Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-01
he said, and then again fell TO study.

1nG ner 1ace.
TWO years and over since they had
parted that Christmas Lay, and he
had Fever seen her since. Two years
had made a change Two years ago
he had u cherished theory that It
would he impossible tn bring tears to
those brilliant gray eyes. Somehow
to-day that theory was DESTROYED.
Two years ago she could laugh ut you,
mystify you, allure and deceive you,
but love you never, 40 he believed.
IT'S summer, hue summer.
pom thy cheeks divine;
In That little heart heat Of thinc-
But tn day.-to.day! Suddenly a
hope. n slight but exquisite hope,
stirred within him. A slow tire OF
passion darkened his scar hing eyes.
Miss Dolner, to whom he had In.
tended 10 propose in the course Of
the Week.-Mrs. Dolmer to whom he
paid number OF business.like atten.
tiOns-sank swiftly out Of sight He
remembered dream he had had the
summer before, In which Dolly
Humphreys had been walking by tho
sea and he had kissed her, and
walked to spend a week of utter mis-.
erv In bl,oting out every memory that
crowded into view
"Whcrc were you last summer IN
Auglso:" he asked.
-" was ut the seashore," she an.
swercd. and colored a little, that
same delicate pink that he remem.
beted with a vividness that was half
JOY, half pain. Il spent hours liter.
ally on the beach. Nobody else had
any liking for IL. they preferred
gaycr Spots, but I became quite q
solitary last summer, and used to
watch the waves through the long
afternoon. Mamma got rather nerv.
GUS Tor refused any company, and
she was divided between a fear that
/ was meeting an ineligible suitOr Or
getting u bit touched In my head.
will 81 that she might have had
some reason for the latter theory,
had l told her what queer fancies
had, for l got quite under the infu.
encc Of the curling green waves"
"a modern LOrelei," said Aiken.
Il WIS much more like q ship.
wrecked Mariner" said Dolly, smil.
ing softly. II had one idea, re.
membcr, that II l waited very pa.
/ tiently. the waves would wash up ut
my feet u treasure. What the treas.
ure was. l did not know, but some.
thing that would rejoice me fOrevei. "
THE .ewels OF some poor mermaid
who had mislaid them" suggested
| Aiken. watching her. with that hope
growing in his hearts,
~ had q fancy, also" went on
Miss Humphreys, rather shyly, "that
some Of my old friends might turn
up; you among them. That you
might suddenly appear walking
along the smooth tawny sand, and
we would have o friendly talk to.
gether."
III had only known. " said Aiken,
between his teeth. But" he added,
smiling u little, Il wouldn't have
come a an old friend. never was
one" dorothy looked into his face
with hurt wonder, which changed
as he added, II was your lover,
dear"
/ "What were you doing oil last
summer" she said, hastily. leaning
forward and setting six small stones
In an even row, while her cheeks
again colOred pink.
II worked" was the brief answer.
"All the timer" raising soft pity.
Ing eyes to his
"Most Of It; but I did not mind the
work; IL took my thoughts from other
things, and I had nothing pleasant IL
think Of"
"What q melancholy young mani"
said Miss Humphreys, lightly. "You
should have paid The sea visit a.
I'D, and found sOiace for your Ills. "
"Did you need sOlace, alsOY" asked
Aiken, cagerlw "Were you unhappy
tOO?"
What an impairment question:"
and Dolly laughed q little. "Why
should l not be happy?"
IL Thought hoped" went on the
young man, earnestly, with intense
pleading In his eyes, "that perhaps
you were lonely too. That perhap.
you had q little OF the reartache that
was with me duy and night aud has
been these two long years and more.
hoped That you perhaps regretted
your cruelty to me at the last, and
would ut least let me try again
know 1 have no right, he continued
ITO cherish any hOpes-yOu certainly
did your best to crush them out
but We had been so happy before
grew quite mad about you, and you
had seemed to like me then, and 81
IL suddenly comes to inc that now,
after those years, you might give me
another chance. God knows / asl
nothing better than to spend my
hea,t and soul In trying to make you
love me peak, Dolly. and give me
some answe.. Am ! Rono mad agar
Or"
He did not try u touch her hand
or make her look at him, but waited
In q passionate silence that somehow
made itself felt In the uict spring
air Slowly Miss Humphreys heaped
her six little stones one on the other
and us they fell to the ground she
turned and looked ut him and smiled,
u wlstful deprecating smile that
steadied his hot impulse to express
his utter Joy, and yet gave him full
measure Of It,
'Non't say anything now" she
whispered. II could not bear IT, '
and her eyes asked for mercifu
gentleness from him, and not II
vain