Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-01-22

ior one not vitality interested, tC
have watched The change in Luke
North's manDer toward Miss
Branch.
Gradually, from a polite listen
ing to her, he came to turn With
an apparently irresistible incllnstiou
toward that part of the room she
happened to be.
He stood near her ehaii; ne
loosei At her if be spoke; he lis
tened with u peculiarly vi II LOOK
upoa his face Sh-do, &C sue "'a'.e
any remark.
This attention WAS not marked
on tho contrary. it almost seemed
as il il aerr drSirouS Ot coneTal
Iag eyea from his own Conscious
ness the az ractIOu which Miss
Branch held for hrn, aud which
ev. ry day he left more aud NOR"
powerfully.
H had ever tnongnt her fac
unprepossesslugi When Jllia re-
minded him one day. that he said
Mss Branch was plain, he uttered
an exclamation OF astOnlshmenf,
bat he made no other reply. His
betrothed, IN a troubled tone,
persisted IN drawing upon the sub
ject.
Il suppose she must be taclnat-
ing, is she nolr she asked, wist-
fully.
The man's face wore a strange
smile. he averted his eyes, as he
remarked, in a harsh voice:
Fascinating Yes, [ think that
must be ne word bg which 70 de-
scribe your friend and she Is your
friend is she notl' asking the ques
ton, suddenly.
Julia Stallo trembled a little and
turned pale. She seemed to strug-
gle for "A moment with herself, and
then she SAID, family.
Oh, yes! OF course she is my
frieud.)
The winter days ran on. Hlss
Branch had come to stay With her
friend until the spring.
How did 1t happen that Mr..
North could now sometimes come
to the house, and remain. perhAp',
tor a couple OF hours before julia
would come into the room? He
AlwAys scrdpilO IsIy called tor her
the moment he came, but he ap
peAred to forget that she had not
come
On one of those days when Julia
had not come, Nprth had bren
Strolling about that room IN silence
Though he did nos speak his -"
returned again aud to the girl who
sat so quietly on the sofa. here
wasa reckless resolve IN her face
AMI that look Wa nIigI't VI =
some hing winch c01ll noi b. 10
terpreteI, which any woman mIgh'
do vel to fear ev-n th0ngn she
cpnld not understand it..
North cana all Lane . 80 mr.
His voice yibratel, as 10 said;
Mss Branchp
Sue locke np, llight. Devil Ter
ing and enthrtlli'g, wa IN her
e,es, and dlffls-d In lovely gov
over the hitherto unlovely face.
sWhat wonld you say 10 me- If l
we're to tell yon that loYe your
be asked, quickly.
There could be no mistaklng The
expression IN her Dyes; there coul
be but one reading of ths curves
about her mouth. The binding
loveIiness that that was ln her
gaze at that lusAnt made the
mans heart almost stand still.
Did she really love hlmI
Need answered. she aske d
ottly.
Yes; answerp imperatively.
Then should say that | love
you,' was the lOw.spoken reply.
Something in the mans face male
Miss Branch suddenly rise to her
feet, while her face grew pallld and
the glow died from her eyes.
You are mocsing nep she cried
in a smothered voice, !You do moi
really love mer
Il am thinking Of a young man
my half.brotnsr, whom l loye'
more than brothers usually love,
returned North, in a stern voice
You may recall Morris Loring
All see you dol You killed hin
that you might be Gmused. Per
haps 1t was not manly OF me to re
solve to avenge him in some Sigh
degree. But did not think of s.
base an action until l fancIed yoI
wished to play with me. / do no