The Monmouth inquirer., 1898-08-25


along.
Rv the time she reached the park,
she discovered that she bad let her
book slip from under her arm, and,
annoyed at her carelessness, she re-
traced her steps. eagerly scanning the
dusty road for some sign of the vol
ume.
Il wouldn't lose it for anything,
she thought her brow puckered up in
to frown. Il wonder where |
dropped It?
She stood looking about her hopeless
ly
Evidently somebody had passed by
and had picked up the book, or she
would have found 1t before this
She glanced up from the ground,
hoping TO see someone in possession Of
the volume.
At the same moment the sound of a
voice made her start. and she encount-
cred fhe gaze Of a pair of handsome
dark eyes.
Are you looking for this boolS?v the
stranger asked. Il found it just now,
and j think it must belong to you
Rosala took long look at his face
before answering.
AtlC " a. oOfl-ttAllltes y "a dttA dNti -
about the humorous eyes, and theslips,
smiling under the dark moustache.
She liked both his face and his voice.
and the frown faded from her brow.
as she glanced down and saw her
book in his hand
Yes that is itt She exclaimed 81
am SO glad it is found. / value it very
much besides, had made up my
ffr1<r ri
ing
He looked at her with some surprise,
as he OF ened the volume.
'.Ncu lie Il I4atin?'' he said. half quiz
zically. Il should have expected it to
1e Z. laily story"
'Iatin:" she echoed. Il do not know
a word OF that language. Whatever
made You think of such a thing ~
Why. this book. 1t is in Latin and
one of ten volumes. | suppose it is
my mistake | inferred from what
you said that you meant to read this
work,
How stupid of me" she exclaimed
Il never thought of looking at more
than the cover. when l took it from
thes bookcase.
He gave an amused laugh.
This little maiden, with her violet
eyes and her golden hair, struck him
as being very original.
There was no reason why he should
not have given her back the book; but
he was conscious of a desire TO retain
possession of it as long as possible, and
he turned over the leaves, glancing at
some of them.
II am sorry You will have nothing
to read" he remarked Before you
brought it out what a pity YOU did not
look inside, as well as at the>cover.
''It does not matter, she replied,
philosophically Il like the book just
as much-it viii always have q story
all its own for me-
She held out her hand for the vol
ume, and he could not well keep it any
longer.
Il am. at least, pleased to have had
the pleasure of restoring it to you" he
said. i hope it will not be the last
service l shall be permitted to render
you"
Il daresay it will Rosy said. smil-
ing up into his face. "We are only
strangers probably we shall never
meet again"
..Do you come this way ofteng' she
asked, looking at him with p rfect con-
Germ.
@Yes-that is, l have not been here
before; but in future | shall be fire.
quent visitor to this spot
'.Then l daresay we shall see each
other again. | should know your face
anywhere. Would you mine?"
Il am not likely to forget it. | shall
picture it to myself very often, when
/ am unable to see you.'
rs an artist one who takes photo
graphs?' she asked. commencing to
walk along slowly by his side.
IAN artist paints portraits some
times. If / painted yours. it would be
a picture painted
II wish you would she said. Il
should SO much like to see a picture
painted
.'Of yourseif?s
81 shouldn't care who it was, if I
might look at you doing it, 1t would
MT be the picture / should think about
there are plenty OF those to be seen
everywhere-but | should like to watch
it being made
80 you shall" he answered. admir-
ing the lovely little profile turned to-
wards him. What shall we call it
"A Dead Language ~
NO, nothing dead" she replied, not
understanding the meaning Of his
words. Everything dead is SO sad .
The brightness had gone out of her
voice and a mist of tears came to her
eyes.
Afraid lest the stranger should see
them, she turned away from him at the
park gates, and the next moment ne
had lost sight of her among the trees.
He srrolled about for a short time,
hoping to see her again.
Finding she was nowhere visible, he
gave up the search trusting to some
future chance to bring her again in
his path.
Fate brought them together in a
manner he had not anticipated.
When Rosy arrived home at dinner
time, she found Mrs. West in furry
OF excitement
The rooms are takenr' she ex-
claimed And TO such nice-spoken
young gentlemanl He took a fancy to
the house-the flowers covering the
front seemed to please him, and he's
coming in this evening"
Rosy was too occupied with thoughts