The evening times., 1896-12-22

such ugly thing, neither.'-sheridan."
The girl leaned both her hands on the
little, rickety, hand-painted lodging house
table, and looked up with laughter and
mock admiration in her eyes at ner lover,
who came and stood before her. But the
man looked down at her in eager pie eading.
Ursula, darling, how can you talk in
that way-now?'
''How can 1? Why, with pretty grace, l
hope"
''Ursula, 'cried the man, "dont havetha
moOdi 1t hurts me. 1t maddens me to
waste our minutes So. oh, my darling,
have you no sentiment in your
Sentiment she began. lightly, but she
stopped suddenly, and ner word trailed off
into sob. 'Bertie--"
The man caught her hands quickly.
What, darling?'
She drooped ncr head on his breast ana
her breath came fast"
You have thought me unsentimental,
matter-of-fact, even hard-yes, just a little
bit hard-eve since you first knew me;
while you were so-so-otherwIse."
He held her tightly to him now and
waited.
'-But'-ind Ii was she who spoke pas
sionately now-''I was only acting, BERTHE;
oDiy SHOWING you "a surface iieart. Ana
now now you are going away, and for so
long, wilt give. up acting. 1 am senti-
mental -siliiiy sentimental, il only you
knew. l did not show it-I don't know
1 was shy. suppose. l thought you
would not care 1or it-that you would
laugh a me-
'-on, ursuia, Ursular' he exclaimed
Il believe you would laugh now il you
only Knew RON rldIcUio,.s ani-now r.ucn
/ love you. And now l have broken do WI
you have made Inc break down.
can never unsay my confession. l have
hlIufji.u ySeIT-l tIHt lad bare
heart
Ursula, my own! why did you never
confess before! 1 iaugn at you! Oh, my
ddrnngi 1 nave hunsered 10 near You say
such words. "
The eyes of the girl We're lovesteeped,
anu ,Ier iisaeS wcs. 5ns. raised ner heau
and looked up at the man.
All TINS past year you nave made me
happier than ever dared hope to be-" she
whispered, trembling the happiest women
In the whole world, | think"
And the man bent and pressed his lips
TO hers. But | want to make you still
napmrr, the sad, passionaieIy, Il want TO
tasc you froulaii Tn Ca re and the drudgery;
to have you all to myself to guard you,
10 cIrrisn you-ne.er ~ part. On, If oniy
1 had money! This waiting waiting, is
awfui, ana the hope SO small, the reward
so slow"
Am really small-and slowc'' she asked
softly
He laughed back at her. mot you, dear
est, but the getting on, anu the pit
tance; IL all seems SO endless. Even
now, ain holding you only to part from
yOu-to go back To the grnd. And worse
than all is the know ledge that you also
are dredging, ana cannot prevent it,
As there must be waiting, dear, / am
glad OF the work TO fill my time. And"
with a swift blush, Il shall be saving for
my trOusseau.'
Don't, Ursulit-,iun't 90 To boarding your
shiilinEs and denying yourself. Some day 1
Will make my pile, and you shall ak in
silk attire: nd we'iIleave the work, andt
trouble, and the care, and go Off a-wander-
Ing in Italy and Greece and Algiers and
every place we've ever sct our hearts on"
The hollow sounding ciOc upon the
painted marble mantelciece struck five
metallic strokes.
Five O'Clock already. This is awful.
For a whole year or longer. Say it
again, Ursula-that you love me-
Il love you. Berthe, sine said slowly and
quite soicmniy. II love you. / think
l would die for you willingly"
barring, darling, for q long year"
He caught her To him in n passionate en-
brace, his lips met hers again and again;
then he turned quic KY and went toward
the door.
There will he the letters" she said,
in voice which 1strove to be steady and
cheerful, for his white, hopeless face hurt
her heart. And then he was gone.
Three hours later the man sat at a CHEEKY
little dinner in London, a little farewell
meal with a few old college friends After
which he went on board his steamer and
walked the deck in the starlight, with
pipe for consolation, as be thought OF the
poor and lonely girl be had left. and longed
for money TO bring him his desire And 80