The Irish standard., 1896-04-11

standing back little and with her
hands tucked souArette fashion in the
tiny pockets of her apeon gazed at
him with mischievous smile.
1T was impossible not to smile back
as he nibbled the crisp Mexican cake.
and drank the old mission wine. And
susv's tongue TITLED an accompani-
u1ent to his thanks.
Lord! it seems SO nice to be here
just you and me, Clarence-lilxe iii the
old days-with nobody naggin and
snoopin' round after you. Don't be
greedy, Clarence, but give me cake
She took one and finished the dregs OF
his glass.
Then. sitting on the arm Of his chair.
she darted a violet ray Of half reproach
and half mischievousness into his
amused and retrospectiveeyes s'There
used to be room for two in that chair,
Klarus."
The use Of the old childish diminu-
five for his name seemed to him as
natural as her familiarity, and he
moved little sideways to make room
for ner with an instinct OF pleasure,
but the same sense Of irresponsibility
that had characterized his reflections.
Nevertheless, he looked critically into
the mischievous eyes and said, quietly:
where is your husband 2"
There was no trace Of embarrass-4
ment, apology or even Of conscious
ness in her pretty face, as she replied.
passing her hand lightly through his
hair:
20, jim ?--I'yespacked him Off,
Packed him Off" echoed Clarence,
slightly astonished.
"Yes~-to Fair Plains-full tilt after
your wife's buggy. You see, Clarence,
after the old cat--that's your wife,
please--left, I wanted to make sure
she had gone, and wasn't hangin'
round TO lead you of again. with your
leg tied TO her apron string. like a
chickens, No!-I said TO Jim: Just
you ride after her until You see she's
, safe and sound in the down coach from
Fair Plains, without her KNOWN 1T,
and il she's inclined to hang back Or
wobble any, you post back here and
let me know!' I told him I would stay
and look after you, to see you didn't
bolt, tooi" She laughed and then
added: sBut I didn't think j should
fall into the old ways so soon, and have
such a nice time. Did you, Clarence ?''
She looked SO irresponsible sitting
there with her face near his, and so
childishly or perhaps thoughtlessly
happy, that he could only admire her
levfty, and even the slight shock that
her fippant allusion to his wife had
given him seemed to him only weak
ness of his own. After all was not hers
the true philosophy? Why should not
these bright eyes see things more clear
ly than his own? Nevertheless, with
his eyes still fixed upon them, he con-
tinued:
And Jim was willing to go?"
She stopped, with her fingers still
lifting a lock of his hair sWhy, yes,
you silly-why shouldn't he? Id like
to see him refuse. Why, Lord, Jim
will do anything I ask him. She put
down. the lock of hair, and suddenly
looking full into his eyes said: That's
just the difference between him and
me and you and--that woman!''
'Then you love him
"About as much as you love her.
she said, with an unaffected laugh,
''only he don't wind me around his
finger"
No doubt she was right, for all her
thoughtlessness, and yet he was going
to fight about that woman tomorrow
Not--he forgot--he was going To fight
Capt. Pinckney because he was like
her!
Susy had put her finger on the crease
between his brows which this supposi-
ton had made, and tried to rub it out.
'sYou know it as well as / do. Clar-
ence,'1 she said, with pretty wrink-
ling Of her own brows, which was her
nearest approach to thoughtfulness.
sYou know you never really liked her,
only you thought her ways were grand
er and more proper than mine, and you
know you We're always a little bit of
snob and prig, too, dear boy! And
Mrs. Peyton was--bless my soul!--a
BenhaIn, and a planters daughter, and
II was only picked-up orphan.
That's where Jim is better than you
Now, sit still, goosey.-eyen if l don't
like him as much. o, know what
you're always thiuking-you're think
ing we're both exaggerated and the
atrical--ain't you? Don't YOU think
it's a heap better to be exaggerated
and theatrical about things that are
just sentimental and romantic than to
be SO awfully possessed and overcome
about things that are only real?
There, you needn't stare at me so. It's
true! You've had your fill Of grandeur
and propriety, and--here you arel
And" she added, with alittle chuckle,
as she tucked up her feet and leaned a
little closer to him, there's mel"
He did not speak, but his arm quite
unconsciously passed around her small
waist s'You see, Clarence she went
on, with equal unconsciousness of the
act, you ought never to have let me
go-never! You ought to have kept me
here, or run away with me. And YOU
oughtn't to have tried 10 make me
proper. And you oughtn't to have
driven me to tlirt with that horrid
Spaniard, and you oughtn't to have
been SO horribly cold and severe when Il
did And you oughtn't to have made me
take up with Jim, who was the only one
who thought me his equal. might
have been very silly and capricious;
might have been very vain. but nv van
q 1nf I, sl-