Middletown transcript., 1900-11-24


Three weeks later two figures loomed
on the crest of the little cape, and were
lhoutted for moment against the pure
lue sky. Then one, that of tall,
uare-shouldered man, disappeared, and
le other became visible only from the
aist up. The lady had seated herself
pom the rock.
'This is a beautiful spot" murmured
le lady. 'I love to look out on that
right, happy, sparkling sea-"
EYES," assented the man; 'but how
much more beautiful it would seem to a
man who could look at it knowing that
the only woman he had ever loved,
loved him, and was gazing at it by his
side"
The lady's eyes became mote dreamy
as she turned them from the breezy blue
of the sea and let them rest tenderly on
the back Of his head.
'It is more beautiful that way" she
said thoughtfully.
"There ought to be at least two such
here in Deephaven," he continued with a
remomstrant air, as if the beauty of the
prospect demanded this fittest beholding
of itself to that extent.
eyes. There ought to be-" the lady
returned, breathing light sigh and fix
ing her eyes once more on the sea.
A silence.
The man was stretched at full length
on the little shelf of grass just below the
rock. He was resting his head on his
hand, looking out to sea, thereby pre-
senting very fine back to the lady.
This was flattering-to the sea!
"Clarice," he said after moment, not
altering his position, and calling her by
her first name with perfect calmness,
though he had never SO addressed her
before, why did you refuse those seven
men this summer ?''
"For the excellent reason that 1 did
not wish to marry any of them," the
lady replied promptly and with a slight
aspe.ity. Then in a softer tone, she
added 'T did not love them," as if her
thought was Of what love meant, rather
than Of the unloved seven.
Admirable answer to stupid ques-
tion," he replied, turning himself about
with no little grace considering the re-
stricted space. Then, in the same atti-
tude as before, except that the lady's face
was now the term of his vision, instead
Of the ever smiling sea, he went on with
judicial calmness, his clear blue eyes up
turned with an arraigning look to the
dark eyes that met his with such frank
ness. 'T meant to ask for what excellent
reason did you lead them on to offer you
something SO precious as a mans love
when you knew you did not care for
them?'
81 did not lead them on so much as
not check them-till they forced me to-"
she replied at once. Beside, I give you
my word, I did not know what love
meant-then."
The last word seemed to slip out in
the fervor of truthfulness, though the
lady softened it till it was almost maud
ible.
"Yet you proposed our coming here this
afternoon" he persisted, without batting
his glance, ITO this Rock of the Departed
Seven. Whyp'
Perhaps, because l thought the air of
the place would be good for you," she
murmured, regarding him with a faint,
arch smile.
He remained motionless and silent for
a moment. Then he shifted his head SO
that his chin rested in the hollow of his
hand, and said as if abstractedly, ''Seven
plus one is eight" With somewhat
fiippant air he added: care you so very
fond of addition, Mrs. Worthington ?''
He heard no reply. Turning his head
quickly, he saw that the soft smile with
which she had been regarding him had
faded from her lips. Her beautiful eyes
were turned toward the sea, with veiled
expression in them. He noted the dim,
little blue vein in her temple, and for
the first time understood why Kennedy
couldn't help pitying her." Just then,
too, there was the faintest quiver to her
lips.
He sprang to his feet, took step for
ward, sank aipon the grass, SO close to
her that her knees pressed against him,
and grasped both her hands tightly. His
eyes, like sapphire lights which love had
kindled, blazed on her, and, with the
passion breaking forth in his voice at