The Dickinson press., 1895-04-06
eyes," he answered, lowering his
voice to a tenderly regretful tone. Are

voice to q tenderly regretful tone. Are
You sorryY
She contemplated him for a moment
with an enigmatical expression, then,
mo-" she said, II am glad, because IL
you did not go 1 should have to, and
I want to stay q little longer" And
then she laughed.
To say that Cyril was surprised
would be to put things with ridiculous
m.i0ness. He could only stand and
stare.
Elaine laughed again.
"You did not expect me to say that,
did you:" she asked.
Cyrn pressed his hands over his eyes,
like a man awakening from q dream.
no" he answered, drawing a long,
deep breath.
She was still looking at him.
"You expected me to be overwhelmed
with utter desolation at the prospect
of your going, didn't your Well, per
haps 1 might have been, only, you see,
I shall still have the tennis and the
thing and another to console me after
you have gOneAand l am easily con
soled."
i WISu i COu4U uuucESl0u0 yOu,
said Cyril, with a. dazed uncomforta-
bic sort Of feeling that something had
suddenly gone wrong with the laws Of
n universe.
Elaine nodded again.
"You will in half a minute" she said.
Nov, listen to me. l am going to
state two facts. Fact number one
you are tired OF me. Fact number two
II am tired OF you. There's the cas-
in q nutshell"
Cyril thrust his hands In his pockets,
and became suddenly and deeply inter-
ested in his irreproachable boots.
"By Jove!" was all he said.
Elaine threw up her pretty white
arms and clasped her hands at h back
Of ner head, with a graceful gesture Of
WEAKNESS anu discomfort.
II am tired of you," she repeated.
Don't be cross. l nm not rude, only
truthful. l am stating a fact. 1t Ia my
nature. 1 always get tired OF men in
the end. 1t is only n question OF time.
Most things In TINS life are, 1 think"
She paused, but Cyril was silent.
Men," she went on, re~tiectively,
charm you up to a given point, and
pail upon you afterward. There is a
great salneness about them"
Cyril started, as we'll he might. It
was somewhat of a poser to hear his
own Utmost thoughts and sentiments
put into words ip this calm fashion.
"You speak," he said sarcasticalIy,
from experience, no doubt"
She looked at him serenely.
Eyes" she answered, II do. 1 know
men pretty thoroughly now, which is
q great achievement; and 1 know my
self, too, Which is a still greater
achievement, though you may not think
so. 1t is always the same. So long as
l am not sure OF a man, so long l want
to be sure of him. But the moment I
am sure of HMM that mOmenA l
cease to want him. 1 never felt sur
Of you until last night. Until then you
had always eluded ME, and l could not
tell IL you were in earnest or not; but
last night you showed me that you
loved me-fOr the moment-and that
was the end so far as l was concern
ed" She paused. II showed you that
l loved you, too-for the moment" she
added, presently, land that was the
end SO far as you were concerned"
Once more she paused.
"By Jove" said Cyril again.
He could not think Of anything else
to say.
Truth to tell. he felt distinctly small,
and that Is a feeling that does not con-
duce to a mans general good humor
ut, n time. He was beaten ut his
own game and vanquished with his
own weapons. The situation was a
novel ono, but 1t lacked the charm that
novelty is commonly supposed to pos
sess. This girl, with her angel face
and innocent eyes, was not the simple
trusting maiden that he had believed
her, but a very queen Of coquettes:
"l)on't be cross" said Elaine, in q
persuasive tone. Don't bear malice.
Shake hands and be friends. / should
not have talked to you like this only
that l know you are just like me. Now
confess. Am I not rightT'
Cyril took the little hand held out to
him and prepared to put al good a face
as he could on the matter. 1t seemed
Inc best thing to do.
perhaps you are" he said. ANY
way, l shan't contradict you. It's rude
to contradict a lady, isn't ity'
He looked down and she looked un.
Their eyes met. A moment later the
fields were ringing with their laugh"
ter.
"Oh." said Elaine. as soon as she
could speak, tits a clean case Of dia-
mond cut diamond; the cleanest l ever
heard of."-London Truth.