The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-21

%one penny" hazarded. = l.slgE.i
| She blushed.
"Tell met I begged =
at don't like to. It's something l don't
| quite understand"
| "Tll explain it."
I,-hesitating-"I've been wondering,
| at least I've been trying to think, why you
| like to put your arm round my waist,
| Willy"
LET me see," said refectively. why do
| 1 like to put my arm round your waistr'
Eyes,"
because I like" answered readily.
"But what makes you nke?"
Its nice and comfy"
"Do be serious. I want to know, really"
"But, Nora, you know as well as do 1t
| the same reason that makes you like me to
| do it."
| II don't like you to do It,"
"Then why do you allow tt?'
| at only allow it to please you."
"Ohr
"And unless you can give me a good rea-
son." she continued, 81 shant allow 1t any
more" 1 felt little cross.
We've been engaged for five weeks ana
three days." 1 said. Don't you think 1t Is
rather late for such questions?'
Its never too late to mend" she return
ed, cruelty, land I've just been thinking
these last few days, and"
Your first effort in that way?" inquired
revengefully, but she took no notice, ana
proceeded calmly.
"And I've been wondering If you ever put
your arm round another girls waist. have
your
Quite unexpected was this terribly direct
question. had to consider a moment.
Once" began gravely, II met GIRL
I paused.
"wen?7 said Nora, impatiently.
"a girl with whom 1 became so friendly
that one evening"
1 paused again.
DO go on!' flfe
81 met her at dance
ooh, Willy, how could you?"
81 met her at a dance and danced
quadrllle with her"
"Yes"-eagerly-"and afterward?'
"There was no afterward, dear, sald l.
1 anticipated Nora would be pleased. SIZE
was not.
.'Do you mean to say you didn't go and
sit on the stairs or In the conservator.F,
-vaguely-"anywhere?
mo" said l. " did your"
Nora was ruffied. -
"Willy, you are trififng with me.
ct couldn't afford to, dear"
st see YOU won't be serious, and yet L
have something very serious to say TO you.
Something that Maud English told me last
night"
II heard her." 1 said.
Nora startled. -
"Oh. YOU couldn't hear what she said =
mot quite, but you must remember tnae
the walls of these country cottages are
mostly made of paper. You ana she were
talking till nearly o'clock in the morning.
I suppose she was treating you TO as
course on Davidson
"Perhaps; but Maud told me also some
thing about you" 49,
lawfully good of her to mention IT, |
remarked with affected cheerfulness, but
felt desperately uncomfortable. 1t was
too bad of Maud especially when she had
lust got engaged to Davidson. ~
what do you think it VASE" asked Mo-
ra.
81 haven't a notion I replied
ooh, guess" But there was no sHle OH
Morals face. DID,.
..WeI maybe she was t Ting you'show
fortunate YOU were in having such an ador-
able individual as I belonging to you
I laughed feebly.
.Not altogether" said Nora. "She tod
me"-and very distinctly the words came
THAT two summers ago in this very place.
you used to put your arms round her waist,
and once you kissed her! That's all I've got
to say. Mr.. Harris. g
I had not heard my surname for quite a
| long time, but I liked 1t none the better
| for that
Nora moved from me and my arm slip
ped from her waist: A lamb on. the bins
behind bleated pitifully. and the noise OF
water came monotonously from the rock
cleft below u.s. The sun counted for but
little now. There was long, long Sill
ence between us. but felt that Nora was
looking at me. And at last she spoke:
''Willy."
Eyes" I was a little surprised
| ISN'T SS Ssaon you '''A '
looked at her but breath. Its true
enough" I said, briefly.
silence again. Then. you're not fright
ened of me- are you?" she asked softly;
and I felt her hand touch my hair. !,
ooh. Willy, you can't imagine how glad
ami
ners.
"Glad found you out. Would you mind
putting your arm back where 1t was not
long ago?"
I put my arm there, put was soreiy
puzzled. .,
| ouaint look of trouble in her eyes, 81 had
| a confession to make to you, and-and IL
| makes it easier now"
| ] drew her closer Thank Goo' WOMEN
| are not angels.
"Don't bother to tell 1t, dear I whis-
pered.
ooh. but I must tell you. When Maudie
! told me about you and herself ! had 10
| fell her about Mr. Davidson and myself.
For we had Just been bad. And, Willy,
sometimes I felt so dreadful at not nav
! ing fold YOU before. Often I tried to speak
and couldn't. And then I was SO SAD
! when Maudie mentioned you-she didn' I
like my story about Mr. 9aVluso,-ior
i felt that I could at last tell you<"
| "Were you quite sure 7 would forgive
YOU. dear?" I asked, looking down into
| her eyes.
| s.Sinners must forgive sinners" she
whispered very gravely. "Ah Willy. you
| don't care any the less, do xou2 And you
won't think any more of what said? ~
st did not think I cared SO emuche, my
Nora, till I felt that I had lost 4yon just
now. And the past is nothing SSyhen !
know that you are mine todaystN
"And forever!" she sighed. gay
"For ever and ever!" I added kissing
| her. r. =