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

parted that Christmas Lay, and he
had rever seen her since. Two years
had made q change. Two years ago
he had u cherished theory that 1t
would he impossible tn bring tears to
those brilliant gray eyes. Somehow
to-day that theory was DESTROYED.
Two years ago she could laugh ut you.
mvstify you, allure and deceive you,
but love you never, 80 he believed.
IT'S summer, fue summer.
pom thy cheeks divine;
II winter icy win err,
In that little henrt OF thine
But tn day.--to.day! Suddenly a
hope, n slight but exquisite hope,
stirred within him. A slow fire Of
passion darkened his scar hing eyes.
Miss Dolner, to whom he had in.
tended TO propose in the course Of
the Week.-Mrs. Domer to whom he
paid number OF busincss.like atten.
tiOns-sank swiftly out of sight He
remembered dream he had had the
summer before, In which Dolly
Humphreys had been walking by the
sea and he had kissed her, and
walked to spend week OF utter mis-
crowded into view
"Wherc were you last summer IN
Augus3:" he asked.
ri was ut the seashore," she an.
swercd, and colored a little, that
same delicate pink that he remem
bered with a vividness that was half
JOY, half pain. Il spent hours liter.
ally on the beach. Nobody else had
any liking for IL, they preferred
gaycr Spots, but became quite a
solitary last summer, and used to
watch the waves through the long
afternoon Mamma got rather nerv.
Gus Tor l refused any company, and
she was divided between a fear that
! was meeting an ineligible sutton Or
getting q bit touched In my head. !
will 81 that she might have had
some reason tor the latter theory,
had told her what queer fancies
had, for l got quite under the int'u.
ence Oi the curling green waves"
IA modern LOrelei," said Aiken.
IL WIS much more like q ship.
wrecked Mariner" said Dolly smil.
ing softly. II had one idea, / re.
memher, that II l waited very pa.
tiently. the waves would wash up ut
my feet u treasure. What the treas.
ure was I did not know, but some.
thing that would rejoice me forever"
1.-THE .cwels OF some poor mermaid
who had mislaid them" suggested
Aiken. watching her, with that hope
growing in his heart
~ had q fancy, also" went on
Miss Humphreys, rather shyly, "that
some o. my old friends might turn
up; you among them. That you
might suddenly appear walking
along the smooth tawny sand, and
we would have q friendly talk to.
gether."
| III I had only known. said Aiken,
! between his teeth. "But" he added,
smiling u little, Il wouldn't have
come a an old friend. I never was
one" dorothy looked into his face
with hurt wonder, which changed
as he added, II was your lover,
dear"
/ "What were you doing oil last
, summer" she said, hastily. leaning
forward and setting ak small stone.
In an even row, while her cheeks
again colOred pink.
II worked" was the hricf answer.
"All tho timer" raising soft pity
Ing eyes To his
"Most OF 1t; but did not mind thu
work; 1t took my thoughts from Other
things, and ! had nothing pleasant Il
think Of"
"What o melancholy young MANS
said Miss Humphreys, lightly. "YOu
should have paid the sea q visit AZ
I'D, and found sOiace for your Ills.
"Did you need solace, als0S" asked
Aiken, eagerly "Were YOU unhappy
tOO?"
What an in,pcrtinent question"
and Dolly laughed q little. "Wh!
should l not be happy?"
IL Thought hoped" went on thu
young man, earnestly, with intense
pleading In his eyes, "that perhap,
you were lonely too. That perhaps
you had q little of the reartachc tina,
was with me day and night, aud ha.
been these two long years and more
/ hoped that you perhaps regretted
your cruelty to me at the Last, AND
would ut least let me try again
know / have no right" he continued
ITO cherish any hOpes-you certainl!
did your best to crush them out
but We had been SO happy before
grew quite mad about you, and you
had seemed to like me then, and q
IL suddenly comes to INC that now
after those years, you might give MI
another chance. God knows ! asl
nothing better than to spend u!
heat and soul In trying to make yor
love tue. peak. Dolly. and give mi
some answe.,. Am ! COMO mad agar
Or"
He did not try 70 touch her hant
or make her look at hin, but waitet
In q passionate silence that somehow
made itself felt In the ulct spring
air. Slowly Miss Humphreys heapeG
her six little stones one on the other
and Is they fell to the ground sh'
turned and looked ut him and smiled
wlstful deprecating smile tina
steadied his hot impulse to express
his utter Joy, and yet gave him full
measure OF It,
"IOn't say anything now" sh'
whispered. ~ could not bear 1t,
and her eyes asked for mercifu
gentleness from him, and not II
vain
Controlling himself he turned