The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-02-08

her that he didn't care the least in the
world for her-if it would comfort her
any.
But nothing comforted her. She
went home along the river road in the
pleasant spring dusk, her eyes blurring
and smarting. She did not want Don's
mother to know she had been crying,
SO left the path and sat down under
little pine tree that clutched at the
rocks and stretched it's starved, lean
branches out over the tumbling foam
below. She and Don had often sat
here and listened to the steady beat of
the waves on the broken rocks. The
light paled and faded, and the sea
grew gray and cold; far off sail
leaned like wing against the sky and
caught sudden flush from the glow IN
the west. How often she had watched
Don's boat beating in, when the twi-
light was settling over the lonely shore.
He used to know without seeing her,
that she was there, under the pine.
She wondered if he knew that Dick
had asked her to marry him? The sea
was quite dark, except where faint
wreath of white came and went where
the waves broke on the rocks. How
dear and kind Don had been; how full
of laughter; how simple and trusting;
how careless and good-natured; she re-
membered this or that drollery, this or
that dear unreasonableness; a hundred
tendernesses. No wonder she loved
him; to love such a man was enough
for one girls life, she thought. And
yet, Dick Wheeler had thought she
might marry him!
But I've been true" she protested
to herself, as if in excuse. Then she
turned back to the path, and went on
to the little gray house. don thought
it wasn't as nice as Dicks" she
thought, half smiling; ''well, you see,
I've chosen it, anyhow" she said, half
| aloud, as though he were beside her.
She saw the kitchen door open and
shut, and heard burst of laughter.
'Why, who is here at this time of
night?' she thought. And then she
saw that there were people in the door
yard, and two figures at the gate sud-
denly saw her, and came running
| towards her:
MARY, he's back! Mary! Don's
home!"
Mary stood still at the gate; she was
perfectly silent. Eager hands clutched
her and would have pulled her along
the path. ''Hes home! He's back, Mary;
do you hear? He's back; he says he's
been meaning to come these five years;
but he's been on three voyages"
Like woman walking in her sleep,
Mary was pushed to the door, which
swung open again to admit these
rejoice with those that did rejoice.
Afterwards she did not know wheth.
er she saw him or not; the kitchen was
crowded. She heard Mrs. Hayes
laughing and crying, and saying:
'And Mary's been true to you-but
not because she hasn't had chances.
But why didn't you ever write to her?'
And then a voice, voice from the
grave, deaS voice, that made Mary
thrill with horror; voice that made
her heart culver, as though the founda
| tions of the solid earth moved and
melted-a hearty, kindly voice, said:
swell, was always meaning to-
and, somehow. she turned and slipped
away between the pushing, jostling
congratulating friends; slipped out into
the night, and ran, stumbling, crying
shivering, away from the house of JOY
and thanksgiving.
Dick Wheeler was certainly tired
enough to have Jacob help him back tt
bed; but Jacob was at the grocery store
listening, open-mouthed, to the story