The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-02-28


without offering to take it. Iwant
to gain time.
"Yes-your letters. l have no right
| to them nowW
"How-how beautifully you have
packed theml"
He turns away with an impatient
gesture and lays them on the table.
II need not detain you any longer
now my elrand is DONE" he says
quietly.
"But-there is something else. Oh,
you forget!" as he looks at me ques-
tioningly. "You have returned my
letters promptly enough-how can l
thank you for such promptness9-bu
you forget your own. AS you say, I
have no right to them now"
"You wish me to take theme Very
we'll"
Butt do not wish him to take them
anything but thatl want to post
pone the moment of parting-that is
all.
will you be good enough to fetch
themF"
"They are here on the floor. Will
you be good enough to help me pick
them up2"
He does so without a word. To
gether we stoop to collect them; to
gether we lay them on the table;
together for the last time!
bring paper and string and pro
coed to pack them up, while he
watches me in silence.
II fear this will not be such neat
parcel as yours, l say, speaking as
steadily as l can, and bending over
the table to hide my troubled face.
"You know I'm never good at this
sort of thing"
~ know" shortly.
II can't do it" and great tear
splashes on the packet. I'm very
sorry, butt
Don't bother about it," and he
lays his hand on mine suddenly. mo
need for such fuss. Give them to
me as they are"
What are you going to do with
theml' as he takes them from my
trembling hands.
"Put them in the fire." and he
turns to do so.
mo, no, moi" 1 cry, springing for
ward and laying OBTAINING hand on
his arm. ooh, don't, Jackp
"Why not2" pausing. You don't
want them, and I'm sure don't"
IL do. Please give them back
to me-"
"What for2"
"To keep. To remind me-
"Of my folly3"
"Of my own. p
Your folly is over and done with.
Our engagement is broken off, he
says moodily. Better forget itever
existed"
Il cannot do that, with an ire
pressible little sob. II am waiting
for those letters"
Take them, Them and he throws
them down on the table. Keep
them to compare with Horne's, if you
like. don't care"
''How can you insult me SOP What
right have you to think me so mean,
so heartless2" l cry Indignantly.
"And you cared for me once-or pre-
tended tor
81 did care. care now, though l
know I'm only a fool for my pains ~
bitterly. "Heartless do you say2
How can 1 help thinking you heart
less after your conduct last night2"
MY conduct And what of yours
If l danced with Frank, and-yes,
fiirted with him a little, you were
flirting all the time with Celia and
Molly, and-oh, there wasn't a girl
in the room that you didn't fiirt with
You know there wasn't"
Eyes, and you should know that
there is safety in numbers" he re-
torts, fixing his dark eyes on mine
reproachfully. But you Maud, you
flirted with Frank all the time, and
with no one but Frank. A very diff
ferent thing"
"And what was to do when you
deserted me2 Sit still and look mis-
erable9 Thanks, mol Really, you
are unreasonable.
you forget that l did not desert
you, as you call it, till after you gave
me to understand that l wasn't
wanted. You told me to go, and I
went"
"You did-on the Instant"
"And you blame me for that now
Did you not mean me to take you at
your worda"
look at him as he stands very tall
Snd erect, on the other side of the
fireplace, his brown eyes, with GER
taen defiance in them, watching me
ntently, and feel thankful that at
least we are not going to part in 81
lence. His love may not be strong
enough to stand the test of our quar-
rel, but still-he loves me. Oh, if
only
Ibid you not mean me to take you
at your word2" he repeats
Not like that" slowly. "Yo,