Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-11-03

the day, as he hal been wont to do
five years ago. There was one differ
ence between this daily intercourse and
that of the old times, and that rather
important one. Nancy lost all her
gentle brightness when speaking to
jim, and was coldly, distantly polite
to him. He saw this and no doubt re-
sented it, but Nancy never guessed
that from his manner. He did every
thing he could think of to please her,
bat with no outward effect Inwardly
she knew that her love for him was
strengthening day by day, and that no
power of hers could prevent it.
jim was in most trying position.
He knew himself to be deeply in love
with Nancy; his feeling for her had
never died. as he had imagined; but
with the knowledge of her as a sweet,
noble woman came the knowledge that
he had forfeited the right to tell of hls
love. Her letters had been OF kind
of which he had wearied when he had
ceased to be youth. But, anxious
that his own letters should not be rs
uninteresting to her rs hers were to
him he had written in a boyish, semi
frivolous strain, which he thought
would be pleasing to her, as natural to
herself. He could not understand
how such a thoughtful intelligent girl
as he knew her now to be, could have
written such shallow, characterless
letters. He supposed that she had
not cared enough for him to write
abont what she felt interested in.
Nancy grew colder and more con-
strained than ever in her manner
toward him, aud though every day he
felt more clearly that his love was
hopeless. he found it more and more
difficult to hide it from her. He was
too proud and too manly to force his
love on her, believing, as he did, that
she disliked him; and at last, after
bitter struggle with himself, he deter
mined to return to India at once.
He had never been to the Ness late
" without some valid reason, and this
new decision was 50 good an excuse
for calling that he was not slow In
taking advantage Of it. He found
Nancy in the garden, arrayed IN n
large, white sun bonnet, busily gath
ering strawberries for tea.
"You will find it rather hot work, /
am afraid, he said. looking down
gravely into her flushed face. Let
me pick some now.
"Thsnk you" she answered, re-
signing the basket; STOPPING so much
has tired me a little.
He had soon filed the basket and
then. at his suggestion, they seated
themselves under an oil apple tree to
rest. Nancy took off her sun bonnet
and leaned her bare head against the
gnarled trunk languidly. jim watched
her as she sat there, thinking that he
would soon have only the memory OF
her sweet, pure face to bear with him.
81 came up this afternoon to say
goodby," he said, breaking the long
silence rather abruptly.
Nancy started slightly and raised
her eyes to his in wonderment
"Goodby?" she said. "And where
are you going?'
- am going back to India; / have
had enough Of England.
$50 India? At once? Oh, why?'
she asked piteously, growing very
white, and looking at him with
frightened eyes.
An expression Of tremulous hope be-
qan to dawn on Jim's face as he saw
how his words had affected her
"'Do You care, Nancy he asked
eagerly. "Would YOU rather stayed:
"NIy wishes have nothing to do with
the matter, she said, rather bitterly
"Indeed they have" he said, very
earnestly. "Nancy, tell me, would
you rather / stayed?'
"If say yes, would you stay she
asked, quietly.
"Only if you loved me-, he said
81 cannot stay on and see you day
after day, and feel that you will never
care for me. May Istay, Nancy
eff you like, She answered, shyly.
Jim took her into his arms and kissed
her very tenferly.
There's one thing want to know
he said, presently, looking down into
her eyes, "when did you begin to love
me, dear"
"When did you begin TO love me?
she replied, blushing under his gaze.
81 don't know; | have loved you
all my life. he answered.
81 don't know, either, she said
"when l was about four or five, l
think"
'But, my darling, you broke oil our
engagement, " he said, wonderingly.
eyes; from your letters ] thought |
did not love you. They we're so stupid
II mean"
Eyes, they we're stupid, but yours
we're silly, too, and thought that was
the kind of thing you liked, he said,
. -. - ,.toT1,oo,.ao Io.-,,,rv IN his