Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-02-14
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81 wonder if he hates me now!' she mus
ed, as she sat with the rest of the family
after dinner that evening, apparently read
ing 81 don't believe he does. He is too
free from vanity to be ungenerous But OF
course he will keep as far from me as posi-
Bile after this. Perhaps 1 shall never meet
him again. He is not a man to be any
woman's commonplace friend when he has
wished to be SO much more. How miser
able am! | deserve it. for had no right
to let him begin to care for me if meant
to snub him at last. But never let my.
self think about it, and now have spoiled
his life and my own"
Just then there was a ring at the door
bell colloquy in the hall, and somebody
was ushered into the drawing room. Made
line, who had been fidgeting all the evening"
suddenly became very quiet and fixed con-
scious eyes upon the history lesson she was
pretending to study. In a moment the
servant appeared and announced:
Its Mr.. Dunham; wants to see Miss
Ford"
''Who did you say, Mary?" cried Made
line starting up
''Mr. Dunham 'as asked for Miss Flor
ence most particular" repeated Mary, fa-
voring the latter young woman with a
sympathetic grin as she closed thedoor
Madeline sank back into her history again,
with sense that all her struggles to emerge
from the slough of little girlhood were hope
less. Thankful for the shelter of her school
books, behind them she chewed the cud of
sweet and better fancy and possibly learned
a lesson not printed on their well worn pages
To Florence the arrival of her guest came
as a bewildering surprise. She rose mechan-
ically and went into the drawing room
with her heart beating very fast and her
head in a whirl Did he intend to denounce
her unfeeling conduct, or was it possible
that he had come in spite of the cool dis
missal she had sent him to beg her to re-
consider her decision? If he would only
give her the opportunity
Mr. Dunham's course was not calculated
to clear ner mind, for as she entered he
crossed the room and deliberately closed
the sliding doors behind her, in the face of
the family Then he turned to her, his
face aglow with happiness, and seized her
hands.
''How could you play me such trick?"
he said. 1T was not like you at all to be
so willfully cruel. Did you pretend to say
No so that might feel the greater happi-
ness when you said 'Yes?'"
Florence, reused to feeble self assertion by
his masterful ignoring of her positive re-
lection A helpless sort of joy filled her
that the refusal had gone for nothing, but
it was certainly surprising assurance on his
part to assume that she cared so much for
him that her dismissal could be regarded
only in the light of a joke.
Not the very word" he answered, but
you will say it to please me, won't you?
Not that words matter much, since you
really do care for me after all. Tell me you
do. Tell me again that nothing can ever
separate us"
''Agan?" murmured Florence.
Again and again." he replied. II shall
never be tired of hearing it. Oh, Florencer
And then they wandered off to tread the
primrose path of dallance for the rest OF
the evening.
"But john" she said at last, rousing her
self from the charming mental chaos in
which she was involved, sit seems the
most wonderful thing in the world that
you should be here-like this-after my
note"
"Ddp't you want me to Gomez"
"N ell-yes. But how did you know it?"
"Why," said John-'Won't you give me
this little piece of hair? This one right
here-I inferred it from what you wrote"
How cleverly you read between the
lines! You are too clever! shall be afraid
of you if you are going to display such un-
erring intuition all the time.'
81 don't believe you will ever be afraid OF
me. A man would have to he uncommonly
dull not to understand what this meant,
no matter what had gone before" He took
out of his breast pocket an envelope with a
blotted corner and drew from it sheet of
paper. Can you guess how happy this
made me- he whispered, ''after had been
knocked out by that note got this morn
ing? Why did you write that other? Did
you do it only as q sort of joke or did you
mean it and then think better of it after
ward?'
Florence looked at him with Il puzzled
air, then her eyes fell on the paper in his
hand.
Let me see thatl' she said suddenly
Taking it from him, she glanced at the
contents
Love is like rosebud
Hid behind a thorn
y didn't send you this thingl' she ex-
claimed.
Didn't send it to mel Who did9 1t is
your hand-see, on the envelope too'
81 know it is my writing, but l wrote
those idiotic verses for Madeline to send to
Mabel Flint. She must have found the en-
velope in my waste basket and sent it to
you for IL joke instead. Do you think
would send you such silly trash as that?"
Il don't think it is silly. 1t has given me
the greatest happiness of my life if it was Il
mistake. Then you sent me only that heart
less note | received firstl And you really
meant it, did you?"
Il thought did,"
But you don't mean it now?" persisted
John.
No" said Florence; II mean something
very different now!"