The Portland daily press., 1898-03-11

and large ones as they best deserve to
| be estimated. Once perhaps was jack
Rnapes enough to be thankful for fine
appearance. Not long ago you were
small enough to repudiate me beca use
I didn't present one. Let us get away
from externals, little sister, and reach
after the inner beauties of the soul. .
you talk just exactly like Miss Bas-
com now, and I always feel left miles
behind. s5oDShe is glorious woman, Reg
gle, and by token of my adoring love
for her hold myself not altogether
silly" %. esss
This second venture into the sweet
smelling woods he was making with
Jessica by his side. 1t had been very
quiet walk There seemed SO little left
for them to say to each other. So much
had passed from eye. to eye and from
lip to lip during those full brief days
that had come to them, each laden with
it's own quota of pain or of pleasure,
each with its strenuous demands.
And now they stood side by side in a
silence much fuller Of meaning than a
volume of words. He had been telling
her again of the splendid passing away
of her father. 1t was more than thrice
told tale now, but she never wearied of
hearing it. His eyes glowed with pride
in his gallant leader, and his voicequ
cred with emotion whenever he spoke Of
the friend he had loved. Jessica laid a
quieting hand on his arm.
how, mt fn a
yourself. will have to bear the blame
of six women nurses if harm befalls you.
I will hand you over to Nanny Jane
for three days exclusively if this walk
leaves you any weaker. 1t is time we
were getting back to the house. It is
Miss Turner's evening for reading to
you, and shall expect to find you on
much loftier mental plane after she gets
through with you.
Zone moment more, one word more.
It is easily in your power to send me
back to the house on the loftiest plane
man ever yet attained. -
She looked at him with patient, ten
der eyes.
"My love, my love-for whether you
scorn me Or not you must always be, as
you have always been, my love-give
me a definite answer to my unspoken
prayer, here, now, as we stand on the
spot where you gave me back my life
second time"
GA life that you had redeemed from
all unworthiness, all unmanliness, else
my father could not have loved you, y
she said, with gentle smile.
Belknap barred his head reverently.
"God have him in his keeping. He
believed in me before believed in my
self. He made me live up to his esti-
mate of me.
"God has him in his keeping" said
Jessica, with misty eyes.
Belknap broke the silence that fol-
lowed with question.
"You have told me how you hesitated
about letting me be brought here be-
cause you did not know whether my
fancy Decorating word still held good.
Did you hope that it had not?''
She flashed a dazzling smile at him.
cat this late day l find that question
hard to answer. Unask it, please
eff had any portion of the conceit
that used to be my equipment, I might
find encouragement in your words and
your smile, but am SO overwhelmed
with a sense Of my unworthiness when
am in your presence that I can only
plead and hope. Perhaps the love that
redeemed may also exalt. You know SO
we'll that I love you it seems crude to
frame declaration, but need to know
that you are willing to let me go on
loving you; that you see no offense in
it.
Waiting for no response he went on
impetuously.
81 am poor mana man without
any especial training for anything but
spending money. The cause is lost. The
country will in few months be swarm
ing with the survivors who, less fortu-
nate than their fallen comrades, have to
construct new world out of the wreck
of their old one. Fortunate that man
who can in the days of his bewilder-
ment find his good angel in some loving
hearted woman. I would esteem the
task of rebuilding my shattered fortunes
a light one if could see your dear eyes
reckoning me onward. It will be heav-
Ter than the task of Sisyphus if l am to
tread the weary way alone. Which shall
it be, Jessica?" as,Asl@
For answer she laid her hand in his.
1.-THE task shall be mine and yours
together, dear.
A blue heron stepped mincingly from
among the shadows of clump of sassa-
fras to dip its long beak in the fishy wa
tiers. The suns rays rested upon it's
shining wings, turning them to bur-
nished steel. A soft splash in the pond
told where turtle had dived, sending
rings of ripping water to kiss the grassy
banks; knocking bird called coax
ingly to its mate from the swaying limb
of willow; the drowsy tinkling of a
COW bell smote the stiffness. The world
was full of peace and quietness at that
moment, and the man who had seen it
filled with the turmoil Of battle and dis
cord drank in the repose of the scene