Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-02-11

|, ~ WdS Hetpt71 10 0lSWtOuE VIC RtteTS.
thing OWL. He scarcely knew what IL
was. Again ahe looked at him with her
piercing eyes and said:
II am proud Of you"
He shuf1ed awkwardly like ooun-
tsyman, as he felt,
II think it noble Of you to strike for
yourself like this. You needn't feel
ashamed.
She drew back a little and looked
around the store
"This must be a horrid place to stay
in all the time | am just proud Of you,"
she said
Alec thought 1t about time to turn the
conversation and remarked that it was
pleasant day, though rather hot.
II just adore the country" she said
rapturously, "but I've been a little lone
ly till l saw you yesterday. came only
day before yesterday. Poor mamma
couldn come. I'm practically all alone,
though Mrs. Bentley is supposed to be
my ohaperon. But l shan't be lonely
now that I've found you. There is a
lovely wood back Of Mr.. Farley house,
and I've already found beautiful
walk.
"But I am a laboring man now, you
know, Miss Thistle" said Alec apollo
getically.
but that doesn' t matter in the least"
responded the young lady, with conde-
scending magnanimity.
II can't leave the store, you see,"
Alec explained.
"Oh," she said softly, looking out Of
the door. "But you can come and see
mo Sundays. l am sure you don t work
on Sundays. We can have all Sunday
afternoon together, and shall be here
three weeks at least she answered
brightly and with such cooling good hu-
NOR that Alec smiled and yielded. His
only proviso was that she wouldn't tell
Mrs. Bentley or let the people in New
York know how she had discovered him.
Nobody knew where he was, he said.
She smiled beamingly from under her
graceful chip hat as she went out the
door, and for the moment Alec was un-
der her spell. She was sweet and clean
and dainty, and he seemed to have a
rustic's worship of those high qualities.
She seemed somehow to be above him,
and evidently she felt her power and
meant to use it,
On Sunday afternoon Alec went. For
the first time he was bitterly ashamed
Of his clothes. He noticed how short
his trousers were, how i'll fitting his
coat He furnished himself with a neat
straw hat, with red and blue band,
which he found in the stock Of the store,
but the colors in the band spoiled his
pleasure in wearing it. He had stipu.
lated that she should meet him in the
wood back Of the Fairleys' house, and
there he went to wait for her. But she
was there almost as promptly as he.
"Oh, you're here before mel' she
cried on seeing him. "Istopped to catch
a butterfly. Seel" She displayed pitt
able looking little yellow winged but.
terhy which she tried to pet and caress.
II think these woods are perfectly love-
ly," she went on as they walked along
side by side. But Alec fancied' she was
careful to keep her skirts from contact
with him. A silenoe followed, and pres
emily she burst ont:
"Mr. Howe, you don't mean to live
here all your life, do your"
"Why not?" asked Alec, with just a
touch Of malice.
at is beautiful for holiday" she
answered distractedly, "but should
think it would be horrid to live here
with these people all the year round.
They're so awkward and dirty"
She looked vaguely away into cool
little dell, and presently sat down upon
NOISY rock,
Possibly they are, but think l
shall live here permanently if succeed
in earning my livelihood"
she looked at him responsibility ant
said.
"Mr. Howe, they're spelling You. y
She looked at him again for q momen,
with -hw clear eyes and then INQUIRED