The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-12-05

You r Nancy. are you not9" he
aald, doubtfully, holding out his hand.
why, jim, is it really youG" asked
Nancy, regarding him with surprise.
How you have grownl When did
you comet and how did you find me9"
! came two days ago" he said, red
dening slightly in irritation at her first
words. Father was anxious that 1
should stay with him yesterday, but 1
called at the Ness this afternoon and
Mrs. Messenger told me where 1 should
find you"
Let us go home now, and then you
can see them all, she said, turning
back. You will hardly know the
children; they we're such mites when
you left"
Il certainly shall not, if they have
altered as much as you have done. 1
scarcely knew you," he said, looking
down at her with intent gray eyes, and
inwardly comparing this beautiful,
graceful girl with the gauche school
girl of five years since.
Il am older" she said, her heart
sinking strangely. He might disguise
the fact that he finds me a disappoint-
ing failure" she thought, rather bit
terly.
"Of course we are no longer boy and
girl" he said. But 1 hope we shall
al ways be friends, Nancy We have
been that all our lives, haven't we7"
Yes, let us be friends" she said.
And thinking that he was eager to i'm
press upon her that they were to be
nothing more, she added. And it was
very wise to break of that childish en-
gagement before you came home,
wasn't it?"
Yves" he said, ~doubtfully, 'oh,
yes, Of course. Your feelings are
naturally quite changed, I suppose,
NancyG"
Naturally" she said, calmly, but
thinking to herself that she was not so
sure about that, after all.
Naturally" he echoed, his eyes,
however, becoming a little clouded.
Those boy and girlengagements eve
answer, do they9 People develop so
differently from what one would expect.
Judging from your letters, I should
have thought you utterly different
from what 1 find you"
"You are equally different from
what I should have expected you to
be" she answered. But let us put up
with each other as we are; we need not
see much of one another, you know"
They had just reached the gate lead.
ing into the garden of the Ness, as she
said this, and unconsciously she paused
outside. Jim took this, coupled with
her last words, as a hint that he should
go, and was more hurt than he cared
to own.
"Good afternoon" he said, stifay,
raising his hat. Your suggestion is
a brilliant one, and you need not fear
that I shall trouble you with my pres
ence more often than is necessary"
You are coming inf" she said, look
ing at him with panied, pleading eyes.
THANK you, no." he said coldly. II
have een Mrs. Messenger and your
brother, and the children will keep"
Good bye" she said, turning in at
the open gate in order that he should
not see the rising tears.
"Good-bye," he said, freezingly,
thinking her absolutely cruel in not
shaking hands. She went up the little
sloping avenue slowly and sadly, try
ing to crush back the tears which would
rise to her eyes in spite of her efforts.
She had succeeded before reaching the
hall, and could answer her sisters sur
prised questions quite calmly.
MY dear Mary" she said, laughing
gently, you forget our changed rela
tions. You must not expect him to
come as often as he used. We have
both come to the conclusion that we
are quite different from what we had
thought each other, and we have
mutually agreed to see as little as pos
sible of me another"
But when she reached her own room
her self control deserted her, and she
cast herself down on the little couch
and wept long and bitterly.
81 hate himr' she said to herself,
vindictively. 81 do; I hate him! No,
I don't; 1 believe I do the very oppo-
site. Oh, 1 ought to be ashamed of
myself to care for one 50 utterly indif-
ferent to mel He didn't even come in,
and after all these years. He shall
never know that 1 love him, never!
However much 1 may suffer, I have