Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-05-31

met you. 10 you think l should have
learned 2"
Perhaps, jack" she blushed, "if
you had, you would have gone ahead of
me in the class"
ooh, Lois" began to say, and then
stammered and grew 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 if she had asked me
to- had never spoken of love to wo-
man, and now my inexperienee was
painful to me. | knew that the brave
man could win triumph now, but was
not brave. On the contrary, | was a
coward, an arrant coward, and in my
fear slipped down off the rock where
we had been sitting and walked out up
on the sand.
"Where are you going, Jack !" she
called to me. 81 don't like to be left
here alone. I'm sure Charlie Verder
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. went back to the rock and
stood at the foot of it, just near enough
to touch tho hem of her gown--such o
sweet, white gown, with bit of blue
showing through it as the blue sky peeps
in and out from the heecy white clouds.
"Do you like him % asked sui
lenly.
Not any more, guess, than you
like Matte Swami" she retorted, with q
perk of her nose and shake Of her
fluffy hair.
Then you like him pretty WE'LL"
said in worse humor than ever, and
quite insistent upon nagging her all |
could.
Perhaps do" she snapped, "and,
If do, I'm sure he is q very nice fell
low"
"Not any nicer fellow than Matte
Swami is girl" | put in as mean as
knew how.
"Well, | don't care" she said as she
slipped of the rock and touched the sand
as lightly as n thistledown. "Pn going
home, and when you get me to come
away of down here ia this lonesome
place again at this time of day, or 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 | thought | would
keep within call, so I let her get some
distance ahead Of me. | poked along
behind, gazing out to sea and wondering
where all tho beauty Of tho purple
shadows had gone, and why it was tho
waves looked so cold aud 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 il
abe were afraid of twilight ghosts or
other strange inhabitants Of the crepus-
cular air. looked over my shoulder
nervously, and all around, and shivered.
What it was | don't know, but on the
instant | called to her and went after
my call as fast as ever ran after foot
ball
"Lois, Lois !" | kept on calling, but
she gave no heed. Her face was set
away from me and she was going with
il rapidly But not so fast that could
not catch her in the next so yards or So
"Oh, Mr.. Belden," she said in tone
of pretty surprise as | came up painting
by her side, "how you frightened me
| 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 mastiff
sarcasm, I'd like to know what it was.
But was not to be thwarted by wo-
mans within now, any more than was
in the beginning.
"Oh, Lois, Lois" pleaded, though
I pulled as did so. "Don't talk like
that We are not children to let trihe
come between us and our love. You
know love you, and know love you.
1t was because love you so that grew
wild with jealousy when you spoke Of
Verder. | don't care rap of my finger
for Matte Swami, even if you DO like
Charlie Verder."
"Mr. Belden," she began very stffly-
"Call me jack" cried, with all my
feeling come again. "Call me Jack, as
you nave always called me.
Perhaps I'd BETTER" she said coldly.
"You have acted SO childishly that Mr..
seems scarcely an appropriate title"
"You shan't talk that way to mo,
Lois Tanner" | exclaimed as stepped
in front Of her and blocked her path.
IL have done wrong, and | apologize
humbly for it, Now, lady, you can
not do otherwise than accept it.
II accept the apology, and pray let
that end the matter. "
"No, it shall not. insist upon your
accepting the apology and the apologizer
as we'll. | want you, Lois, and that
what started to tell you down there on
the rocks. Answer me now, with only
the sea, and tho sky, and the sweet twi-
light as witnesses.
| was about to take her hand aud more
tenderly urge my claim to an answer.
when she gave slight scream and
sprang to one side as if she had stepped
on mouse in the sand.
Look there" she whispered, point
ing to couple seated on an old spar
half in the sand, aud who until then
were not visible. I looked and saw
Verder and Miss Swami, very close to-
gether and talking earnestly.
LET them be witnesses also, if thew
will, darling" I said bravely, and this
time | took her hand in mine.
But it was too dark for them TO see.
and when Lois and l walked by them in
the duskier shadows of the later even.
ing she had promised to be my wife, and
though the great sun Of the heavens had
set over tho world and the earth was
full of shadows the greater sun of love
had risen in our hearts. and they were
filled with the light incxtinguishable.
That was dozen years ago, and to-
Ia Il -. Al 4