The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-22


90 on his way and begin the hard work
which was 10 bring him fame? or should
he stay incoming about here, wasting his
time, and suspected of unlawful inten-
tons, for the sake OF a chance glimpse
OF a girl who would not even give him a
look or a word for his pains?
COmmOn-sense had but one answer TO
this question. But TO that answer he paid
no heed He stayed and was punished
for his fOOlishness by a pouring wet day.
a day to wash away the high spirits of
the most bouyant, grey day Of soaking,
driving rain.
Terence looked out of the window. If
this day was dreary to him, with his thick
boots and his macintosh, his pipe and his
easel. what must il be to a young girl,
imprisoned in cottage lodging? He had
found out where she lived; it was in a row
OF little four-room, butter-colored houses,
not five hundred yards away He looked
through the books he had brought, chose
the two he thought most likely to please
a girl, and ran down the street TO her
lodging. There was no knocker, so he
hammered at the door with his knuckIes.
II was opened by the young lady herself,
for there was no passage, and the front
room was her sitting-rOom.
Poor girl, she looked miserable; but on
seeing who her visitor was, she grew cold
and stiff at once.
Good morning." stammered Terence,
taken aback.
Good morning." She said, with the
slightest possible bend of the head. my
brother has not arrived yet"
No, l thought not 1 fancied perhaps
you might be dull without him on this
wet day, SO / brought you some books
He was speaking with much constraint,
feeling sorry he had come. She glanced
at the volumes he offered.
Il have read them, thank you" she said.
"All right. Good morning., was Ter
ence's brief farewell. as he took himself
off, not hiding his modification
Before reaching the inn door. he turned
however, TO throw back an angry glance
in the direction of the cottage. And he
saw the girl standing on the step in the
rain, gazing at him with a half wistful
expression on her pretty, fair face. The
moment he turned she disappeared in
doors.
This visit, the girls reception Of him, and
that inconsistent after-look, filled his
thoughts for the day Never sbefore had
a girl taken such a hold upon him as,
this gentle creature, who would scarcely
throw him d civil word.
After luncheon, the rain having almost
ceased for time, he buttoned himself
up in his macintosh and set out for
walk.
Though the clouds remained heavy and
lowering, the rain kept off for a couple of
hours, long enough for him to explore a
wild moor in the neighborhood He was
four or five miles from Ingatestowe when
a storm of rain came on to which the
downfall of the morning was but an April
shower. Ills outer garments being Wea-
ther-proof, Terence at first walked stol-
idly on his homeward way without
though of seeking shelter. But he could
not smoke for the rain put out his pipe;
and the clayey soil stuck to his boots in
great clods, which made walking hard
work. So that when he reached a tumble
down shed, with little bit. of roof and
rafter remaining, he thought he would
wait there until the worst fury of the
storm was over.
As he stepped inside he was confronted
by young girl in a long black water
proof. 1t was Fred Jeletts sister.
Terence's first impulse was to retreat and
go on his way But there was something
in the girls face so unutterably sad, so
startlingly forlorn and weary, that his
heart yearned to comfort her. Even at
the risk of another and seVerer snub he
felt he must stay. And, after all, he was
quite prepared to take with Weakness such
as he would not have shown to any other
woman, whatever treatment this girl with
her sweet face and pale golden hair, might
mete out to him. Still, there is no denying
that the situation was an awkward one.
He raised his hat apologetically, and, hes
itating on the threshold. said:
May l wait here a little while, until
the rain is less violent?''
"Oh, of course" she answered, stiffen-
ing Immediately. and retreating a step
further into the corner where she was
standing.
The rain poured down through a large
hole in the middle of the roof Not dar-
ing to approach any nearer to the naughty
lady, Terence remained near the entrance,
enjoying a little shower bath through the
lesser imperfections of this end of the
roof and staring out at the black moors
and the leaden sky.
Both man and maid remained as still
as statues for some minutes; but at last
the former heard little rustling a little
hdgeting, and then he heard the girls
voice, speaking with an evident effort to
combine frigid reserve with common cour-
tesy.
had better stand at this end where the
roof is not so full of holes"
He caught at the offer and came nearer,
taking care not to brighten or offend her
by any appearance of effusive gratitude.
THANK you said he, allowing himself
one glance at the slender figure in black,
and noting what an adorable frame the
plain little Puritanical black bonnet made
to pale face and fair hair.
Dead silence between two people stand
ing only three feet apart proved much
more irksome than it had been when there
was the length of the shed between them
1t soon became intolerable to the man
Il believe it has set in for wet night"
he said abruptly. at last; 80 1t is not of
the least use to wait here. On the other
hand"-and he 'ventured another look at
her, with her little flimsy feminine So
called waterproof cloak her kid boots and
her already saturated umbrella-"you
can't tramp five miles through this"
"Oh, yes, l can. l have my waterproof
and umbrella"
Umbrella! Why that's only a toyr'
exclaimed Terence, with masculine con-
tempt. A thought struck him, daring
brilliant. THE only way to get back will
be for me to hire a gig or cart or some
thing at farm house l passed about half
a mile off, and drive you back to Ingates-
towe."
Her manner, which had thawed ever so
little, grew icy again Immediately.
Il couldn't think of troubling you" she
said, quickly. Il don't mind the rain; I
can walk back"
She passed him, shaking her dripping
umbrella, as she tried to open it,
Something had gone wrong with it.
however. and she shook and struggled
with it in vain.