Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-05-26

mat he had thought so wise and so good
was entirely foolish and unnecessary.
She need never know the reason of his
brief visit home" Why should not he
have business in England as we'll as
another man; and how should she sus-
pect the mad desire to see her face to
face once more that had brought him
from the other side of the world?
Thus thinlsing-if, indeed, the rapid
stream of recollections. suggestions
and reassuring convictions that rushed
through his mind could rightly be dig
nified with the name of thought--he
strobe boldly out into the corridor; q
noticeable figure enough from his COM
manding stature and grand breadth of
shoulder. Many eyes followed him as
he passed between the banks of flowers
with which the wide corridor was lined
on either side, and many We're the spec
ulations as to who he was, and why he
was at the ball; since he spoke to no
one, and nobody seemed to know him.
But he passed on, unconscious alike of
admiring eyes and fruitless specula-
ton.
Meantime Maud had suffered her
partner to lead her To wide window
seat at the farther end of the corridor
from that where her old friend was
seeking her. The girls face looked
strangely pale now that the flush
dancing brought to it had died
away; and there was an expression Of
something very like despair in her wide
gray eyes as she listened to her COM
panion's eager words.
You know you promised me my
answer tonight, Maud, and we mayn't
have such chance again. No one has
found out this corner yet; but it won't
escape the observation of the crowd
long. I've waited patiently, and haven't
bothered you bit, and now-at last
times up. You won't ask me to wait
any longer?" A look of sudden dis.
may clouded the boyish brightness of
his face as he spoke, but only for mo-
ment.
mo, won't ask you to wait any
longer;" the girls words came slowly,
and with an evident effort; "but-why
do you want me TO say yes, when YOU
know that l don't care for you? No,
hear me out" as he would have inter
rupted her. II like you, but I don't
care for you in that way, and never
SHALL"
"But you will, Maud; you must when
you see how awfully fond L"
mo, never shall, know. If You
insist on marrying me, You shall at
least do 1t with your eyes open. Mr..
Melbourne"
"Oh, don't speak to me like that!"
"But feel to you like that, and
must speak as feel. Fell" with swift
selfscorn. what have to do with
feeling at all? If marry you it win
be to escape from my present life; to
get away from myself-from the ever
lasting, purposeless round of dances
and dinners. have told you this be-
fore"
eyes, and have told you that love
YOU"
"And yet you don't hesitate?" :.
"For myself, no." He was silent o
moment, look of most unusual inde-
cision on his face. "Butyou put things
differently tonight" he said, at length.
"You say you know you shall never
care for me. don't see how you can
know that unless"
UNLESS" she faced him bravery,
though a sudden flush showed she all
ready grasped his meaning.
"You care for some one else" he said,
very deliberately. do you, Maud?"
For moment he thought she was go-
ing to break into indignant denials,
then all at once her face softened and
changed, and the light of wonderful
Joy flashed into it as she sprang to her
feet, eNclaiming:
"Denzil! AT last!"
Young Melbourne turned in astonish,
ment. Who was this stately-lookins
man that Maud should so to meet him
with outstretched hands of welcome
and brilliant, rapturous smile?
No matter who he was, the boy felt
that his question was answered. He
took his dismissal quietly, and left
them without word; nor did anyone
see him again that night.
And Denzil?
AT the sight of NIaud's eager eyes,
and sweet, well-remembered smile, he
forgot all his stern resolutions and
neutrality-suspicious. convictions. He
had never even dreamed of the possii
bility of such meeting as this, and the
glad recognition that rang in her voice
fairly swept him off his feet, strong.
self-contained man though he was.
For she loved him; he saw it in her
eyes, heard it in her voice, knew it at
misunderstanding, well-nigh impossible
fact though it was; and this beings so,
nothing could come between them; no
proud, disdainful relations could part
them any more, and when Denzil Clax-
ton returned to Australia after his
brief visit was over, his wife accom-
panied him, and great was the wrath
and indignation among the Draycourts,
who had tried so hard to make her in ell
respects one with themselves only to
fail SO signally at the last!
But Maud was happy, and once back
again among DenziFs people, and all
the congenial associations of the past,
she soon regained the bright serenity
and sunny sweetness of nature which.
she had well-nigh lost in that alien
land, to which unkind fate, and Denzl's
stern sense of duty. had for time
transplanted her.-Household Words.
An Anchored Boarder.
Winks-How often do you change
your boarding house now, links?
Jinks-I never change at all. *
Winks-You don't? Perfectly COM,
Portable, Ell? -.
Jinks-No, I'm mighty .uncomfort-