The Penn's Grove record., 1895-08-09

ind became suddenly and deeply In
lerested In his irreproachable boots.
.By lover was all he said.
Elaine threw up her pretty white
arms and clasped her hands at the back
of her head, with a graceful gesture o
WEAKNESS and discomfort.
81 am tired of you" she repeated
.Don,t get cross. ! am not rude; only
truthful. I am stating a fact. 1t is my
nature. I always get tired of men Ii
the end. 1t Is only a question of time
Most things in this life are, l think.
aMen," she went on, relectively
charm you up to q given point. and pal
upon you afterward. There is a grea
sameness about them"
Cyril started, as well he might I,
was somewhat Of q poser to hear his
own inmost thoughts and sentiments
nut into words in this calm fashion
How often had not he thought just
what she had said, with the slight diff.
erence Of substituting the nou feml
nine for the noun masculine!
"You speak," he said, sarcastlcally
from experience, no doubt
She looked at him serenely.
Eyes" she answered, ~ do. know
men pretty thoroughly now, which is
a great achievement, and l know my.
self. too-which IL a still greater
achievement, though you may not think
SO. 1t is always the same. So long
as / am sure of a man, so long l want
to be sure of him. But the moment I
am sure Of him--in that moment l cease
to want him. I never felt sure of you
until last night. Until then you had
always eluded me, and l could not tell
II 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 concerned" She paus.
ed. II showed you that l loved you
too-for the moment" she added, pres
emily, "and that was the end as far as
you were concerned. Last night was
the climax, and after the climatic
people like you and me-comes the re
action"
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 q feeling that does not con.
duce to a mans general good humor at
any time. He was beaten at his own
game and vanqulshed with his own
weapons. The situation was a novel
one but 1t lacked the charm that novel.
ty is commonly supposed to possess
This girl, with her angel face and inno-
cent eyes, was not the simple, trusting
maiden that he had believed her, but a
very queen Of coquettes, a ilrt of a
different and more dangerous callhre
than any he had met before. Life hai
Its illusions-and its disillusions.
Don't be cross" said Elaine, In a
persuasive tone. "Don't bear malice.
Shake hands and be friends. l shouldn't
have talked to you like this, only that /
know you are Just like me. l don't
know how l know It but l do. Instinct,
] suppose; woman's safest guide. ]
didn't know 1t until tonight. 1t came
upon me all at once. My convictions
generally do. I know you feel just as l
feel, and think as I think. l know you
wanted me until you thought you could
have me, and then you didn't want me
any longer. Now confess. Am l no
rightf"
Cyril took the little hand held out tc
him and prepared to put as good a face
as he could upon the matter. 1t seemed
the best thing to do.
perhaps you are" he said. ANY
way, I shan't contradict you. Its rude
to contradict a lady, isn't lit"
He looked down and she looked up
Their eyes met A moment later the
fields were ringing with their laughter.
"Oh| said Elaine, as soon as she
could speak, ats a clean case Of dia-
mond cut diamond; the cleanest I aver
heard of. And you know II anyone saw
our little story in print they would say
1t was far-fetched and improbable, and
could not possibly happen-forgettins
that 1t Is the far-fetched and improba.
BILE things that generally do happen T.
this life."-London Truth. .