Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1899-09-14
AT THE STILE.
They Quarreled and Met to
-, Return Letters. Then
They Returned Them
Twice.

Certainly they did not act like lovers.
They walked carefully. the man mine
ingly. on either side of the dusty lane,
each keeping close to the border of the
grass.
II think" said the woman. that it is
the very wisest thing we can do.
The man started-he glanced covertly
at her. then turned his face very de-
liberately to her as he replied: Il will
not say you are wrong. But have you
reached this conclusion suddenly,
within the past hour, or did you arrive
at it last nieht?"
Last Might"
"Then you doubtless thought Of ev-
erything in connection with-with'-
Our QUARREL" she looked straight at
him. Her face was not disturbed in
the least that he could see; she seemed,
indeed, to he unusually self possessed.
Yes
II apprehended as mach" The man
braced himself with an effort; it re-
qutred an effort Il made due provision
for this Interview
"A case Of telepathy." She laughed.
Her laugh was the saine-therc was
not false nOte in it. The man could
not have laughed naturally if his life
had been at stake. You mean you
have brought my letters?
"YeS''
az brought yours with me. Carroll"
She uttered his name just as she al
ways uttered it. Vt that moment he
could not trust himself to utter her
name. He would exhibit feeling-he
knew it, And to think-this was the
woman he could have sworn sympa-
thized with him as no other person in
the wide world sympathized with him
in his work and aims. Yes, it was well
that they had made the discovery in
time.
She handed him a small, dainty look
ing package; he reached her larger
and by no means as neat a package;
he observed the difference himself.
Then he inferred that his feelings were
much the deepest; she had been at
pains to make hers attractive; he had
no thought of mere appearance when
he tied his He felt as if his heart was
bound up-going from his in that little
package.
"Now that it is all over. Clara 1T
required an effort to call her by that
name-"will you tell me my chief Of
Tense? | am not Indifferent; | like the
good opinion of my fellows-that is,
while | preserve my self respectful
ways. OF course, | do not fancy the
idea of going through the world in a
way that would subject me to the
criticism of any sensible man or
woman"
'Well, l am rather glad you ask that.
1t disabuses me of one impression.
Now that everything is over between
us l will be entirely frank with you.
Indeed, it is due to you to say that l do
not-no, l am quite sure l have never
met q man whose manners, whose es-
innate of himself Judging from his
manners and general bearing), are more
perfect or commendable than yours"
You have taken load from my
shoulders positively you have-Clara." J"
How about my manners?" She held
her head n trihc higher; her parasol at
that moment was DETECTED; he could
just see the lower part of her face; her
chin seemed a little redder-or was it
Imagination?
why, what on earth do you mean|
Il asked you very simple question.
But it does not make any difference"
"Your Manners
Did you not say last night that l
was too demOnstrative-when Miss
Challoner tainted and her dog was
trampled by Mr.. TrescottY'
You must have wholly misunder-
stood
well perhaps l was mistaken there.
But do you recall your words-your ex-
act words-when l was introduced to
your friend, Mr.. Grinnellp'
II do not. Now do recall it. l may
have said | thought you unlike your
self. Somehow you seemed, for the
first time, precise. But
"Then you persisted in going away
and leaving me with him"
Miss Machmont beckoned to me
you saw her with her mother"
THAT did not occur to me. OF
course, you could not have walked
with them?"
1T was doubtless stupid of me,
but
Let us say no more. 1t is all so un-
like us to part like children"
But about Grinnell l did not know
he was, ah-disagreeable to you. If
had dreamed"-
''Do you tell me that you did not
know he pursued me two years ago
the very first year l was out? | have
been annoyed by him more than by
any other man. | never liked him
and never will"
"Am | to understand that Mr.. Grin
nell is the gentleman that your mother
referred to last fall when'-
please let us not speak of Mr.. Grin
nell any more"
But | want to say ! only became ac-
quainted Wit him week ago. and
81 am glad no one observed us.
dislike that Miss Dreggitt. She Is q
confirmed gossip-and busybody."
yet you took her arm last night
and walked away with her"
THE wisest thing | could do-how
else do you think | coud have diverted
her attention? She has eyes Ike a
hawks"
you mean
Il mean that If l had not walked
away at that precise moment with hel
| all the world would know we We're at
odds. Is that plain enoughT
But you-you walked away witt
| Mr. Grinnell."
For the same reason that you walk
| ed away with Miss Dreggitt."
Il hope you will remember mt
| among your truest friends, Clara"
| You have no better friend than
am"
| "If anybody had told me yesterday
we would be walking here this way
today
| Il might say the same. Do you meaI
to convey the impression am In any
way at fault?"
"You are faultless-have l not al
ways told you so? l never realized
your good sense, your justice, you
beauty, as | do this moment"
you compel me to say in reply tina