The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-06-18

/ rev moments aSo?' L asked, returning
to the previous subject.
''What did you say?" she replied
trembling n little, / thought, for she
surely could not have forgotten &c
soon.
81 said, darling"-it was the first
time I had ever called her that, and il
almost frightened met said that
there was one thing l had not learned
IN the last two years, aud that was to
love you better than / did when / first
met you. DO you thinkI should have
/ leurned?"
Perhaps, Jack, sho Llushed, elf
you had, you would have gone ahead
of me in the class.
ooh, Lois" | began to say, and
then began to stammer and grow red
IN the face. could feel tho blood fly
along my neck, aud my hands shook
so | could not have put them out to
her if she had asked me to. | hal
never spoken of love to woman, and
now my inexperience was painful to
me. | knew that the brave man could
win triumph now, but l was not
brave. On the contrary, / was cow
ard, an arrant coward, and in my fear
slipped down Off the rock, where we
had been sitting, and walked out upon
the sand.
"Where are you going, Jack?' she
called to me. 81 don't want to be left
here all alone. I'm sure Charlie Yer
der wouldn't treat me like that"
That was enough to set me wild
Nerdcr was the one fellow | dreaded.
and he hadn't known her six months,
either. | went back to tho rock and
stood at the foot OF it, Just near
enough TO touch the hem Of her gown
such n 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, / guos, than you
like MutUr Swami, she retorted, with
peril oil her nose and IL shake of her
fluffy hair.
"Then you like him pretty WELL" 1
said, in worse humor than ever, and
quite lnsistent upon nayging her all |
could
Perhaps 1 do, " she snapped, "and
If do, I'm sure he's very nice fell
low"
"Not any nicer fellow than Matte
Swami is girl, put in us mean as |
knew how.
"Wen, I don't care" she sail, rs
she slipped off of the roc5 aud touched
the sand rs lightly as n thistle down.
'l'm going home, and when You get
me to come away off down here in this
lonesome place again ut this time of
day, o. any other time, think you'll
know it. "
Then she started off along the beach
toward the row of cottages. 1t was n
mile or more, AMI 1 thought would
keep within call, so let her get some
distance ahead of me. l pokcI along
behind, gazing out TO sea and wonder
ing where all the beauty of the purple
shadows had gone, ana why it was
the waves looked 50 cold and cruel
and clammy. They were the same
shadows and the same waves, and
there | was, aul-but where was Lois?
Fifty yards up the shore and hurrying
along rs if she were afraid of twilight
ghosts or other strange inhabitunt of
tie crepusculHr air. | looked over
my shoulder nervously, and all
around, and shivered. What it was
don't know, but on the instant, |
called her aud went after my call
as fast rs | 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 fifty
yards or so.
cob, Mr. Belden," she said in n
tone of pretty surprise rs I came up
painting by her side, chow you
frightened me. / had no Flea You
were on the beach this evening.
Think OF that, AMI still her father
having the temerity TO talk about
puppy love. IT that wasn't full grown
mustif sarcasm, ia like to know what
II was. But | was not ~ be thwartcl
by womau's whim now, any more
tnan ] was in the beginning.
"Oh, Lois, Lois, ! pleaded, though
] pulfcd as | did so. ''We are not
children to let tri1o come between
u5 and our love. You know / love
you and know ] love you. 1t was
because love you so thatI grow wild
with jealousy when you spoke of Yer
DIR. ] don't cure rap OF my finger
for Matte Swami, even if you do like
Charlie Vcrlcr."
Mr.. Bellcn, she began vcy stinly
-"Call me jack" / cricI with nll iuy
feeling come again 'jall nae jack, as
you have always called mo-
Perhaps Pd better" she sail cold.
ly. ''iou have octcl SO childishly
that Mr.. seems scarcely an opPropri
nto title
"You shont talk that way to me,
Lois Tanner cxcllimcl rs stepped
in front OF her and blocked her path.
'I have dono wrong aud I apologize
humbIy for It, Now ps % luly YOU can.
not do otherwise than accept it,"
on accept tho apology. aud pray,
let that end th' natter
''N0, it sholi not ] insist upon
your accepting tho apology and the
apOI s2izcr as well. / want You Lois.
md hats what ] startel to tell You
down there ou tho rocks. Answer mo
now with only tho son aud tho sky aud
tho sweet twilight as witnesses.