Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-01


Il do not know that L should care for
it for the rest of my existence" She
said. Mt length. "You are Il very agree
able companion. Mark: at least. YOU Fan
be-" with a little rising of the eyebrows;
.but l think it would be very stupid to
pass ones whole life with II
friend
with one what"
Friend" answered the girl, calmly,
unfurling her sunshade and settling
more comfortably into her cushions.
The man stared ut her for 4 few see
onds. Then he followed her gaze at the
brown sails. and for Il moment they APP
pearcd to find something of surprising
interest in them.
Il think it would be very jolly to
bring out Nina Armstrong II day,
and her brother, don't yOu:' asked the
girl.
.Ye-es. perhaps they would Ike it,"
indifferently.
"Oh. Jack Armstrong told me yeSter-
day that he WAS devoted 10 sailing. lie
wanted me to go with him-them-to-
day. but | said you We're coming. and
You would thing it odd if you found no
one ut home
You are very kind" he answered a
little sulkily. Il am sorry to have kept
You ut home"
'Oh. it does not matter. a go an
other day. l wanted to see you, ycu
know"
Thanks; but why not 20 in his boat
tomorrow Instead Of having him here:
You would enjoy il more. probably"
Il don't know that should" husins-
". Besides. | want YOU to know Nina.
she is such Il dear little soul. and 50
pretty. am sure YOU will quite fail in
love with her
She looked at her companion for the
first time, then quickly lowered her
sunshade. for the dignified amaZement
of his expression was toe much for her
gravity. For minutes silence reigned
in the boat. The man was wondering
if it could really be possible that the
girl regarded him simply rs one of her
many friends. and was quite Indifferent
as to whether he cared more for another
girl or not.
1t had never occurred to him that
other men might admire Ruth so much
as To take her from him. He looked at
her in his endeayors to fathom it all.
She was really very pretty. When he
looked at her she vas leaning on the
side of the boat, her head resting on her
arm.
How perfectly idylic this is" she
finally said. What Il comfort it is to
be able to sit silent when one feels in
clined. and not feel that II is playing
the bore. 1t is Il sign of true friend
ship, Mark. | could o do so with
anyone else but you. but you under
stand She looked ut him with Il
sweet. grave smile. I'VE ought to be
good friends after knowing each other
for all these years, Oughtnt WeE
Mark nodded. Friends always
seemed To me such an inadequate. cold
word" he said Friends and %acquaint-
ances are the same to me"
"Oh. no. oh. no." she cried. SAC
quaintances mean so little; they are
nothing. have so many, but Of friends
50 few. You are one of my chiefest,
and
Il always thought we were more than
friends" he said.
You silly boy. how could we be-
she replied with Il little laugh, but the
laugh did not ring true.
We'll, you may know what the old
folks"
Mark, do you know that it is nearly
1 o'clock. and that | promised to be ut
Armstrong; at 4:30: We must really
30 now
Later that day it occurred to the
man that he had not thought of the
Irish girl forseveral hours lie did not
think of her till the moon rose, and he
went out on the hcadland and sat alone
with his pipe.
"Ruth. do you feel inclined to come
for Il s%troll!" The girl was sitting in Il
large basket chair in the garden on the
cliff top. In her hand she held Il maga-
zine. but she was not reading: she was
looking out Over the sea. thinking of
something which called up Il little
smile on her lips.
She looked so sweet and fresh and
cool. her soft white gown showing her
pretty sunburnt cheeks and the glOri-
Gus color Of her hair. Mark approach
cd her with his request almost diff
IDENTIFY. During the last week or two
he had found that she did not jump ut
his suggestions with her old alacrity-
in fact. it had taken all his time and all
his tact To secure her company ut all.
and so occupied had he been that he
had no time to think ut all of the Irish
girl; at least he had only found time of
an evening over his pipe. and two of
these evenings he had spent in thinking
Of Ruth.
To-day. however. Ruth willingly con-
scented to accompany him. Let us go
on the heather" she said. land you
must talk to me, for l am feeling fear
fully lazy"
So they strolled along the narrow
lann INLAND nntsl thnv nm 70 tho