Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-03-29

| but solitary and secluded Hither Mrs
Jack carried letter one day which
had just arrived from Cotllington, in
order to read it ut leisure.
Tho letter was from Barney, OF
course Barney was her only CORE.
! spondent. 1t had been written two
days previous and intrusted to the
carrier who piled between ,Codlington
| and Bcck's Heath. and who could not
be got to comprehend that it was a
| matter of any consequence whether a
letter reached its destination to-day OF
| tomorrow.
Poor, kind Barney" exclaimed Mrs
Jack. after she had deciphered her
friends crooked, cramped handwriting.
"What good old dear she isl"
Then reading one passage over again,
she said quite aloud, What nonsense
they all have got into their heads about
sending me to Italy. That wouldn't
do me any good, and. besides. how
on earth am | to get to Italy by my,
self?"
will you go with me, isabelle" said
a low voice ut her ear. And she was
so violently startled that she nearly
fell off the wooden bench and let the
letter drop from her shaking hand
among the dead leaves at her feet.
'Ah. what IL thoughtless brute l was
to startle you So" cried Rober. War
rem.
| He stood in front Of her and took her
cold hands in his, and looked down on
her face, which. from having become
deadly white. was now glowing with a
deep crimson blush. She could not ut
ter sound for minute, but kept gaz-
ing up at him with an expression like
that of Il wondering child in her hazel
eyes. rs it you?' She gasped out ut
length; and then. with 4 sudden move
ment, She withdrew her hands from
his and stood up. But her knees trem-
bled so much that she had to support
herself against the trunk Of tree.
How weak you are!' he said, in a
low voice. sit down again. Pray
sit down"
''No; I must go. 1 must go into the
house. l-I-can't stay here, Mr. War
rem
, She spoke very fast and catllessly,
and looked at him no more, bat turned
her face away.
Not until you have answered my
question. / have asked YOU QueS-
ton. you know. They have recon-
mended you to so to Italy for the Will
ter. Will you give me the right to take
YOU there and to watch over you, and
TO cherish you for the rest Of my life?
VIII YOU so to Italy With me, 1sabel?"
i To this straightforward demand Mrs
Jack made no straightforward reply.
She clasped her hands, turned and
looked Robert Warren earnestly in the
face for Il second or so, and then, with
the tears streaming down her face,
she sobbed out: "Oh, how happy
am" and dropped into his supporting
arms with the pretty shrinking move
ment Of 4 nesting bird.
| 'And you don't ask where / have been
' all this time, nor what l have been
doing, nor when came back to Beach
Grove, and mustered up courage to
know my fate and to ask YOU that ques-
tion," said Mr.. Warren after minute
or two.
! ''No; 1 ask nothing. Ten minutes
ago l wanted heap Of explanations;
Low I am quite content to have none.
Whatever you have done has been right
and kind. That is enough for me.
am not quite sure, but I think I never
doubted you in my heart. Only I
was lonely and fretful, and"
And i'll, my darling! How pale and
thin you have grown!"
! Il am not i'll now; l am quite we'll"
And Bell glanced up into Mr.. Warrens
face with bright smile and flush which
made her look for a moment like the
Mrs. Jack of six months ago.
) But nevertheless Mr.. Warren ordered
her to come at once into the house.
with a little air of authority which
was wonderfully sweet to Bell. She
obeyed with docility, although she pout-
ed little and muttered something
about the wood being pleasanter than
that 'stuffy parlor."
! However, in the stufry parlor they
sat down side by side, and then Robert
Warren told herewith sundry episod-
ical interruptions-how he had purpose
ly kept out of her way, finding that she
was becoming daily dearcr and more
precious in his eyes, because lie feared
to make fool Of himself and risk mis-
taking ingenious, frank good nature
and gratitude for warmer feeling.
: elbow could I think that you-so
young and pretty and admirable
would care for wnite-headed, brown
skinned old fellow like me?'
you're not old!' exclaimed Bell, with
stamp of the foot. "And if you were
ever SO old-a hundred years old
that would make no difference"
"Well, am not quite hundred years
Old, certainly. SO if that be your limit
Of youth I may hope to- continue juven-
lie in your eyes for a few years yeti"
Then he proceeded to tell ner now
1frs. Boddington had declared that she
was tired Of Beech Grove, that the
place did not agree with her, that her
presence was indispensable at her
Twickenham villa, and that, as her
goyerness had suddenly declined to con
tinue teaching the children, she thought
she should go up to town sooner than
had been at first intended, and begged
her brother to accompany her.
"And you went away and did not
care whether you ever saw me ag;iin
OF not, and never even said 'good-by! p"
"JVhen went to town-which con-
scented to do, being restless and unhap-
py, and finding Beech Grove strange
ly dreary place without Isabel to bright
en- it from morning to night intend
ed to return in few days. Once In
London, Jane found occupation for me.
I was to help her do this, and advise
her in that; my taste was better than