The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-11-09

49,
would hastily lose herself in the crowd,
and for ouce she was glad of her small
stature. Any of the women and girls,
even the middle sized ones, lowered above
her. She could conceal herself anywhere.
Once, however, in an unguarded moment,
she ran right against Steve and Edith
Ross 1t was right in front of some sheep
pens in the live stock exhibit which she
had been looking at and she had not en-
pected to see them there. She confusedly
murmured Good afternoon then
hurried on, not so quickly, however, but
that she saw Steve fix his eyes on her
dress moment, then examine her face
searchingly She hastily got out OF his
sight by rounding group of school girls
near by who were standing at the door of
a tent where tintype pictures were taken.
In her fright she was sure Steve knew why
she Wore the little gray silk dress; that she
had put it on because it used to please
him so-and now, here he was with an
other gill Her cheeks grew hot with tie
humiliation of it, and she felt the sweet
drops come out on her forehead under the
little curls she had drawn down because
Steve used to say they were prettiest that
way.
Crissie had no enjoyment that day. She
Even the horseracing failed to entertain
her. She grew extremely tired, and longed
to 20 home early but was obliged to wait
till the rest of the family We're ready to
leave.
Late that night when, cross and exhaust
ed, she was taking oil the gray silk dress
she longed to lay hold Of it at the neck
and tear it from end 30 end. The fair was
all over now, and CrisSie went ON with her
home duties the same as ever. She tried
hard not to think about Steve or about his
taking another girl to tIe fair. She was
sure Steve meant to marry this Edith Ross
| lit was for her he had been fixing up his
farm so, she concludedl, and she now de-
sired of all things to Danish every thought
of him from h'r mind. But poor little
Crissie found she could not do this. She
could not help thinking of Steve as she
washed the dishes swept the floor or hitd
the pork and potatoes. True she had It-
fused him once, but it had not been be
cause she was Indifferent to him person
ally. And now since he had become so
desirable a farmer, Crissie had 10 objection
to him at all, while that lurking little
affection which she had had for him was
increased tenfold. Then there was one
other thing which, | think, made Steve
seem great in Crissie's Eyes just row.
Edith Ross was a tall. good looking young
woman who was won't to have plenty of
beaux, as Crissie knew. Evidently she had
chosen Sieve before the others.
Crissie'S mother was great trial to her
daughter these days. She was forever
haunting Ter with the mistake she had
made in refusing Steve, and telling her
she was going to be an old maid. CriSse
was too unhappy to be saucy or pert about
it as she used to be, and she had very
forlorn little time of it. Even her father,
who used to pet her so, was not quite so
fond as usual, she thought
One day it CHANGED that Crissie was left
alone at home. There was an sold settler
picnic held on one of the last days of the
fine weather. Old and young alike were
accustomed to attend this picnic, and all
the Wayne family went except Crissie.
The big farmhouse seemed very still and
empty with no one but Crissie in it, but
except for this everything went on as usual
in the forenoon. In the afternoon there
was a big churning to do. BY this time
the sun shone in hot on the back porch, so
Crissie took her churn down into the back
yard in the shade of one of the wild plum
trees. Here she began plying her dasher
briskly. By and by the sound OF some
one driving nails near by started her. The
sound came from the fence that run in
among the plum trees there and that
divided their backyard from Steve McLeans
eighty" Crssie stopped her dasher and
listened with quick interest. 1t must be
Steve She knew he had been putting up
a new fence there lately. He seemed to
take particular interest in improving that
part Of his land which lay along their back
yard. He had grubbed out all the wild
plum trees on his side OF the line and had
taken down the old rail fence and was
putting up a neat, four board one with
barbed wire on top. Crisse went on with
her churning, but her heart was beating
faster. Why had not Steve gone to the
picnic? She had thought he would surely
be there with Edith Ross; that was one
reason why she had stayed at home herself
She had not cared to meet these two to-
gether again.
Suddenly the sound of the hammer stop
ped. Crisse was just listening for it to
begin again when she heard some one
striding up through the weeds behind her.
She turned and then started violently.
There was Steve himself quite near her
with his big straw hat on and with his
hammer in his hand.
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