Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-08-20
THURM0NT Frederick County, Maryland Thursday, August TO- 1896

self,) suppose I'll have to Co."
"Oh, please don't!" she urged, teas
ingly. ITS long, long walk, and it's
SO drcadfully hot; I'D 60 back to bed
again, if I were YOU"
And impugn your reputation for
truth and veracity THAT would be
very unthankful; you see you've made
it impossible for me not to 60" Then,
with diplomatic abruptness: Haven't
YOU anything to tell me before l
start?"
"You asked me that question last
night, and I'll make you the same
answer: you may give Hester my love-"
"Thank you so much. Perhaps shall
60 back to New York tomorrow"
perhaps you will; and perhaps the
world came to an end yesterday.
think one is about as probable Us the
other"
"Oh! then you know of some good
reason why should stay"
Eyes, the best of reasons: you're not
able to travel, yet"
Ringbrand laughed and reached for his
hat. "Just watch me climb that hill,
and then you may repent at leisure" he
said
An hour later he was comfortably
established upon the veranda of the
colonels home, lounging invalid-wisc
in the library easy-chair which Hester
had insisted upon dragging out for him.
They had been talking about the feud,
his imprisonment in the cave, and all
the exciting events of the past few
days; and Ringbrand had been trying
with a palpabe effort at righteousness
to bring the conversation around by
easy and graduated approaches to the
subject nearest his heart. On
the long walk up the noun
tain he had forecast the manner
of these approaches with such strict
fidelity to details that he now found
it impossible to break away from the
entanglement of set speeches and sup
posed answers, and every fresh endeav-
or seemed to involve him more hope
lessly. Even the perversity of inani-
mate objects added to his helplessncss.
How could one talk upon serious sub
jects from the lazy rostrum of an easy
chair whose high back took away the
last vestige of ones dignity ?-and
when he sat up the comfortable hollow
of the low seat brought his knees and
his chin together in an attitude thatwas
pathctically inadequate to the require
ments of the case. Once or twice he
ha., tried to rise, but Hester had pro-
tested playfully, saying that he must
consider himself an invalid, il only
for that afternoon. TO add to his em-
barrassment, she left her own chair and
began to sauntrr up and down the vcr-
anda in front Of him, shipping dead
leaves from the ivy on the railing as she
talked
He watched her furtivcly while the
car Of idle talk ran smoothly over end
less stretches OF track wherein there
were no crossings or switches, until
the subtle intoNication of her beauty
began to make his replies irrelevant.
At last she stopped just opposite his
chair and leaned over the railing TO re-
cover Il wandering spray Of ivy; while
she stood there with her back toward
him, he broke off in the middle Of a sen
1cnce and said abruptly: Miss Hes
ter. | love you very much
She recovered herself instantly, and
he saw the suppressed laughter in her
eyes as she turned toward him. lie
was on his feet in moment. Miss
Latimcr, l beg your pardon-indced
dot wasn't at all what meant--oh,
horrors, what am saying!--I did mean
it, only | didn't intend saying it just
that way. Please don't laugh at me;
itl break my heart; I'm drcadfully in
earnest, if | do talk like an inbecile-
Hester, dear, 90 you love me just
little, and will you be my wife,"
He was holding her hand now. and
looking down into her face with an
appeal in his eyes that quite ntonod
for the halting speech, and she hid her
face on his shoulder, saying: "Oh, I'm
so glad."
clad Of what, Hcster?" he asked,
drawing her closer to him.
Her face was suffused with blushes
when she raised it shyly to his, but the
merriment still twinklcd in her eyes.