The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-05-09

few moments ago?" / asked, returning
to the previous subject.
"What did you sayp" she replied,
trembling little. l thought, for she
surely could not have forgotten 30
soon.
'I said, darling"-it was the first
time l had ever called her that, and it
almost frightened me--'T said that
there was one thing had not learned
in the last two years, and that was to
love you better than did when first
met you. Do you thinkI should have
learned?"
Perhaps, jack" she blushed, "if
you had. you would have gone ahead
, Of me in the class"
"Oh, Lois" / began to say, and
then began to stammer and grow red
in the face. | could feel the blood fly
along my neck, and my hands shook
so could not have put them out to
her il she had asked me to. 1 had
never spoken OF love to q woman, and
now my inexperience was painful to
me. l knew that the brave man could
win triumph now, but l was not
brave. On the contrary, was COW.
ard, an arrant coward, and in my fear
| slipped down off the rock, where we
had been sitting, and walked out upon
the sand.
where are you going, Jack?" she
called to me. al don't want to be left
here all alone. I'm sure Charlie Ver-
der wouldn't treat me like that"
That was enough to set me wild.
Verder was the one fellow / dreaded,
and he hadn't known her six months,
either. l went back to the rock and
stood at the foot OF it, just near
enough to touch the hem OF her gown
--sucha sweet, white gown, with a bit
of blue showing through it as the blue
SLY peeps in and out from the heecy
white clouds.
"Do you like himP" asked, sui
lenly.
"Not any more, guess, than you
like Matte Swami, she retorted, with
n perk of her nose and shake of her
fluffy hair.
"rhen you like him pretty WELL"
said, in worse humor than ever, and
quite insistent upon nagging hes all |
could.
Perhaps do" she snapped, "and
if | do, I'm sure he's a very nice fell
low"
"Not any nicer fellow than Matte
Swami is n girl" put in as mean as |
knew how.
"Well, I don't care" she said. as
she slipped off of the rock and touched
the sand as lightly as n thistle down.
"l'm going home, and when you get
the to come away off down here in this
lonesome place again at this time of
day. o. any other time, ! think you'll
know it. :"
Then she started off along the beach
toward the ROW of cottages. 1t was
mile or more, and I thought would !
keep within call, so l let her get some
distance ahead OF me. i poked along |
behind, gazing out to sea and wonder.
ing where all the beauty Of the purple |
shadows had gone, and why it was
the waves looked so cold and cruel
and clammy. They were the same
shadows and the same waves, and |
there / was, and-but where was Lois |
Fifty yards up the shore and hurrying
along as if she were afraid of twilight |
gaosts or other strange inhabitant of
tie crepuscular air. l looked over
my shoulder nervously, and all |
around, and shivered. What it was |
don't know, but on the instant. / |
called to her aud went after my call
rs fast as ever ran after football.
Lois, Lois l kept on calling, but
che gave no heed. Her face was set
away from me and she was going with
it rapidly But not 30 fast that /
could not catch her in the next fifty
yards or so.
"Oh, Mr.. Beldeu," she said in q
tone OF pretty surprise as | came up |
painting by her side, chow you
frightened me. l had no idea you
were on the beach this evening
Think of that, and still her father
having the temerity to talk about
puppy love. If.that wasn't full grown
mastiif sarcasm, I'd like to know what
il was. But | was not to be thwarted
by womans whim now, any more
bhhu Nho III bhO bSS ihhiuS'
"Oh, Lois, Lois" l pleaded, though
| puffed as l did so. "We are not
children to let trihe como between
us and our love. You know l love
You and know love you. 1t was
because love you SC that grew wild
With jealousy when you spoke of Yer
der. | don't care "A rap OF my finger
for Matte Swami, even il you do like
Charlie Verder"
MIR. Belden," she began vey stifiiy
-"Call me Jack" | cried with all my |
feeling come again. "Call me Jack, as
you have always called me-"
Perhaps I'd better" she said cold |
ly. "You have acted so childishly |
that Mr.. seems scarcely an appropri.
ate title.
"You shan't talk that way to me,
Lois Tanner" exclaimed as stepped |
in front of her and blocked her path. |
81 have done wrong and l apologize