The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-09-16

am quite serious"
sob, hope not" she said. cit is
too warm for anything but frivolity."
He Redeemed little, and nervously
plucked the grass round him. Miss
Lindsay watched him with some curl
osity out of the corners of her eyes:
the symptoms were not unknown to
her. ''There is green thing on your
coat, Mr.. Holland" she went on.
Thanks" He ficked the insect
off. II have something to say, Miss
Lindsay kind of confession. It is
stupid; but I don't quite know how to
say it."
is it necessarily" she asked inno-
Gently. 81 don't like confessions, Mr..
Holland. We are Low Church peo-
pie"
1T means q lot to me-" he contin-
ued, and again there was silence.
Then he rose for the second time,
perhaps feeling that an upright posi-
ton conduces to a proper dignity.
She perceived her opening, and rose
also. ''Itis time we were returning"
she remarked.
Don't go just yet, Miss Lindsay"
he pleaded, putting out hand to de-
tain her.
II want you to listen to me for a
moment. I won't keep you if"
But already she was half-hidden by
the shrubbery, and her only answer
was a bewildering smile. He had
perforce to follow.
1T seems more crowded than ever"
she said as they picked their way
through the throng. "Ahl there are
my mother and Captain Havelock.
Shall we join them?-I hope you are
attending to your duties, Ralph? Mr..
Holland and have been discussing
Meredith-and things. Tired, mother?
Oh! you must be. Mr.. Holland, will
you find my mother q seat somewhere
near the band, if you can? The
Hungarians are SO good"
Delighted" he replied. Then
lower: II may see you again before
You 60. Miss Lindsay?"
eff you can" she repeated.
She watched them until they were
lost in the crowd, and then deliberate
ly led Captain Havelock back to the
little nook. Some girls have no origi-
nality. But it was still empty.
Better sit down, Ralph" she said,
taking her old place.
Thanks; L, prefer to stand" he
said stiffiy.
at is matter of taste--or of COM
fort" She gave him q swift glance.
"Not up to Simla, is it?"
I'm sick of it. Beastly pack. I
haven't had chance of speaking to
you all afternoon, Nell"
philanthropy is its own reward, >"
she said.
TITS not that-Mrs. Lindsay is all
right. But there's that scribbling
fellow who's always dangling after
you"
He is very amusiug-and clever"
is he? He doesn't know one end
Of a gun from the other, and I suppose
he thinks that horses were invented to
drag the Chelsea 'bus-or wherever
he stays"
"Why, dear boy, to be q groom is
not mans chief end. And you are
very rude. Mr.. Holland speaks very
nicely ofyou."
"Confound his impudencep and by
way of relief, he proceeded to kick a
hole in Mrs. Gurdon's turf. "Look
here, Neli," he said presently; "I'm
going off to Egypt"
Indeed! I Thought winter was the
proper season. Won't it be rather
warm there just now?"
'That is, if they'll have me-" he
continued, paying no heed. ''I've
volunteered for Dongola. Kitchener
is going up to Khartum in the au-
tumn-at least hope So"
I'm Cooks boats? What fun!"
''It will be-for Fuzzy and the der
wishes. But you might have the de-
cency to say you are sorry, Nell.
mayn't come back, you know"
$50 that is why you told me?" she
asked. Don't you think it is rather
crude, Captain Havoiock?' But she
was not looking at him, being en-
gagged in tracing fancy patterns on the
grass. Not that it would have mat
tered; for he, on his part, was also re-
garding thepoint of the sunshade with
apparent interest.
"Oh, dare say that writing chap
would have done it BETTER" he said
savagely. cts his trade. / sup
pose you mean to marry the beggar,
Nell?"
ellis name is Holland" she sug-
gested.
'Tknow that. You can see his por-
trait in any illustrated paper for six
pence. It's in them ALL
(Which is really no reason why he
shouldn't be addressed properly, is it?
l have some idea that have seen an
other portrait in the same places, with
the letters D.S.O. after the name"
You need not get nasty. Besides,
you haven't told me yet if you are en-
gagged to him."
"Well, you see''-here she ventured
another glance--s'he hasn't asked me
yet."
Il suppose you will marry him,
though" he persisted. TITS natural
enough, perhaps--he's genius and
all that-and of course I'm not. Wait
a minute, Nell! I can't stand this any
longer. and I'm bound to have it out
for good Ya,1 wora o3u,oyo clovoraw