The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-13

clouds break up into great bronze
masses. The air was very clear and
the world very lovely after the storm.
The leaves shook themselves as if they
had been glad to be pelted and blown
about and away above the house tops
the arch of a rainbow was just visi-
BILE.
Robins face was shining but Jean
left his side and stole back into the
dusk The quaint two banked organ
stood open as it always did, and she
ran her fingers down the yellow keys.
Robin must.not guess the tears in her
eyes.
jean" came the soft call.
"Yes, Robin" She went back to
him bravely.
He drew her down close to him and
looked at her face for long.
My bonny JEAN" he began at last
and kissed her.
'Oh, Robin, l can't" She closed
her trembling lips over this first cry
of anguish and tried to be brave again
| but it was no use and the dear brown
head hid itself on Robins shoulder
"My strong, beautiful Robin"
He clasped the shaking little form
and smoothei the shining hair and
soothed and hushed her like moth
er and after a time she sat very still
with one arm pressed tightly about
his neck.
1T is the Lords will, JEANNE, my
lass. We've had the joy of loving,
whatever else comes"
A little pressure of the warm arm
told him how great that Joy had
been.
And we'll not complain if it is not
given to us to know the other joys"
/, There was pause and then he be-
gan again.
1T cuts me to the heart to say it,
but l should not be half man to
keep silent l cannot claim you any
longer, JEANNE. l had little enough
to offer my bonny lass at first and
now it is worse than nothing and |
must set her free again." but he held
her very close and kissed the white
temple.
Perhaps you are right, Robin, :"
she said at last. "I'll not gainsay
you now, but may | keep our ring?"
She seemed in a brown study over
something.
Eyes, dear"
"And will you promise me, Robin,
to come to me often. Who is your
friend if | am not?"
II will cone, bonny Jean, and
gladly
And so the first chapter of their
life was ended-the last chapter
Robin thought. There was numb
pain at his heart at jeans having tax
en- it so easily. He had expected it
would have been harder and it had
seemed to come quite as a matter of
course. Perhaps she had not loved
him so very much after all; he stilled
the anguish of this fear with the re-
membrance that it would be all the
easier for her. He would be glad if
bonny Jean could still be happy, even
though it might be without him.
1t was three days before he went to
her little room again. Then there
was subdued fire in her eyes and
radiant expectancy in her face that
made him wonder. What had she
done to herself during those three
days?
She did not leave him long in doubt
but leaned forward to him as he sat
in the big chair and took his face be-
tween her two hands and kissed hi
forehead and the great blue eyes with
a wonderful tenderness and Joy in
her own. After that she slid down to
the little stool at his feet and laid
her head on his knee.
robin, my love-" hesitatingly,
while the small left hand crept shyly
into one of his own,-"may tell you
now why l wanted to keep the
ring?"
Surely, bonny JEAN"
"It is because | wanted to feel my
self yours no matter what came"
She conquered her shyness little
and looked bravely up at him. 81
could never belong to any one else,
Robin, never. And Robin | want to
be with you and take care of you.
There is no one else and even if there
were, the right is mine because l love
you So"
My bonny lassie~ Such wealth
of surprise and tenderness and long
ing was in the words that if Jean had
made a sacrifice, it must have been
no sacrifice from that moment. But