Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-01-25
humbly, and she went away to pour

Ory found he mad Snltted so Tar round
the room as to be close to the door
where Lyndall sat. After standing
for some time he inquired whether he
might not bring her cup of coffee.
She declined, but still he stood on (why
should he not stand there as well as
anywhere else p, and then he stepped
into the bedroom.
May l not bring you stove, Miss
Lyndall, to put your feet onY'
'"Thank you"
He sought for one and put it under
her feet.
'"There is draft from that broken
window. Shall l stuff something in
the pane?"
"No; we want air."
Gregory looked round; but, nothing
else suggesting itself. he sat down on a
box on the opposite side of the door.
Lyndall sat before him, her chin rest
ing in her hand. Her eyes, steel gray
by day, but black by night, looked
through the doorway into the next
room. After time he thought she had
entirely forgotten his proximity, and
he dared to inspect the little hands and
neck as he never dared when lie was in
momentary dread of the eyes being
turned upon him. She was dressed in
black. which seemed to take her yet
farther from the white clad gewgawed
women about her, and the little hands
were white, and the diamond ring gilt
tered. Where had she got that ring?
BE bent forward little and tried to
decipher the letters. but the candlelight
was too faint. When he looked up,
her eyes We're fixed on him. She was
looking at him-not, Gregory felt. as
she had ever looked at him before;
not as though he were q stump or
stone that chance had thrown in her
way. Tonight, whether it were critic
ally or kindly or unkindly. he could
not tell. but she looked at him. at the
man. Gregory Rose. with attention. A
vague elation filed him. He clinched
his fist tight to think of some good
idea he might express to her. but Of all
those profound things he had pictured
himself as saying to her. when he sat
aiOhS III tbS Asiull anu 5WIltlGs HOUSE,
not one came. He said at last:
"These Eoer dances are very low
things" And then. as soon rs it had
gone from him. he thought it was not a
clever remark and wished it hack.
Before Lyndall replied En- looked in
at the door.
"Oh. come!" she said, They are 60
ing to have the cushion dance. do
not want to kiss any OF these fellows.
Take me quickly -
She slipped her hand into Gregory's
arm.
1T is so dusty. En-. Dogyou care to
dance any inere?" he asked without
rising.
"Oh. \ do not mind the dust. and the
dancing rests me-"
But he did not move
II feel tired. do not think l shall
dance again. lie said
Elm withdrew her hand, and a young
farmer came to the door and bore her
off.
Il have often imagined"- remarked
Gregory. but Lyndall had risen.
81 am tired she said. II wonder
where Waldo is. He must take me
home. These people will not leave off
till morning. suppose. 1t is 3 al
ready"
She made her way past the fiddlers
and bench full of tired dancers and
passed out at the front door On the
''stoep" group of men and boys were
smoking. peeping in at the windows
and cracking coarse jokes. Waldo was
certainly not among them. and she
made her way to the carts and wagons
drawn up at some distance from the
homestead.
Waldo" she said. peering into a
large cart. lis that you? I am so dazed
with the tallow candles see nothing"
He had made himself a place be-
tween the two seats. She climbed up
and sat on the sloping floor in front.
II thought | should find you here
she said; drawing her skirt UP about
her shoulders. You must take me
home presently, but not now"
She leaned her head on the seat near
to his, and they listened In silence to
the fitful twanging of the fiddles as
the night wind bore it from the. farm
house and to the ceaseless thud of the
dancers and the peals of gross laugh
ter She stretched out her little hand
to feel for his.
1t is so nice to lie here and hear that
noise" she said. 81 like to feel that
strange life beating up against me. l
like to realize forms of life utterly I'M
like nine" She drew long breath.
When my own life feels small and l
am oppressed with it, like to crush to-
gether and see it in picture, in an
instant. q multitude Of disconnected
unlike phases of human life-a me-
diaeyal monk with his string of beads
pacing the quiet orchard and looking
up from the grass at his feet to the
heavy fruit trees; little Malay boys
playing naked on a shining seabeach;
Hindoo philosopher alone under his
banyan tree, thinking, thinking, think
ing, SO that in the thought of God he
may lose himself; a troop of Bacchana-
lianS dressed in white, with crowns of