Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-01-25

disdainfully Of the dashing sort Of ci,,,
which surely Lydia Long was a t 1,ns'
And so her thoughts fly backward, m,
forward, into the happy past and dim
ping into the shadowy future which =,
ready she thinks of with duh forhod.
ing. Any rate, there can be no moro
days like those that are gone. or th,s
she Is quite sure and she tells herspr
that she must be quite brave and ready
for anything Horace may tell her. Tor
Of course, he will tell her first.
At this point she breaks down nj.
terly and sobs like a child. The NOM
looks down in plying silence and tho
soft night wind SWAPS the hammock
gently to and fro. All at once a quick
familiar step sounds on the gravel walk
the gate clicks and some one walks |
across the lawn whistling in careless
boyish fashion. Yes. it is Horace and
Kate shrinks into the shadow that he
may not see her tear stained face. She
can see that his face is flushed and his
eyes bright with new found Joy. She
feels instinctively that the moment She
has just been dreading has come and
nerves herself to meet it with true Wo
manly courage.
Kate" he said, his voice tremblin,
with eageness and the joy of making
known his happiness. II could not|
sleep until told you, for 1 have had|
no friend like you in all my life. anil
so happy, dear. You cannot know how
wonderful it all seems to me-for shell
loves me, Kate, and has promised to bel
my Wife"
Hates reply came low and tremu.
lOus but he noticed nothing.
mo one could be more anxious for|
your happiness than /, Horace, and II
am glad-yes, glad-ln your JOY Cod
bless you, dear.
The words were almost too much for|
her, she would have got through brave.
~ had he not, after pause, asked:|
And you will love her, Kate, for my
sake?'
She tried to answer, but her voice
broke into a storm of sobs which,
would not be repressed. And then i'll
is that a strange thing happens
Strong arms are around her, lifting her|
from the cushion. Horace is sitting bel
side her in the hammock. and what are|
the words he is saying, She looks att
him, trying to comprehend, and bel
bursts into merry laugh as he catches
sight Of her astonished eyes.
"Why,Kate dear, where did the sand.
man take you tonight? i found you'll
fast asleep here in the hammock, with
such Il troubled look on your face that
it made my heart ache. was just 60
ing to wake you when you began toll
cry as though your heart was broken
Il thought it was" she replied al
light beginning to break in on her daz
ed mind. oh" she cried. rising and
stretching her arms above her head. I'll
feel as though had been asleep year.
Is it late?"
mo; sit down again. 1 want to talk
to you, and besides you haven't told me
what you were dreaming of yet"
1t was well that he could not see the|
wave Of crimson that flushed her throat
and face, or he would have been more
persistent still. She turned the subject
by asking him about his evening with
Lydia.
Something in his face persuaded her
that she need fear nothing in his rel
plies
II had Il good time, Kate, as good
times go, but tell you what it is, I've
made an awful fool Of myself over that
girl. Not that I've done anything am
particularly ashamed Of except wasted
my time-valuable time it is, too,' nel
said with laugh, when l can spend
it with you"
"Such fiat speech thought Kate
but yet it sounded strangely sweet ID
her ears. A silence fell upon them
both for moment, then Horace went
on: Il never quite realized until 10
night just how much difference there
was between you and other girls
When I left you and went to her, thea
saw, and could I help it if your 1acs
was before my eyes all the evening!
got away as soon as possible, in hopes
that l might see you again to-nlel'
and tell you all that is in my heart
Kate wonders vaguely IL she is dream |
ing again, Eslt, ah, no, this is no dream, /
for he has drawn her close to him auu
Is looking into her eyes with a passion
and fervor which do not belong W
dreams. No words are needed. Ine
moonlight still drifts down on t INs
and shrub and f1ower-on the old, Vlne
covered veranda and the young, happy
faces there. At length Horace so ss
away, pausing again and again to lovs
back to where Kate stands at the cav,
looking after him. She thinks OF ln ns
change that has come to her since SUI /
watched him from the gate but lew
hours before and with a last fond s,m
she murmurs ihe words Of her dreaiA
1ncr