and Alice Beatty is deep in
conversation with very fascinating
man, when it is learned that Grace
Bently is missing.
"Fll go back tor her." offers DeWolfe
readily in the most innocent way. no
having known she was noe with them
from the start. He wants to ret far
enough away so it will he very long
time before they catch up again. He
turns back and the people begin to
struggle on. Alice Bently makes pre-.
tense of waiting for few moments. "Of
course l cannot 80 and leave Grace.
she protests. Blu. at the suggestion of
the man with her, who does not care to
have younger sister hanging around,
she strolis along the snow trodden path
across the fields.
When DeWolfe rcac' IS the pond it is
quite deserted, and only a stray skater
here and there reminds him Of the after.
moons sport. He scarcely cares to call
out for Grace, so he puts on his skates to /;
search the pond. He fails to find her
after clrcling about quickly, and he
CuiiS ncI uutuc III low tone. PERHAPS
she is with the party now; she might
have taken short cut, for there was no
other place for her to 90.
Was there no other placer DeWolfe's !
heart leaps into his throat. The outlet.
Could she have gone there2 He starts
of quickly. :. The ice in the river near
by is cracking, and now and then n loud
report like the booming of cannon is
heard rs it settles. In the distance De
Wolfe hears the whistle of locomotive,
and to his morbid fancy the barking of a
stray dog makes an impression on his
mind. The rails on the track near ut
hand begin to sing and hum, and pres
emily train rounds the curve and passes
by. A stream OF sparks flies upward,
the steam his3es from beneath, and in a
cloud of smoke the train disappears.
Lights twinkle in the houses near the
highway over the fields. The clouds are
very dark above, and wind from tie
west is blowing dismally. Near the road
some one is whistling for dog. De
al f. 4 l.