The Natchitoches enterprise., 1899-05-11

ger for moment. but n strong hand
hely her firmly. 81 Sd al be very glad
if you will go down Nth me. " he re-
peated.
She sat down again Iuddeniy. "Did
You get my note3'' shedemanded.
"Of course. drawis isg chair and
speaking in a low voics as he readiust-
ed the wrap that had slipped from her
shoulders. But yon hidn't suppose /
would obey. did your He smiled as
he spoke.
"It was horridof yen, she replied.
giving her shoulders a shrug SO that the
wrap loosened again and fell to the
deck, where it lay .unheeded, perfect
ly horrid.
He made no reply to the charge.
"You knew we couldR't keep on this
way, she continued in q grieved voice.
at was misunderstanding, misundar-.
etanuing. ar The time, aSa s.f -s.aulrse
that wasn.t-- vsasSS,t leSsstess- She hesi-
tated and glanced quickly at the figure
beside her. His eyes were on the pass
ing landscape.
"And didn't want any scene. It's
horrid and common to make a scene.
She swallowed hastily. "And SO wrote
the note and ended it all, and just came
away, so as to get rid of all this. And
now you've followed me. She spoke
Indignantly and beat a tattoo on the
deck with her foot.
He looked at her gravely for an in
stant, then turned again to the darkness
outside II don't think you can realize
what it is, d" he said, his eyes on dis
| tant revolving beacon. "to ask man to
give up what is more than life to him >
The light from the powerful lens
blazed full upon them, rested for a
moment. and then left them in darkness
! once more.
Il couldn't give you up that way"
he went on, his hand impulsively steal
ing out and taking hers. "For if did
it would be for all time, and so was
bound to make one more fight. When
found that You were gone just risked
the chance of it being this way. because
you had always insisted on never going
by this line, and SO, being woman. /
thought you'd take it now"
The hand in his made feeble at
tempt to withdraw. but he held it close
SIT wasn't nice of you," she said
suddenly. as if new thought had struck
her, because I'm alone, you know.
and if any one we know should see US
together
The darkness covered his smile. 'Nice
women can travel alone, he replied,
"but then. thought that perhaps we
might turn this into sort of an sntewed
ding journey, you know. We can get
off at Newport the boat touches at A.
and be married early and then keep on
to the mountains. In fact, wired to
your aunt to meet us-and Bennett
too ~
There was moment pause.
AZ thought this looked like you. a
woman gay voice broke in. Dear me.
how nice and secluded you are. I've
been trying to convince Richard that it
was you" She turned and beckoned to
her husband on the other side of the
deck.
lawfully jelly to find you two, don't
you know Mr.. Clifford rejoined as he
drew up a seat for his wife and handed
Miss Wentworth her fallen wrap The
Browns are back there and the Fol-
somes in the saloon. Lots of people we
know.
"Your vacation, Eltonf''
Mrs. Clifford's s next question preclud-
ed an answer. "Your aunt is inside,
supposef" she queried. ''It is damp out
here and suppose she likes to prove a
lenient chaperon. She smiled teas
ingly.
Miss Wentworth's face famed vivid
scarlet, and she half turned to her lover.
"Yes, " he responded quickly for her.
"We-that is in fact. Mrs Ashley is
not with us. -
His eyes dropped, and peculiar smile
played about the corners of his mouth.
Miss Wentworth moved uneasily and
gave a little gasp under cover of the
darkness
Mrs. Clifford broke into sharp little
laugh. "Of course. she said. ''How
lovely, and how dreadfully stupid Of
me not to thinkl It is your wedding
journey, and you didn't want any of us
to know"
"Yes, replied Elton with a sup
pressed thrill in his voice as he boldly |
took again the white land that he had
dropped in confusion Only if you'd
as lief not say an vthi - about it. We |
didn't mean any one to know of it |
yet.
''It was unexpected and rather un-
conventional. said her aunt as she |!
kissed the bride the next morning
But, then, young people are strange |
creatures sometimes When they're in |
love. and l must say you two do seem
to be dreadfully so. You've really been
engaged long ii e end not single
Quarrell''
She smiled arTroy ngly at her new
nephew.
'It was perfectly ely the bride
said impulsively "Evsr so much better
than if we had planned = She stopped.
bit her lip and lanced hastily at the
others
Bennett was Dandir2 her amt into
her carriage and dppea1 1ed not to hear.
She settled back into ne seclusion of
her own carriage.
81 think so, tc '5r husband re-
piled as he ben an kissed her. -
Springfield Repu' car.
Age o. the Ieer.
-,lo