Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-05-28


could win triumph now. but was not
brave. On the contrary. was cow
ard. an arrant coward, and in my fear
slipped down off the rock whore we had
been sitting and walked cat upon the
sand
Where are You going, Jack?" she
called 10 me. II don't hike TO be left
here all alone. I'm sure Charlie Verder
wouldn' tieat me like that
That was enough to set me wild. Yer
der was the one fellow dreaded, and
he hadn't known her six months either.
went hack TO the rock and stood at the
foot of it, Just near enough to touch the
hem Of her gown-such a sweet. white
gown, with bit of blue showing
through il as the blue sky peeps in and
ont from the fleecy white clouds.
"Do you like him?'' / asked sullenly.
"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 well, I
said in worse humor than ever. and
quite insistent upon nagging her all I
could.
perhaps 1 do, she snapped, "and,
If do, I'm sure he is very nice fell
low"
"Not any nicer fellow than Matte
Swami is a girl. /" put in rs mean as i
knew how.
"Well. l don't care. she said as she
slipped Off the rock and touched the sand
us lightly us a thistledown. I'm going
home, and when you get me to come
away Off down here in 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 mere, and | Thought would
keep within call, so let her get some
distance ahead Of me. polzed along be-
hind, gazing ont to sea and wondering
where all the beauty of the purple
shadows had gone, and why it was the
waves looked SO cold and cruel and
clanmy. They We're the same shadows,
and the same waves, and there / was,
nnd--bpt where was Lois? Fifty yards
mp the shore and hurrying along as if
she 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 l ever ran after
football
"Lois, Lois - kept ON calling, but
she gave no heed. Her face was set
away from me and she was going with
It 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, show You frightened mel
had no idea you We're on the beach this
evening
Think of that, and still her father
having the temerity to talk about puppy
lovel If that WASH 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.
ooh, Lois, Lois" pleaded, though
I pulled as 1 did so. Don't talk like
that We are not children to let trife
como between us and our love. You
know love you, and know love you.
1t was because love you 80 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 stiffiy-
"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 coldly.
"You have acted so childishly that Mr.
seems scarcely an appropriate title.
lyon shan't talk that way TO me, Lois
Tanner" exclaimed as / stepped in
front Of her and blocked her path. II
have done wrong, and apologize hum
bly, for it. Now, as a lady, You cannot
do otherwise than accept it.
81 accept the apology, and pray let
that end the matter /"
"No; it shall not. insist upon your
accepting the apology and the apologizer
rs we'll / want you, Lois, and that's
what started to tell you down there on
the rocks Answer me now, with only
the sea, and the sky, and the sweet twi
light as witnesses.
was about to take her hand and more
tenderly urge my claim to an answer,
when she gave a slight scream and
sprang to one side as If she had stepped
ON mouse in the sand
Look there, " she whispered, pointing
to a couple seated ON an old spar half in
the sand, and who until then were not
visible. looked and saw Verder and
Miss Swami, very close together and
talking earnestly
"Let them be witnesses also, if they
will. darling, / said bravely, and this
time took her hand in mine.
But is was too dark for them to see,
and when Lois and walked by them in
the duskier shadows of the later evening
she had promised to be my wife, and
though the great sun of the heavens had
set over the world and the earth was
full Of shadows the greater sun of love
had risen in our hearts, and they were
filed with the light inextinguishable-
That was dozen years ago, and to-
day Lois is the proud and happy mother
of three of the prettiest and sweetest
children in the world, except four that
I am the proud and happy father Of:
She is Mrs. Charles Verder, and Mrs
Belden was Miss Swami Detroit Free
Press