The Irish standard., 1894-09-08
CHAPTER XIII.


Yates walked merrily down the road
whistling "Gayly the Troubadour."
Perhaps there is no moment in a mans
life that he feels the Joy Of being alive
more keenly than when he goes to pro
pose to girl Of whose favorable an
swer he is reasonably sure, unless it be
the moment he walks away an accept
ed lover. There is a magic about
June night, with It's soft velvety dark
ness and its sweet mild air laden with
the perfume Of wood and field. The
enchantment Of the hour threw its
spell over the young man, and he re-
solved to live better life and be
worthy of the girl he had chosen, or
rather, that fate had chosen for him. He
paused moment leaning over the
fence near to the Howard homestead,
for he had not yet settled in his own mind
the details Of the meeting. He would
not go in, for in that case he knew he
would have to talk, perhaps for hours,
with every one but the person he
wished to see. Il he announced him
self and asked to see Margaret alone,
his doing SO would embarrass her at
the very beginning. Yates was nat
urally too much Of diplomat to COM
mence awkwardly. As he stood there,
wishing chance would bring her out Of
the house, there appeared light In
the door-window of the room where he
knew the convalescent boy lay. Mar
garet's shadow formed a silhouette on
the blind. Yates caught up handful
of sand and flung it lightly against the
pane. Its soft patter evidently at
tracted the attention Of the girl, for
after moments pause the window
opened carefully and Margaret stepped
quickly out and closed it, quietly
standing there.
Margaret" whispered Yates, hardly
above his breath.
The girl advanced toward thes fence
"Is that you?" she whispered in re-
turn, with an accent on the last word
that thrilled her listener. The accent
told as plainly as speech that the word
represented the one man on earth to
her. IN
"Yes," answered Yates, springing
over the fence and approaching her.
''Ohr' cried Margaret, starting back,
then checking herself with catch in
her voice. 'sYou-you startled me
Mr.. Yates"
''Not Mr.. Yates any more, Margaret,
but Dick. Margaret, wanted to see
you alone. You know why I have
come" He tried to grasp both her
hands, but she put them resolutely be-
hind her, seemingly wishing to retreat,
yet standing her ground.
Margaret, you must have seen long
ago how it is with me. 7 love you, Mar
garet, Loyalty and truly. It seems as
Ii had loved you all my life. I GER
tainly have since the first day saw
you"
"Ohl Mr.. Yates, you must not talk to
me like this"
"My darling, how else can I talk to
you? It cannot be surprise to you,
Margaret. You must have known 1t
long ago."
II did not Indeed did motif you
really mean It,"
''Mean it? never meant anything
ss mean this. It is everything to me,
End nothing else is anything. I have
knocked about the world good deal,
admit, but never was in love before
never knew what love was until I
met you. tell you that
Please, please, Mr.. Yates, do not
say anything more. II 1t Is really true,
cannot tell you how sorry am. I
hope nothing ! have said OF done has
made you believe that that oh, do
not know what to say. never thought
you could be in earnest about any
thing"
''You surely cannot have % mis-
Judged me, Margaret. Others have,
but did not expect it Of you. You are
far and away better than I am No one
knows that better than 7. do not
pretend to be worthy Of you, but viii
be q good husband to you. Any man
who gets the love Of good woman"
continues Yates. earnestly. pla0iariz