Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1897-03-11
Pauline yawned.

the occasion, One must atnuse ones
| sell at place like this, ard you Ger
tain!y ought to understand the differ
! ence between a mere, harmless firta-
tion and real. sober earnest Now,
George, do be sensible and leave OF
teasing me, that's good boy"
| George turned away.
Il SEQ Mr. Melville coming this
way. Iou viii excuse me, Pauline:"
"Oh, certainiv,"
Pauline drew a deep breath Of relief
as her youthful swain walked away
toward the star lighted beach.
| "Who would imagine that the little
| fellow would have laid it so seriously
to hearth she murmured softly as she
extended Ii ly white hand toward
Mr.. Melville. who with half a dozen
others had eauutered up the piazza
steps.
"Iou are looking grave. fair tragic
queen = said Melville, drawing his
bamboo chair a rifle closer to her. !"
"May one of the hum mblest Of all your
! slaves venture to ask why"
'Did you ever kill or main but
terhy?" demanded Pauline suddenly
"a great many times. | am afraid in
! the thoughtlessness OF early youth.
But why do you aeD?
thing"
Mr.. Melville glanced questioningl gly
around.
"Ob, . laughed Pauline, cit wasn't t
a real winged insect, Mr. Melville, |
was but speaking metar rhorlcally.
After all, that's matter of no ,artl-
cnlar consequence; only a lesson the
chlld needed to cure him Of something &
very like presumption. It's little
George Crane; he had the imperti-
nence TO tell me that he loved me.
The idea OF child like that taking
advantage OF the encouragement one
may have thoughtiesslv given him to
imhgiEc-hut it 8 too ridiculous.
Faith, | don't SEQ the ridiculous
side Of it, said Melville sternIy
"Crane is young, but he IS a manly
fellow, and--pardon me. sovereign
lady Of All hearts-but you did en-
courage him most markedly"
Il never thought Of anything ser
ious," lisped Pauline, with an artless-
ness truly angelic sit was only the
chance amusement Of m hour.
melville shrugged his shoulders.
"A good deal like the story OF the
frogs and the boys" he said. ''But
TO dismiss all less pleasant subjects,
I.S1 ,cs ssaaf,shs aG Haa sssv g sro" ea 'hssss -
81 shall be delighted" -
And the merry group vanished into
the enpurpled darkness, their voices
ringing on the air long after their
forms were imperceptible.
Then, and not till then, tall figure
raised itself from the bamboo settee,
or couch, Just within the wide oper
windows, where the cool muslin cur
: talns waved softly at every breath o
: TIE summer night breeze, and Major
Harry LIVINGSTON coolly walked on
: upon the piazza, ignltlns his cigar q
he aid 20.
''Ine coquette!' he muttered be
tween his set teeth; 'the heartless
hlrii Now | begin better TO compre
: henJ poor Georges .arylng moods o
| late She has broken the boys heart
c had cracked one OF the china cologn,
bottles on her dressing table Well
Il this IS a stran4c world. If Pauline hat
taken handkerchief or purse trou
/, GEORGES pocket the IRON hand Of thi
law wouli be down upon her inmedi
! atelv, but she steals his heart rlgh
>, ont ot his bosom ana society looks d
1 with smiling face and folded hands
n Why is there no lnw male and enacte
% to punish such heartess crimes q
these? For crimes they are, blach
r treacherous crimes, even though pei
r pct-ated 50 chnrmingiv by beautlt
r like Pauline Moore and her sister c0
h quotes, And thlS fair, innocent boy
: whom | lovci like q brother, the coil
# st heart might have spared him. +
Curll, anl all his attendant deitlos.
i Nil he avcnrc on Pauline Moore L
this.
At almost the same moment Geor1
:, Cram came slowly up the piazza step
a The lchtness amt elasticity OF his "a
It were gone; lie. walked like one who h
- received q mortal wound.
r ''lieorre'
.e Crane started at his cousln's voic
"You here. Harry"
I. YES, al alone ST down besl(
ID ne. old fellow. why are YOU not Wit
S; the boating party
,r Il lid promise this morning 70 nal
one o: them hlit-but
II don't feel Ike il to-nI-ht
- Livingston took his cousin's IN.