The Irish standard., 1897-03-27

n x48O9 6U10u&IEDs ~. ~
But It was Q mere question oktinass
I suppose," he sloomi1y went on, hard
~ addressing the remark to hsr. Soon
or late you were bound to have & In Tor
me-"
There was startled questioning III the
girls swift glance, and then she looked
away. "Dld you say It had stopped
rnining?" she asked, stifHy, after mo-
ment.
Il believe it has" he duly rejointd,
going to tho door to look out again.
Eyes; It has stopped. I suppose ]
would better 60 for the horses.ns
The spirit Of frank good-fellowshipin
which they had renewed their uncon-
ventional acquaintance In: the shelter Of
the old hut seemed to have been lost In
ata shadows. In almost sullen silence
they rode along over the rough trail,
making toward the turing to the Mas
cot mine. At first she coldly protested
against his coming with her. but he said
that it had grown too late for him to
ride-on then to the ranch for which he
had started out; he would have to make
the trip another day; and now, II she
really did not mind, ewoua prefer to
go back. With chill Indifference Miss
Meredith assented, and then they rode
along with the silence scarce broken
but for the splashing fall Of garnered
rain.drops from the branches overhead
and the sucking sound Of the horses
!hoof-beats in the sodden ground. Once
he turned to ask if she found the motion
painful for her wrist; and again, when
they came to the point where she had
missed the way, he remarked that it
would have been strange if she had dis
covered trail SO hidden by the crowd
ing, quaking asps; but she answered
him only in monosyllables, and he
presently abandoned all effort toward
sociability. ...s. ....
They were equally relieved, perhaps,
when they finally came out on the brow
of the hill at the west of the Mascot
mine. The constraint was becoming
almost undesirable. 1T will not be
necessary for me to bore you much long
er, you see," the young man observed, a
touch Of satire in his smile. For the
narrowness of the way they had been
riding single file, and he had waited
here for her to come up beside him.
"You are going to stop-there9" she
exclaimed, looking down the wide
draw to where Il group of bare. unpaint-
ell buildings chung to the hillside.
Eyes. You had already guessed it,
Mo- hot IIo, nil
of the Mascot2" looking her hardly in
the eyes, with an assumption of cool
nonchalance. II did not intrude my
self before, because ..e.~.,s........,
Because you knew that would be
drenched hundred times over rather
than accept any favor from Harvey
Neil, of the Mascot she flashed out,
her eyes ablaze with wrath. She WAS
surprised OF the vehemence of her feel
ing, at the poignant sense of .disap-
pointment and i'll usage which was fill
ing her with desire to visit with fierce
punishment his air of smiling uncon-
Germ. II suppose it seemed to you II
Joke to take, me into delude me with
talk Of your acquaintance with my far
ther-to let me 60 on as though youllad
been an old friend, until had been be-
trayed> to such a. frankness Of speech
that even you were ashamed of
the mean advantage you were taxi
ing. I did guess after that; ct
least I thought there must be some-
thing; but could mott would not be-
lieve it could be so bad as this. 7 was
so sure that you were gentleman"
"see here, Miss Meredith, you are go
ing too far" he interposed authorita
lively, light in his eyes before which
her angry glance wayered. Il did not
force myself upon you; you must re-
member that. / ran across you by acct
dent, JUST as did at the worlds fair.
I found you in a pouring rain, your
wrist sprained and your horse foun-
dered. In common decency I could do
no less than take you to shelter; and-L
tried to behave like gentleman; you
must at least give credit for the inten-
ton. I did not talk of any acquaintance
with your father; I merely admitted
that I knew him when you asked me.
AS to deluding you into imprudent
speech, it was my fatal blunder that I
stopped you at the very first word In
the smallest degree compromising. J.
could not take advantage Of you in such
a way; and when you are calmer you
will know that could not" ..,.z.-
."'But it was not honest olet me go on
for a moment supposing that you were
friend" the girl returned, implacably,
gazing straight ahead.
81 was friend-I auto you, Miss
Meredith" he simpetuously retorted.
"Heaven knows we have NO quarrel,
whatever may lie between your father
and me. did not venture my name for
that very reason; it was so sweet to
meet you again so nearly on the footing
of an old friend. So long as had no
name you thought me a gentleman
you have sold SO; and for just 50 long
you accorded me the same measure of
kindness that you might have given to
any other man under the same circum-
stances. It was stolen pleasure, GER
tainly; but it has given me one good
hour to remember out of many bad ones
at Windy Gulch. II you grudge it to
me, / am sorry; but for the thing it.
self-my sin of omission if you please
II shall not pretend to be sorry in the
least I am glad Of it. and always shall
be, whatever you have to say, Miss Mere
dith.'' -.
The girl rode on for q couple OF min
utes in silence, with a little. scornful air
of ignoring his existence. then, as
fho,ar.l, of a S,1ddosa hat hin lc;nce ho,.rolf