Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-12-01
CAVANAGlIS' ORCHARD.

oppiC OIOSSVulS uIc UVcukluk WutIcly
over the trees In the Cavanaghs' or.
chard. khOde Island Is never lux.
urlant, and IN May Is often grudgiug
Of her favOrs, but this spring she
seems to have been seized by a kindly
caprice, aud adorns herself for the
benefit of her children. One does
not have to bc Of the soil, however,
to be grateful for her loveliness, and
Miss Humphreys. though an alien. Is
aware Of her privileges. She IL sit.
ting on u fat stone, resting, and
talking over past times with her
companion. a man whom one would
describe as long rather than tall, and
who IL occupied 10 making excava.
tiOns on small scale among the
roots Of the tiec under which he Is
sitting.
'Inever could understand why tho
DennisOns asked ME to their party
at ALL" Miss Humphreys Is saying.
~ was on excessively bad terms with
Charles Dennison ut the time''-her
companion looked up significantly
"and Carrie and qGarrelled every
day, and several times an evening.
/ went because was utterly bored
with life just then, and intended to
be amused ut any cost and ] was"
She mot the young mans eyes for
o moment, and then turned away aud
went on
do YOU remember our impromptu
ball? You played hddler--.'
"And you danced with Charley"
finished the other, with whom you
were on such excessively bad terms"
Dolly laughed.
"les. with all his faults he danced
like u"
"Drean,." cut In the young man,
sarcasticallw ''That " the correct
expression"
II never knew you to have such an
eEviOus and bitter turn OF mind. /
thought you were above It,"
Il lind In the course OF thirty odd
years that l am above nothing but
cheating ut cards and telling tales, l"
was the answer.
dear me! What a gloomy out.
look for Miss l,Olmer " said Dolly;
but the cOnstraint Ia her manner
took tie lightncss from her speech,
and Aikens was Us serious as he IN.
swered:
eyes; but Miss Dolmer does not
expect much"
Dorothy flushed.
'The fool" she said In her soil;
outwardly she was silent.
~ rememb her," began the young
man, slowly, trying to paint In words
the picture that rose before his eyes,
'that night Ia the by west room Is
though II was yesterday; the roaring
fire swapping aud blazing On the wide
hearth, the Christmas holly, green
and dark everywhere its glistening
floor, and the old square piano pushed
up In the corner, behind which II was
my hard necessity to sit and play
while you dan cd. D0llv."
His dark eyes, In which the pupils
seemed points Of light, dashed into
hers
"Whose fault was that9" she re-.
turned, rcprOachfully.
"YOurs," came the answer, bitter.
-'yOurs-yOura II was all In
your hands, and you chose to throw
me away like"
"Hush." she interrupted. the beau.
tlful color mounting TO her cheek.
THAT IL not true, and you must not
cay It."
Ho was calm again. and went back
to his "reminiscences.
1T was wet and cOld, and buster.
ing outside, and spent ten pleasant
minutes standing In the rain to cool
OH some OF my superiiuOus spirit "
And he smiled sadly. He was what
most people did rot care to look ut
without being ugly. No one could
De ugly with that stcalght, fne.cut
nose. aud the elOquence and fire OF
ais eyes, hut the long, rather bag.
gard face was thought sinister, aud
the thin lips cold and hard. .,Did
you enjoy those dan ca, Dolly"
He leaned forward aud looked into
her eyes.
"Ye,," she answered, blushing. 81
loved the movement, and I knew all
the time"
THAT was eating my heart out, "
no interrupted, scOrnfully, 'and YOU
liked that almost rs well as making q
fool OF poor Charley ennison."
Don't" said bolly;'you hurt me,
and you have no Fight"
''NO 1 have no right to upbraid
you, poor girl! Youhad too many low,
ers and too light heart not to make
some of them unhappy. Only ! wish
hadn't been one Of the su lerers, that
isall Oh Holly think could have
withstood you, II 1t hadn't been fol
that day on the yer In the autumn,
when you tried your hest TO vile the
heart out Of Inc, and"
"Failed" said Miss Humphreys,
steadily. ~ have never had your
heart, Mr.. Aiken; it has heen in your
own undisturbed possession ever since
! nave known you. II YOU had cared
you would never have gone ava,
from the Dennisons' without a word. !
His eyes blsled, but be said moth
Ang
This Is all very unpro atsble." sht
went on, leaning back against q tree
slet us change the subject"
Atken's eyes wandered ava,
through the orchard. by ell means,