Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-06-04

is lonely up at the house."
1t was Mr.. John himself, and she
fastened to admit him. III was
thinking of you," she said, "snd
wondering il we were to take to calling
you by your rightful name now that
there is only one of you"
"There has been only one OF me
all my life long, I think, and that ono
has been Mr.. John. It would be diff.
fcult to turn it into anything else,
Miss Wallace"
"Not more difficult, l should think,
than you found it to change me from
Christy to Miss Wallace" she said,
with little smile.
"rhat happened, and had to hap.
pen, when you grew up" he replied.
with faint flush rising to his face.
"When are you going to grow up,
then, Mr.. John? I was rather slow
at it if it only happened five years
ago, but you are even more dilatory,"
said Christy, talking for the sake of
talking.
"What do people do when they
grow up? Got married, like Harold
and Blanche? Well, ! admit that we
have let our Juniors get the start Of us
in that. hope they will have @
happy liie," he ended, dreamily.
"They expect it, and they are light.
hearted people. Blanche is not often
out OF spirits"
Then the two lapsed into silence,
and sat gazing ont over the |, ndscaps.
They were both thinking OF Blanche
and Harold, and OF themselves Is we'll.
The sun set. and the summer twi.
Light had itAll is own way in g,rden
and wood. nd meadow, and heys, IN
- ~ 6xAil ssSctns, h1fv
the silent figures EFT BY the window
and meditatod. F
Christy stirred herself with bit Of
a laugh, a. . thrush in the acacias
broke into sudden CRY. 81 am keep.
ing you here all in the dark" she said,
and would have risen to ring for
lights.
"Not yet" besought Mr.. John. 81
came up here with distinct purpose
tonight, but ! do not know how to
set about it. ! am o shy, awkward
man. Will you forgive me if I make
blunder?"
Surely" answered Christy, in be.
wilder ment.
Z" l want to show You letter you
once wrote me-" and he selected a
note from his pocketbook aud handed
it to her. 900 You remember it?'
Chrsty opened It an / read it by the
waning daylight. He watched her as
she leanel to the window, thinking
what dainty, del hand she had !:
Dear Mr.. John Il am sorry you asked me,
because 1t is impossible. Griudmamma
coui not spare me. Harold WILL explain it
to you. Yours faithfully,
CHRISTINE WALLACE.
She handed it back to him.
II remember it very well, but it is
a long time ago. thought it must
have offended you somehow, for it was
then that I suddenly grew up"
1T is possible for man to be hurt
without being offended. The note
hurt me, but something was said yes.
terday which made me think there had
been mistake. Will you tell me
what it was that asked, and You
found impossible?"
Christy began to feel nervous; there
was something almost portentous in
the extreme quiet OF his speech. His
face looked pale through the gather.
1T was message that Harold
brought from you. You asked me to
ride with you to Bottoms Cove the
next day. and I could not go partly
because granny did not think it proper
for me to ride with you alone, and
partly because the servants we're going
to q confirmation, and Jones had to
take my horse to drive them. Harold
said he could explain all that in wor DIS
better than ! could in writing. Twas
vexed, because / wanted 20 60 to Boil.
tons Cove. You see, J remember it
all very WE'LL"
"Excellently WE'LL" he answered,
with a curious intoIation. ''Perhaps
you will be surprised to hear that I
never did ask you to 60 to Bottoms
Cove, and that ! ent you no message
on that day."
~ don't understand"
"No," he ans kered, his hands NOV.
ing restlessly, }n curious contrast to
Christy's. whiS "a lay immovable In her
lap. "It seeqs that / had two friends
just then mort anxious for my perma.
nent welfare than my present happl-
ness l was writing letter OF tome