The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-10-11

erCy were raref imam Sne tnOuSnt. w ak
! ing quickly along, absorbed in these pleas
| ant reflections, she did not hear footstep:
behind her. and was surprised at hearing
| herself suddenly addressed. Looking III
with startled eyes she found a young mar
gazing at her with puzzled, intent ex
preston in his handsome face.
"You are Nancy, are you not?' he said
doubtfully, holding out his hand.
"Why, Jim, is it really you?" asked
Nancy, regarding him with surprise
How you have grown When did you
come, and how did you find me?''
II came two days ago." he said, redden
ing slightly in irritation at her first words
Father was anxious that I should stay
with him yesterday, but l called at the
Ness this afternoon and Mrs. Messenger
told me where should find you
Let us go home now, and then you can
get to see them ALL she said turning back
''Yo ou will hardly know the children; they
were such mites when you left"
II certainly shall not, if they have alter
tered as much as you have done. scarce
ly knew you," he said looking down at
her with intent gray eyes, and inwardly
comparing this beautiful, graceful girl
with the gauche school girl of five years
since.
81 am older" she said, her heart sink
ing strangely. HE might disguise the
Goo <6ot ho dc Iicannoiptiou fni
ure," she thought, rather bitterly.
"Of course we are no longer boy and
girl he said. But hope we shall al
ways be friends, Nancy! We have been
that all our lives, haven't we:'
Eyes, let us be friends" she added.
And thinking that he was eager to impress
upon her that they were to be nothing
more, she added: "And it was very wise
to break off that childish engagement be-
fore you came home, wasn't iL?''
"Y-Yes," ne said doubtfully, "oh, yes,
Of course. Your feelings are naturally
quite changed, suppose, Nancy?"
Naturally" she said calmly, but think
ing to herself that she was not so sure
about that, after all.
"Naturally,' he echoed, his eyes, how
over became little clouded. Those boy
and girl engagements never answer, do
they? People develop so differently from
what one would expect. Judging from
your letters, l should have thought you
utterly different from what l find you"
You are equally different from what l
should have expected you to be-" she an
swered But let us put up with each 9th
er as we are; we need not see much of one
another, you know
They had just reached the gate leading
into the garden of the Ness, as she said
this, and unconsciously she paused, Jim
took this, coupled with her last words, as
hint that he should go, and was more
hurt that he cared to own.
Good afternoon" he said, stiffiy raising g
his hat. "Your suggestion is a brilliant
one, and you need not fear that l shall
trouble you with my presence more often
than is necessary
You are coming in?" she said, looking g
at him with panied, pleading eyes.
"Thank you, no. he said, coldly. 81
have seen Mrs. Messenger and your broth
er and the children will keep"
"Good-bye," she said, turning in at the
open gate in order that he should not see
the rising tears.
"Good-bye,' he said, freezingly, think
ing her absolutely cruel in not shaking
hands. She went up the little sloping ave
nue. slowly and sadly, trying to crush back
the tears which would raise to her eyes in
spite of her efforts. She had succeeded
before reaching the hall, and could answer
her sisters surprised questions quite calm
ly.
my dear Mary" she said, laughing gen
tly, you forget our changed relations
You must not expect him to come as he
used to. We have both come to the con
clusiOn that we are quite different from
what we had thought each other, and we
have now mutually agreed to see as little
| as possible of one another"
But when she reached her own room hel
self control deserted her, and she cast her
self down on the little couch and wept Ions
and bitterly.
II hate him. she said to herself vindi
catingly. Il do; hate him. No, don t
believe do the very opposite Oh,
ought to be ashamed of myself to care fol
one SO utterly Indifferent to me. He die
not even come in, and after all these wears
He shall never know that love him, nev
er! However much l may suffer, | hav,
enough pride to hide it. He shall thinl
me as indifferent as he is himself.'
| Her mouth took hard look, very for
eign to its sweet lines, as she rose an,
bathed her face; and through all that even
ing she bore herself so bravelv that no ont
| guessed of the bitterness and wounde,
pride she thus smilingly hid.
| If Mrs Messenger had been given to alb
struse reflections, she might have asked her
self how Jim and Nancy could posSibl,
avoid each other, according to their com
pact, when he was always coming to tn,
Ness. For he came every day, and at al
hours of the day, as he had been wont t
five years ago. There was one difference
between this daily intercourse and that OF
the old times, and that rather an impor
tant one. Nancy lost all her gentle brigh
ness when speaking to Jim, and was cold
ly distantly polite to him. He saw thi:
and no doubt resented it, but Nancy never
| guessed that from his manner. He die
everything he could think otto please her
but with no outward effect Inwardly sh,
knew that her love for him was strength
ening day by day, and that no power OF
hers could prevent it.
jim was in a most trying position. He
knew himself to be deeply in love with
Nancy; his feelings for her had never
| died as he imagined was the case but with