The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-11-10

oeen g Brute 10 o8ag you about the
country ais I have done all these
months and this ends ftl I've made
up my mind tonight to stagger ga
alone or give it all up and 60 back
to the drudgery Of desk work-that
is respectable, at any ratel'
10, wait till tomorrow when the
sun is shining" she broke ID. ct viii
be funny then, but myl won't this
escapade set wise heads to bobbipg9 r.
He looked at her helpEessly. aIt'a
awful for you" he said, miserably.
81 never would have believed anything
so unlueky could have happened; it's
like those impossible cases reads
about in books, but in stories II al
ways ends in matrimony-"
He stopped in confusion.
"AR equally impossible case" Win
hastily interposed, looking away into
the darkness, while he grew o slow
red and an uncomfortable silence fell
between them.
Gradually the storm had slbsided
and now they could hear the voices Of
the departing audience as they sep
arated and splashed their way home-
wards i've the puddly country roads.
eYou ean sleep at my house, a
pleasant voice behind them announced,
and glad Of any interruption they
followed the woman to a neighbor-
ing cottage where Win was shown Inc
to q closet-like bedroom and jack was
told he could sleep on the sofa in the
best parloF.
ITS all right" Win whispered reass
suringly, in reply to his anxiously ems
quiring glance at the bed in the STUFF
fy little room, but she was not sur-
prised to hear him desert the best
parlor and slippery sofa" to pace up
and down the little porch in front Of
the house.
The storm had ceased and the
moonlight filtered through a net
work of clouds. She could see his tall
form moving ~restlessly to and fro, and
popping herself upon her pillows
watched him till he mingled in her
half waking dreams, and at last she
slept.
It seemed only a moment that she
had dreamed when his voice outside
her door awoke her, and she found
the rising sun had relieved the mid
night watch of the moon.
you don't want any coffeel" he <
planned as she appeared a little later.
Il tried some-the good woman in-
sisted-but I win protect you from
that. at leastl"
"You haven't slept one moment"
she observed, as they hurried towards
the ferry boat, putting impatiently at
it's mornings.
Il was thinking too hard"
"Of what?" she persisted.
"of you!" he answered simply, and
Wiz was silenced.
Together they stood on the deck Of
the little ferry and watched the tint
ed skies, mirrored in the shifting wa
tiers, drift from pearl and purple to
red and gold in dazzling brilliance,
but they did not speak until the boat
touched the dock.
1T is only six o'cIock?" Win ven.
tured to ask, as the Ginning of bells
created her ears.
Jack nodded, falling into step be-
side her, and'they walked bravely IN
the main street, but the stare Of a
curious milkman driving by them
brought a sudden flush to the girls
cheek. Then a knowing baker grinned
openly as they passed, evidently put
ting his own construction upon the
spectacle Of two young persons returns
ing together at six o'clock in the
morning, wild-eyed and dishevelled,
and Win turned into a quieter street.
you mustn't come with mel" she
cried; 81 want to walk home
~alone!"
I'm going with you"
IT won't have It'll" she repeated,
half crying-"oh-can't you UNDER
stand?"
Then Jack turned suddenly white.
eyes, I do" he said, with an air of
logged determination, 81 know peo-
pie will talk about this but it isn't
going to harm you, for I'm going to
protect you-ohl Win, Pm making a
horrible botch Of It'll" he interrupted
himself, as she turned with a fam-
ing face and literally fed from him.
"Win!" he whispered, striding at her
side as she sped over the ground.
Don't be angry didn't mean 10 be.
gin it that way, but I've been trying
to plan how I'd say it all night. and
you know it just as well as IL love
you, Win, I love you, and you're So
good to me, please don't treat me as
I deserve, now-for I know I'm
clumsy, and this isn't the right way
to make q girl say yes, but I've been
trying SO long to tell you-and I'll
knew if I didn't say It now, I'd never
get the pluck and do it-Winl"
She was almost running, and 8
binding mist filed her eyes.
"You r only doing this because
you think you are in honor pound
she cried. "You have said as much
and I know it-and Ill never, new.
er forgive you'll"
But here a little loose stone tripped
the flying feet Of the girl, and jacks
arms were just in time to save her.
Painting and b~reathless they qazed
for a moment into each others ewes.
then he let her GO, and after that they
walked home soberly and in silence.