The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-17

baked the slabs Of greystone TO such heat
that even the flies and little living things
had ceased to crawl over them. Only a
lizard or two peeped out from the cracks
OF the rocks.
But in the shade little GOODNESS could
be gathered from the faint breeze that
blew up the valley. In this shade, hidden
from the rough path that passed down
the middle of the quarry by huge lump
of rock. a girl was sitting. Her hat was
off. her hair was untidy-not pictur-
esouely untidy as a heroine's hair should
he. but untidy because she had lost some
of her hairpins in scrambling down the
steep bank-and one long, straight. lank,
black rress had fallen from the coil on
her head. and hung IL hard un0ecomlng
line behind one ear.
She sat there silent, drinking in the
peace of the royal afternoon. The silence
was unbroken, save now and then Dy the
fight of a grouse or a ployer, and from
far away across the valley came the Ialh1
chime Of church bells.
The girls brown. ungloved hand played
gently with the delicate harebells and
iittle yellow ladies' slipper. that nestled
in the short, dry turf. The peace Of the
hour had entered into her and her brow
was smoothed. and her eyes softened by
the spells of restfulness that lay all
across the broad moOrs.
Her brovvs drew together and mouth
hardened. as the crackle Of gorse and the
sound of falling stones, dislOdged by a
hastv foot told her that she was not
alone. She kept perfectly still behind her
stone and hoped that the footsteps would
90 by. They came down the little uneven
path, and lust Oh the other side OF the pig
boulder they stopped. She peeped round
the corner of her stone and saw tndt a
man was standing there, looking out over
the sunlit valley Suddenly. even as she
looked. he raised his hand and struck 1t
violently against the rock
Won fool" he said aloud, you utter
foollf' and threw himself, face down
ward, on the turf
The girl rose quickly and quietly,
gathered her soft draperies, and picking
her steps noiselessIy over the turf,
reached the path some twenty yards
above the spot where he lay. Then,
treading rather heavily on the loose
stones. she marched down the path to-
ward him AT the sound of her footsteps
he sat up. twisted, hurriedly, his hand
kerchief around his hand, which was
covered with dust and blood, and turned
toward her with face which he tried
hard to render as unconcerned as her
oh! how do you do, Mr.. Percival?"
she said. Who would have thought of
seeing you of all people in this of all
places2 And what have you done 10 your
handP
he had risen while she spoke and held
out his left hand to her.
i was clumsy enough to knock it," he
said, awkwardly enough. Butts moth
ing much. Which way are you going!"
Il was going to sit here" she said 81
often do. Don't let me disturb you"
She sank lazily on the turf within a
yard or two from him, and the young
man had nothing left but to follow her
example He was tall well-knit young
fellow of "a or whereabouts, with dark
curling hair and light mustache. His
ewes were of a good blue, but they were
small and illset; and his face was so
heavily cut that nine people out Of ten
who met him said to themselves or to
their friends. What an ugly fellow
that PerciVal isl" But the tenth person
found Percival by no means so ugly. For
wit showed in the sparkling of the blue
eyes. intellect marked the broad brow
and delicacy and Tenderness had mel
lowed the corners of the rather thin
lips. His face was very pale now.
Il didn't know your Sunday walks
ever led you this way, Miss Helston. 80
he said, with an evident desire to make
COnNCESdLlN
Il come here sometimes when 7 want to
be quiet and think things over she said
There was a silence. His difficulty of
finding suitable small talk was now so
obvious that Miss Helston suddenly aban-
doned her half-formed determination to
act as though things were exactly as they
ought to be- She looked steadily at him
for a minute and then she said:
''Dou you mind telling me why you
called yourself an utter fool and why you
banged your hand against the rock just
now"
He flushed dull red and frowned an
grily.
Its no use your being angry with me, -"
she said, because Il happen TO have
seen you. If you behave in that way
IN a public quarry you must expect an
audience"
Il don't see -" he began stify
''No, you don't see what business It is
Of mine and you think it would have been
more delicate and more 'ladylike.for me
not TO have seen anything, or, at any rate,
to pretend that l hadn't And that's be-
cause I'm a woman. If it had been a man
whom you like as well as you like me.
who had seen you this afternoon, you
would probably have told him what was
the matter. And perhaps he could have
helped you. Perhaps l could, If you had
told me"
The truth OF what she mad said came
upon him for the first time. He realized
that If she had been a man, and one
whom he liked as we'll as he liked this
black-haired, athletic, trycycling, tennis
playing girl, he would have told every
thing. His voice had a note of apology in
il as he said
''Its very kind of you: if you care to
be bothered with my condolences, though
am not much by way of making them to
anybody, l will tell you what / should GER
tainly tell to any man alive, that totally
disapprove of your cousins conduct.
while, at the same time. ! can't help
loving her like the fool | am"
''Of course, said Miss Helston, on look
ing at him calmly,''l knew that you loved
my cousin l knew it just as well as she
does. But that you should disapprove of
her
mo, not of her. You don't understand.
She is so young, so innocent, so childish.
she is led away into these foollshnesses
aud fiirtationssby the mere frolic spirit of
youth If she cared for me, if she cared
for anyone. she would settle down and
give the whole noble side of her character
a chance to show itself"
But she Doesn't care for YOU" said
Miss Helston. with decision
Don't ] say sou he answered but
irritably, for no man likes to be told these
things.
DO you know why she doesn't care for