Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-01-04

| E A JCotuIo grow ou'
! ~ NJ thrived in all di
IL VI rections as t.
Ull h..a whether or no
'V" Greta was lie
trothed to Mr.
Clinton. That he had asked her t.
marry him, even before the break witt
Miss Lanston, was certain. but whethe
she had said yes or no, nobody wa
able to say.
Her manner to him was the same a
before-a brilliant coquetry that be
longedto her alone-and nobody daret
question her.
When early in the week it became
known that Francis Greyford was com
ing down from Bar Harbor to Squire
Island, apparently for no better rea
son than that Miss Morrys was there
those interested made sure that at las
they would be able to solve this rid
die.
Then. the day before Mr.. Grey folt
came, Clinton went off to New York
There was whisper that he went tc
buy Greta the handsomest diamond
ring 81 Tiffany's, but those things are
rarely to be believed, and the hoteI
realized with q dull throb OF disap.
pointment that now, perhaps, the rid.
die could not be solved.
There were, of course, several girls
ready to tell Greyford about Clinton,
but he did not seem to mind much,
and only this morning he had been
heard to ask her to 60 rowing. in spite
of the stormy sea, because he liked to
be with her where nobody else dared
60.
She had laughed at him caressingly
and looked out at the windswept ocean
thoughtfully before she answer ed I:
eyes, let us go; 1t will be an expert.
ence that will forever after prevent
surface acquaintance between u.s."
He gave her quick glance. edo
you want it prevented"
eyes. Surface acquaintance with
a man cannot be anything but com.
monplace, and I do not like man who
is that"
"Will you tell me, Miss Greta, what
kind Of man do you really like best ?"
Greyford's handsome eyes were very
earnest. Greta pondered moment
then, with little laugh, she brought
her eyes back from the stormy sea to
the man at her side.
II would rather not" she answered.
"Why"
because there is possible chance
that you are that kind Of man, and
that would be an embarrassing adj
mission for me to make"
If she was really betrothed to Gin.
ton, Greyford thought, she would
hardly say thing like that.
Greyford spent the half hour she
was getting ready anxiously Watching
the water. He was afraid he had been
unwise in asking her to go out, but
! when she came downstairs ready to 60
she was such q charming picture he
forgot his anxiety. A slim figure,
gowned in sage green, with broad
collar and girdle OF white, she held a
green hat, with white clovers on it, in
her hand and let the brisk breeze stir
her bright hair into a hundred little
rlnglets around her face.
! As they strolled down the sandy
road to the beach Greta touched again
on the theme they had been discuss.
ing.
"There are, after ALL" she said,
''few men who are net common.
place."
"No man is always commonplace, "
he replied, gravely. "There are times
in the life of even the most ordinary
man when he is unusual. Those things
depend too much on environment to
generalize about them"
She gave him surprised glance,
which he did not notice, for they were
close to the beach now and his eyes
were on the sea.
"Would you think me very com.
monplsce If were to tell you that it
will be most unwise for us to row
round the island to-day"
"Yes, I should" she answered,
tersely.
He frowned impatiently.
81 should not have asked you to go.
Look at that sky and wind it is going
to storm frightfully in about half an
hour"
II shall like that said Greta, reck.
lessly. "When I SAID I would go /
told you it was for the sake OF the ex.
,, perience.
"You will not like it when it turns
over the boat"
"Ah, can swim, quite we'll, too,
and think how exciting it will be out
in the midst of that angry water"
II do not like the responsibility"
he observed.
She threw back her head and looked
at him through half.closed lids. GLOW
does it feel to be afra,d?"
He gave her wrathful glance and
moved away to the long, narrow boat
waiting on the beach. Without a
word he helped her in, took up the
oars, and with the long, steady stroke
OF Harvard crew man swept out into
the channel It may have been that
thegroup OF girls Watching them from
the piazza had something to do with
Greta's persistence. Now, however,
they passed out OF view, and Greta's
attention was claimed by Greyford.
She watched him admiringly; the
broad shoulders. the proud poise of
the head and the annoyed determine
tion Of his face; then she laughed
softly.
Greyford looked at the lowering
storm-cloud and then at the expressive
face OF the girl before him, into which
no touch OF seriousness had come.
eff We 60 round the island" he
sail, I've take our lives in our hands,
probably to dash them to pieces on
the Hypocrite rocks" He rested on
his oars. still looking At her.