Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-12-11

they walked toward the superintend
ent's cottage. "Are you Bobsy?"
'"That's what the Chinese cook calls
me-" laughed the young man, ''and I
believe the rest of the camp has adopt
ed the title. We all have our nick
names out here, you know. But this is
the superintendent cottage. Miss
Grace will take my room, and you, sir,
will take Mr.. Ingersoll's. The Chinese
servants will serve your meals here"
"And will you not join us?" asked
Grace in her sweetest manner.
81 should be pleased to-" he answer
ed simply and turned away to talk
with her father.
Robert came to supper and the only
changes he had made in his toilet were
the removal of his SLOUGH hat and the
addition of q rough sack coat. But he
was nowise embarrassed. He certainly
talked well, and Grace saw that her
father was greatly taken with him.
Robert went away early, knowing
they were tired and presumably sleepy.
AS the sound Of his footsteps died on
the gravel walk the capitalist turned to
his daughter.
''Seems a little different, doesn't he z"
he asked.
different from what, daddy"
''Why, from the whole tiresome lot of
conventional young men,"
Gle does" said Grace lightly.
There was pause.
"Aren't you just a little sorry now
you refused him?' chuckled the old
man.
"This isn't the man / refused" said
Grace softly.
The ten days of their stay passed
rapidly. Thanks to the preparations
made by Robert for their coming the
roughness of camp life was greatly
softened. He had worked like a Tro-
jan to make them comfortable. He had
actually brought water in sluice pipes
from a spring in the mountain side and
fitted up a rude but very serviceable
bathtub in the cottage for the use Of
Grace. In fact, she heard of his en-
ergy and industry on every hand. And
she noticed, too, that her father leaned
upon him more and more.
Once she took her parent to task a
little for absorbing so much of Rob
ert's leisure time.
"The boy is full of business" said
her father shortly. Hes carrying a
big load here, and there's no shifting
it till Ingersoll comes back. I've been
doing what I can to tighten it a lit
tie"
Whenever she saw Robert he was in
his rough and ready mining garb-stal-
wart, sunburnt, sinewy. He never al
luded to his clothes, and Grace came to
believe that he never thought of them.
He was always at ease in her pres
ence, and yet, strange to say, paid her
no compliments, a fact which seemed
all the more remarkable when she
glanced in her little mirror and saw
the pleasing effects of the pure noun
tain air and the simple, wholesome
diet.
She couldn't understand it.
Had he-had he ceased to care for
her? and she whispered this contin-
gency with a sinking heart. Had she,
like the ignorant Ethiop, thrown away
her pearl? Had this splendid, uncon-
ventional fellow quite outworn her
earlier destinations? 1t sadly looked
like it.
Then came the day of their depar-
ture, and still Robert hadn't spoken. |
But along in the early morning he said
to her:
"Shall we take a farewell look to-
gether at the happy valley"
So they walked up the hillside path |
q short distance to a wooded plateau |
that overlooked the valley and it's |
foaming stream for many miles. Rob |
ert had made a little seat just within |
the thicket, and they sat down. For |
both were silent. Then Rob |
ert spoke.
"Wen," hesquietly said, ''haye you
Grace looked up with 4 start. There |
was a masterful air about him that /
fairly paralyzed her tongue. She could |
only stare and wonder.
''Time is slipping by said Robert as
le consulted his watch. $! must seize
he first opportunity to speak to your
ather."
Grace tried to say the cutting things
hat surged in her mind. But when
he caught Roberts eye looking down
1pon her with tenderness of express
sion that altogether belied the bust
lesslike form of his speech she gave q
title gasp and incontinenHy surren-
Tered.
Fifteen minutes later Robert and the
capitalist clasped hands warmly.
Cali right, eh?" queried the latter,
With a broad smile.
Eyes, SIR replied Robert. ct worked
ust as you wrote me it would. But it
las hppn q ard mart To OI1V''
But you played to win. 1t was the
I'D clothes and the brusque manner
md, above all, the environment that
erved to clinch her affection, for Pm
ure my little girl has loved you for