The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-01-16

"Don't tie silly" she said, studi.
ously averting her eyes. She stopped
and gathered handful of heather,
which she promptly began to destroy
and scatter in little showers over her
white gown. In a moment she recov-
cred and became herself again. "Get
into more comfortable position" 1"
she said, smiling down at him, "and
talk TO me. I must be amused" So
the Man, with sigh, lay down on his
heather couch and began TO talk. In
those days he did anything the Girl
told him, and everything he could
think of to please her. Presently he
began to talk of his late visit to Lon
don, that visit on the subject of which
he had hitherto been SO silent.
'And those Irish people," said the
Girl, unconcernedly, idly sticking
pieces of heather in his curls while
she looked keenly down on his face.
The top of his head was towards her,
his eyes were fixed on the blue sea,
where it appeared far away in the dis
tancc, so that he did not see her.
"Why do you not ask them down
here? You were SO much with them
and liked them so, l am sure you
would be glad TO have them"
No answer. The girl stuck another
piece OF heather in his hair, then took
it all out again. 81 am sure should
have liked to have met them. think
| should have liked the girl awiully.' y
81 am sure you would not She is
not your style at all. "
"What style is she?'
ooh, ! don't know. She is nn awful
llirt. and not good form at all.
"Ohl" A silence ensued for about
five minutes, then the Man rolled over,
and, planting his elbows in the
heather, looked up detcrminedly in
his companions face. An inkling of
the truth had reached his brain.
'Ruth, | must know. 1t is only
fair that you should tell me why you
have changed so to me?" Dead silence.
The Gnl looked away and made no at
tempt to reply. "Won't you tell me?"
he snid, wistiully. "You are making
me very miserable, dear" His voice
was quite sad and pleading; ; it touched
the girl in spite of herself.
al am? Oh, Mark" The tears al.
most came into her eyes, but sho
smiled instead. "How can | make
you unhappy"
Because ! love you, Ruth, and
canhot bear this something that has
risen between us; it drives me mad.
Ruth, my dear girl, don't you know
how | love you, and that want you
to be something very, very much
nearer than q friend?"
The smile died away from her face;
she grew very pale, and her fingers
trembled little as she played with
the heather, but she spoke calmly, al
most coldly. al did not know it was
me you loved" she said.
az have never loved any one else,
not with real love such as have for
you. | NAV have admired others,
yes, and perhaps thought myself in
love with them for time but that is
all so different. Won know IL is"
"Yes. 1 think know" ahe said;
''but it might happen again"
81 do not think it would" he said
seriously. al never knew until came
back this time, and-and began to
feel that I might lose you, how much
/ loved you, dear" He wondered
then why she smiled so oddly. "You
must have seen it, RUTH"
"But, Mark, how about that other
girl, that Irish girl? Aren't you
don't youcare for her?'
"Pooh!' e. said the Man with uu.
feigned scorn. Scare for her? |
never did. One mny fl rt with girl
like that, but as to loving her, or
marrying her..well, | pity the poor
fool who does. She tlirts abnomin-
ably"
Then the Girl smiled again, n
triumphant little smile, quite uniu.
telligible to the man. She knew TINT
her course OF treatment had been sue.
cesslul, the cure was complete.
"Why do you smile?" asked the
Man, perplexed.
"Because.. because am so
happy"
"Happyl Do you mean that 2"
catching one OF her hands and kissing
it passionately. Then it is to be.
may | tell the old folks that it mas all
come about as they wished? Look at
me, child, and tell me you really mean
it, that you do care"
Still she looked away, intent on
tearing up the unfortunate heather by
her side. The Man watched her iu
silent dismay; he could not under
stand her in this variable mood.
"You do not care" he said Mt last,
when the silence had become unbear-
able. "Eou do not care, and you eau
not make yourself" There WAS IL
great sadness in his voice, his iace
seemed in moment to have aged and
grown haggard. He turned over and
proppel himself on one elbow. with
his face well away from hers.
Something WAS laid on his bowed
| head. 1t was Ruth's little hand.