Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-10-31

been guilty OF IAN fneucusable but stu
pendous mistake, there was now for
hdm neither excuse our Withdrawal.
For this girl with the wavy brown
h. r, the clear, quiet eyes, the reserve
OF manner which dn itself impked dis
junction, met him on his own ground.
soc1aa as we'll as intellectual On con-
eaderauion, the readiness with which
ahe had consented surprised him. But
being what he was, an officer and gen.
Sieman, he dismissed from his mind
every thought save that of aver4ing
nrom her possible regret-possbls hu-
mfliahion.
He was profoundly punctibious. He
cock Demaris and her aunt, who had
charge of her cousins home in the alb
sence of the family, to the attractions
The season presented. He found him
b L wondering "a few times at the
taste of the little maid who had broken
down for him all his gay stairway OF
happy hopes. Her preferences were
not those of Mary Vance. She disliked
gT'ossness, vulgarity. and the jaunt-
lily idiot6c forms of amusemenfs, as she
daahked overwhelming odors and gbar-
ing coDors. ''The peony," he sand to
hdmse. once in a moment of hereticsl
rejection, 1.-The peony and the wood
land violet"
In Washington a rumor sprouted,
houriehed. Garden was recalled. He
must return to active service He took
the lstter to Demaris Clare She read
1T through. Tkeo. she looked up az
hun.
II have a confession to make" she
said.
MARY Vance and 1 were friends. She
showed me your picture. She read TO
me your letters. I know she did not
love you as-as-neyer mind about
that!" The slow, painful color was
flooding her face. "When Rexford
came / did beseech her to be true to
you. did urge her. tried my best.
But she would not listen. She gave
me that packet for you She did not
dH-eam, nor did I that you would re-
turn so soon. The night after the
" ding, when the bride and groom
had gone on their wedding trip AMI
the others elsewhere, the servants had
some trouble with the housekeeper and
left / was helping when you came
L was sorry for you-so-so sorry! And
when you asked mech, there is NO
excuse for answering as l did! But
i"
With one stride he was beside her.
She had turned away, had hidden her
face.
"Demaris! Did you only say yes b :
cause-because you were sorry for
me?"
She did not answer. The perfume
OF the migonette at her bosom came
20 him. He Went close to her-closer.
Ii you will tell me-" he urged, that
you were mistaken, thalt you were
merely compassionate, shall 90
He forced her to face him. ''TeN me
THAT now" he said.
But She would not look at him. g
"Demards,' he said, you may not be-
hnave lady To tell the whole, tair
Heve me, but 1 love you. You are a
and gallant truth!''
There was no resisting that appeal
II did not care for you," she am
Swered SLOWLY. 81 loved your face.
wished 1T was the face of my lover. ]
wished the letter you wrote Mary
were written to me. I could not lei
the bare posi- bilfty of happiness pass
by me when you-when you spoke ia
me as you did. Now you know-now
| you must know that there can be
nothing between us ever-ever again
SHOW l KNOW" he said solemnly, rev
erently, ''that nothing can ever come
between us again-so help me God!'
And he took her in his arms.
Lightly wont" she murmurcd
laughing through tears
Dearly heidi" he said. Dearly
dearly! "-Chicago Tribune.