The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-09-22
Bv BEATRICE WHITLEY.
CHAPTER L.


with young Mr.. Flight even though
he was desperately in love with her!
1t would have been much better to go
away that dayon the visit to her aunts
without seeing him, for then he would
set her down as heartlesS and sooner
forget his passion.
She never meant that he should be
anything to her, SO what was the use
of prolonging the agony?
It was only in Difference to the feel
ings of her father, the rector, and her
mother that she was sacrificing her
feelings, and to tell the truth, she went
to meet the disconsolate lover in the
garden with the expression OF mar
tyr going to the stake.
Up and down mOSS-grOWn path,
which intersected row of ragged
raspberry bushes on the one hand and
a waving sea of artichoke sticks upon
the other q young man paced hurried
ly. His handsome features We're glum
and gloomy of expression; his mouth
was weak and womanly He hung his
head and gaZed upon the ground.
This was poor Mr. Flight, toward
whom at this moment Miss Heden Mil
ford was slowly vending her way. Her
heart beat unusually quick as she ap-
preached, but, alas for him! 1t peat
with an embarrassed anger-not Tor
love. She was indignant at, and intol-
Grant of. her lovers obstinate and i'm
fortunate affection, and yet she
schooled herself to patience. She
would remember her parents remarks
and endeavor to treat this distasteful
passion with leniency, if not respect.
uI hon. c.to
meet her. holding out his hands. She
halted abruptly when he did so, put
her hands behind her, standing in an
attitude Enthusiastically on the deten-
sive. She looked very cold, very I'M
approachable, and not at all young
lady whom it would be easy to coerce;
but withal she looked SO beautiful that
poor Mr.. Flight grew desperate.
.Helen." he cried, 'Helen, you did
not mean what you said? You could
not be so cruel. You will not wan
tonly break my heart? You have come
to tell me that you have changed your
mind?
II never change my mlnd-at least
not without reason. | came because
my mother said she had promised you
that I should come"
NGltIl0r neE WOI(lS uOL uSl 1eeNO WV y
encouraging, and he knew it.
''Neyer-never change! There is no
S11ch a word as never to me- he told
her mournfully. 81 shall continue TO
hope-I cannot give up hope. You are
not heartless. / know you are not: l
shall wait. / will not despair Why
should /? For you know that winter
does not last forever. If | wait spring
will come
She did not follow his meaning; she
looked puzzled and did not speak. 81
lence on her part was unusual, and he
thought it augured we'll for him.
II am i'll no hurry, Helen. Will be
patient can hope on. You have only
known me six months; | was foolish
to expect too much. You shall see
more of me, much more, and then, per-
haps, you may grow to like me. Don
shake your head. What is it that you
dislike in me? Tell me what pleases
YOU and / will endeavOr-
ooh. don't!' she interrupted; don't
saw all those things over again; it is
no use. I have told you so a dozen
times l don't dislike you. Why should
I?'
eff you don't dislike me, why not
like me?"
81 tell you that do like your impa-
tiently.
'"Then marry me-"
mo"
"Helen, look here. You don't dislike
me-you mean to be married some day
I have got a fair income, a good tenn
per- l love you dearly, and l will give
YOU your own way in everything"
She stamped her foot on the ground
and said:
'Good-by, Mr.. Flight. start at ?
o'clock. | cannot wait here another
instant"
Helen, listen moment. shall not
give I'D hope. / shall come again. L
shall be patient. You will not be so
cruel as to refuse me hope; it is such
little thing to ask. Helen, your father
wishes me to leave this place, to go
forever. l shall go, but | shall follow
Won TO Noelcombe / shall come to see
YOU. / must see you again. | cannot
bear to be away from you. May l
come-will you speak to me?'
"Noelcombe doesn't belong to me,
said Miss Milford, petulantly. If you
choose to come there | can't help it.
Good-by."
.'Then, if 1 come, will you speak to
mey'
ooh, yes, yes, yes! Good-by."
''Won't you shake hands!'
Then Helen, much relieved at the
thought of the approaching party, and
prompted by the memory of her moth
er's suggestion, looked up with smile
into her lovers gloomy eyes and laid
her cool, slender hand in his.
"Good-by," she said, with a sudden
access of cordial friendliness in her
clear voice. "Good-by. Mr.. Flight. |