Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-09-12
BY MUTUAL CONSENT.

children and to Nancy. Mr. Messengers
young stepsister.
One sunny afternoon in earlysurn.
mer Mrs. Messenger sat lat the open
bay window Of the drawing-room read.
ing. The door opened presently and
Nancy came in rather slowly. She
came over to the window and seated
herself in low basket chair with nm
air of constraint.
81 have letter from JIM" Size said.
"Does. he say when he is coming?"
"Yes; he came by the same steam-
ship as the letter. He will be here to-
morrow, suppose"
NANCY! really?" asked Mary, look
ing almost excited. 'Are you not de-
lightcd?"
''I--I-have confession to Make"
said Nancy, nervously, looking out
over the sea. Il thought loved Jim
when he went out to India five years
ago, but / was only seventeen then,
and did not realize what love meant
We had known each other all our lives,
and l mistook our friendship for love.
II have felt it dimly for a year or
two, but what made it all clear TO me
was Jim's last letter, saying that he
was coming home. 1t filled me with
dismay and fear. / felt that simply
could not meet him as his betrothed
wife, SO / wrote last mail and asked
him to release me from my engage
ment."
And what does he say?" Mary asked,
anxiously.
He is delighted" said Nancy,
Frightening. HE says that his feel
ings have changed too"
You never limited at any change be-
FORE" said Mary, a little reproach-
fully.
81 only knew it dimly or might
have done So" replied Nancy, gently.
''And since l wrote to him have been
silent to spare you any anxiety. My
letters have never been from the pres
ent Nancy, but from the Nancy as l
could remember her at seventeen. In
fact, have been writing down all the
time to the level of his intelligence as
shown in his letters, and that level is
painfully low"
"Ae would be much more likely TO
object if he once saw you," said Mary,
frankly, for these five years have
done wonders with you in every way"
"Oh, he's SO boyish that he will think
me strong-minded, and therefore dis
like me-" said Nancy, laughing. And
did send him my last photograph, you
know"
Ibid you send that hideous thing?"
asked Mary in surprise.
+,
luctantly, 81 believe l had some secret,
unconfesseds hope that he would off er
to break off the engagement if he once
saw that hideous caricature."
Aday or two later Nancy started for
hersusual afternoon walk along, the
cliffs. Walking quickly along, she did
not hear footsteps behind her, and was
surprised at hearing herself suddenly
addressed. Looking up with startled
eyes, she found q young man gazing at
her with q puzzled, intent expression
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.
SLOW you have grown! When did you
come? and how did you find me?" -
Il came two days ago." he said, red
dening slightly in irritation at her first
words, "but ! called at the Ness this
afternoon and Mrs. Messenger told me
where l should find you"
LET US go home now, and then you
can see them ALL" she said, turning
back. "You will hardly know the
children; they were such mites when
you left" VI - ~ @8BH
II certainly shall not, if they have
altered as much as you have done.
scarcely knew you," he said, looking
down at her with intent gray eyes
and inwardly comparing this beauti
full graceful girl with the gauche
schoolgirl of five years since.
II am older" she said, her heart
sinking strangely. He might disguise
the fact that he finds me disappoint
ing failure" she thought, rather bit
terly. ur- NapNR
''of course we are no longer boy and
girl" he said. But l hope we shall
always be friends, Nancy! . We have
been that all our lives, haven't we?"
Eyes, let.qs be friends" she said
And, thinking that he was eager to I'M
press upon her that they were to be
nothing more, she, added: sand it was
very wise to break off that childish
engagement before you came home
wasn't it?' sEs.t 1EAEEs
'Y-yes," he said, doubtfully
"Those boy and girl engagements neve,
answer, do they? People develop Sc
differently from what one would ex
pect. Judging from your letters,
should have thought you utterly differ
ent from what find YOU"
"You are equally different from what
should have expected you to be-" she
answered. But let us put up with
each other as we are; we need not SEE
much of one another, you know"
They had just reached the gate lead
ihg into the garden of the Ness as sh'
said this, and unconsciously she PAUSED
outside.
Jim took this, coupled with her las
words, as hint that he should go, an(
was more hurt than ne cared to own.
Good afternoon" he said, stiffly
raising his hat. Your suggestion is {
brilliant one, and you need not fea