Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-06-03

with my strong French accent. as your
people choose to call it,"
She sat down in the higher and
straighter of the two chairs. and
opened her fan. Only a low lounging
seat was left for him. and nothing
could have been more uncomfortable
| under the circumstances. He fxed
himself upon the extreme edge and was
about to speak. when she broke in be-
fore him.
you don't look as much at rest as
you deserve to be after that famous
Dance"
He was beginning an answer, des-
tined no doubt to end sentimentally.
when she again forstalled him.
You, are not accustomed to the lux
ury Of arm chairs at sea?"
He saw that she did not mean to
give him an opening, and tried de-
terminedly to make one for himself.
Forgive me-" he said, disregarding
her question. but have something to
| say to YOU"
"And to you," she answered readily.
II have found the pearl you were good
enough to hunt for the other day.
Where do you suppose it was?"
Madame de Montaut." he said. with
desperate irrelevancy, IT have admired
you ever since I first saw you"
you can hardly expect woman to
go quite so far in return" she replied.
with an affectation of cordial simpli-
city; but may say truly that there
is no one whose step prefer to yours.
Come, the next dance must be begin
ming, and l am eager not to lose
| note of it." And she rose lightly and
| shut her fan.
He, too stood up, but did not move
! toward the door.
II am sorry" he said; "but what
have to offer you is more than dance
| If it be not much less"
| Her quick ear caught the sincerity
of his tone and her look changed. you
are right" she said, with serious
grace; II will hear YOU" And she sank
with soft rustic into the low chair.
which she filled with an air of easy roy
atty.
He remained standing; his hands. as
they grasped the back Of the other
chair, were tense with nervous energy,
but his throat was dry and his brain
confused; for his life he could not break
from this fatal dumbness and express
| himself.
| "A SledlU OIL IlOl uleIIAAleAS
shone in her eyes as she came to the
rescue.
Capt. Estcourt." she said, you are
man whose words mean, at the least,
all they say; since, then. you speak Of
admiration, I understand you to offer
me-love.'
Love? Devotion!" he exclaimed,
with husky fervor but stopped again
and began to stammer.
| "And suspect" she continued, "from
your embarrassment, that you have had
thoughts Of asking me to marry you"
ooh! it is too great thing, KNOW"
he broke in earnestly; "it is out Of all
| reason; but I do not ask 1t, I entreat
it of you"
F! She raised herself a little and looked
him gravely in the face.
"It is unreasonable she said,
though not quite in the way you mean.
| You had, am sure, no thought but to
| honor me, and I thank you in all sim
certify for your homage. But you have
acted in this without due considera-
ton
He would have spoken, but she raised
her hand to check him.
you did not reflect that we have
| lOS, USIWSGH uS, dll INdI oAOAAO 0O w.
the making of marriage. You have a
mans strength and faith. an honorable
name, career Of promise|t Is much
to bring; have beauty, wealth. and a
high spirit: these, too, perhaps, are
worth something; you love me. and
there is. I dare be sworn. no reason why
I should not love you. But where In
all this is the string that binds the posy
fnDofhor-yu1,ovo L. I1o ooYQ rQnSoA or OUT
tranquil and continued friendship after
ward? 1 sometimes think she con-
tinued, "that an intimacy Of a lifetime
is scarcely enough to warrant such
risk; and you and have but yester-
days acquaintance on which to founo
such perilous hopes"
He raised his head. II have known
you for three months" he said. "and all
else on earth"
swered; "but Of what have you been
thinking in the thirty years before?
do not know. 1 have ridden and danced
with you. have sung and laughed
with you; know your favorite actor
and the minister in whom you believes;
but Of yourself how little!"
/
know" he said. II am like most other
men. But If you would set my great
love against my deficiencies the scales
might not weigh 80 uneven as with
some"
II believe sincerely" she replied.
"that you love meas you know me;
but fear cannot say, like you, that
am of the common type Of my sex;
my beliefs, my hopes my work in life
are all singular; the very circumstances
Of my birth and nationality are unusual
though you hear It now for the first
time. So, Capt. Estcourt," she con-
tinued, rising to her feet, "you see that
in your haste you have asked woman
to become your wife who. for all that
you know, has nothing in common with
you but the lighter feelings and more
trivial interests of life"
He bent his head and said nothing
for a time. She looked at him little
remorsefully.
us it good-by, then?" he said, slowly.
like man awaking from sleep.
She reflected, looking downward in
her turn. ....=
1 ST will grant Won this" she said "and