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


and was surprised at hearing herself
suddenly addressed. Looking up with
startled eyes she found a young man
gazing at her with a puzzled, intent
expression in his handsome face.
"You are Nancy, are you not?" he
said, doubtfully, holding out his hand
"Why, jim, is it really you?' asked
Nancy, regarding him with surprise.
Chow you have grown When did you
come? and how did you find me?"
Il came two days ago" he said, red
dening slightly in irritation at her first
words. Father was anxious that
should stay with him yesterday, but
called at the Ness this afternoon, and
Mrs Messenger told me where l should
find you"
'Let lis go home now, and then you
can see them all, " she said, turning
back. "You will hardly know the
children; they were such mites wher
you left"
81 certainly shall not, ii they have
altered as much as you have done.
scarcely knew you, he said, looking
down at her with intent gray eyes, anc
inwardly comparing this beautiful
graceful girl with the gauche school
girl of five years since.
81 am older" she said, her heart
sinking strangely. "He might dis
cuise the fact that he finds me a dis
appointing failure" she thought,
rather bitterly.
"Of course We are no longer boy and
girl" he said. "But I hope we shall
always be friends, Nancy! We have
been that all our lives, haven't we?'
eyes, 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 II
was very wise to break off that child
i.h engagement before you came home,
wasn't it?"
"Y-yes, he said, doubtfluly, "oh,
YES. of course Your feelings are
naturally quite changed, | suppose
Nancy?"
"Naturally, she said calmly but
thinking to herself that she was not Sc
sure about that, after all
Naturally" he echoed, his eyes
however, becoming a little clouded'
"Those boy and girl engagements
never answer, do they? People de
velop so differently from what one
would expect. Judging from your let
ters. should have thought you utter
" different from what l find you.
'You are equally different from what
1 should have expected you to be,
sbe 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 hint
that he should go, and was more hurt
than he cared to own.
"Good afternoon, he said, stifly,
raising his hat. "Your suggestion Is
a brilliant one, and you need not fear
that shall trouble you with my pres
ence more often than is necessary.
'You are coming in?' she said,
looking at him with panied, pleading
eyes
Thank YOU, no, he said coldly.
~ have seen Mrs. Messenger and your
brother, and the children will keep.
"Good-by," she said, turning IN at
the open gate in order that he should
not see the rising tears.
"Good-by.' 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 surprised questions quite
calmly
"My dea Mary" she said, laughing
gently, lyon forget our changed rela-
tions. You must not expect him tc
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 mu-
tually agreed to see as little as possible
Of one 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.
'I hate him !" she said to herself,
vindictively. 81 do; 1 hate him
No, l don I'll believe 1 do the very
opposite. Oh, ought to be ashamed
of myself to care for one so utterls
Indifferent to me- He didn't even
come in, and after all these year. lie
shall never know that | love him,
ue=er However much | may suffer
have enough pride to hide it. He
shall think me as Indifferent as he j:
himself.