Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-10-25

she finally lifted her eyes to him brave
ly and answered, Eyes realize, and
I'll-be-kind.
For moment she feared that he was
going to kiss her. But after moment,
with a wistful, half contented sigh, he
turned away, and with one accord they
walked toward the door. AT the portal
he stopped her and asked again Don't
make me wait long, little girl, and
don { let any one else tell you the same
story in the meantime. I'm not afraid
to trust you with the other fellows,
but-buf l shouldn't be happy 90 know
that they had told-told You the story.
even though l knew you wouldn't care
for them.
She answered him only by o look,
for some one came up with the frantic
explanation that he had been looking
everywhere for her, m this was his
dance, So she slipped away from the
yearuing Richard, who made himself
ridiculous all the rest Of the evening by
forgetting that he had left his name on
half dozen programmes before he had
carried Peggy of 70 the library.
When supper time came. Richard all
at once lost sight Of his ladylove. He
hadn't had chance to speak TO her
since the little scene in the big arm
chair, but he had not for an instant lost
sight Of the pretty white muslin gown,
with its tiny sprigs Of pink rosebuds
But in the confusion Of the breaking up
Of the last waltz she mysteriously disap-
peared and finally, in sheer desperation.
he hunted out her mother, hoping to
find the lost maiden under the careful
wing of the loving chaperon.
Where is Peggy?" called the sweet
faced little mother. 1--WE lost her, and
| hoped you would bring her." Poor
Richards heart sank and with some
murmured explanation he plunged off in
the midst of the gay little throng. The
search was fruitless. Every body seemed
to have drifted into the supper room,
and still Peggy was not among them.
He plunged into the most impossible
corners and hiding places He even
looked into the depths Of the big arm
chair in the library and still there was
no Peggy. At last, when his face was
white and his palms We're burning
where his impatient nails had dug into
them. he heard soft, fearful little
whisper from the stairs, and there, in
the turn above the landing, he found
her, sobbing to herself as though her
very heart was broken.
Peggy" he cried, kneeling on the
step beside her and chatting her cold
hands between his feverish palms. Peg
gy, what is the matter?"
Peggy dabbed her wet little ball OF
handkerchief into her eyes and swal-
lowed sob "It's-it's that big George
Waters she choked out, and then,
with new lit Of sobs she buried her
disconsolate little head in her lap and
could 4 o no further.
Richard set his teeth and waited.
Then all at once he understood, for he
had been afraid Of Waters all winter.
There was no further room for delay.
Leaning over he caught the sobbing lit.
tie figure in bis arms. and there never
was any JOY in the world 50 dear as his
when he felt her nestle her face on his
shoulder, while her crying grew less
violent and finally subsidized into an &C.
casional sigh Of growing content.
When she had become quiet, he gen
tly turned her face to his and said
Never mind, little girl, you needn't
explain. | know that-that-th i'm
pudent cad has presumed TO tell you
what you didn't want to hear. and /
know it wasn't your fault But don't
you think, little girl. that it Is time for
me to tell you what bad to say cou'
pie Of hours agos"
And Peggy actually smiled through
her tears while he went of into an elab-
crate recital of the secret which they
congratulated themselves was all their
own and had never been So deliciously
told by any one else in the world.-Chi-
caco News