The Red Cloud chief., 1900-12-28
when she had done his heal dropped

and he sighed.
"Ah," she said, "you sigh. You
yourself have felt and suffered. You
have belied yourself! Won sigh.
There are facts in life even for sighs."
"'Tis true" he answered softly,
''yct I sighed for pleasure"
"Nhat pleasure?" she asked curl
ously.
"Or it may be hope" he added.
He looked at her, and his gaze was
mild and wistful. She regarded him
In perplexity, and then a wild flush
took her in the cheek and throat
"Pooh! poohr she cried, and turned
of, plucking at the hawthorne bush.
The white may smelt rank, but
strange ard soothing; the petals
shivered and fell. Miranda's heart
beat on, wondering. Something
clapped at its doors again and again.
Would she openp What was this inn
patient visitor that pleaded so for
entr ancep She had so little knowl-
edge; she was but newly arrived upon
the world. Her emotions were still
strangers to her; she was a pilgrim
still among her new sensations.
Ought she to open? Nay, to stay 30
and wonder was surely pleasantest
One day she would throw wide the
doors and look. But now IL was
sweet to feel that hand upon the
knocker, that o%lutchiug at the latch,
and lie trembling within In feigned
insecurity. She turned and faced
him. Straightway the clamor ceased,
and In her heart was silence. She
looked him coldly in the face.
you smile for love?' she asked.
eyes, dear" said he, land for the
thought of you.
"Oh, you take me too lightly" she
broke out. you do not guess what
. solemn thing this love may be.
You hutter into a thousand follies ON
the scantest reflection. You will
dance, and you will play, and you
will jingle jangle through your Holt.
day world without a thought for any
thing but %pirouettes and jigs and
whirligigs Of laughter. The most
sonorous OF sacred sorrows may sound
In your ears and wake no echo but q
cape within your heart. And you
would put me upon that dead plane
Of ribald merriment with yourself?
! will laugh with you. Yes; l will 90
beg Of you for jests in my jocund
seasons- am willing to shriek over
your whimsicalities at my own pleas
ure. In my serene u~nthinking mo-
ments I will be content to exchange
humors with you, and to VOW life
were void and dull were not such as
you at my beck. But when I've
opened my chamber and fastened tho
door upon myself, my soul and I shall
be alone together. and I will weep,
and pity, and repent, and ache out
my heart with sorrows in which you
can have no lot I am young, but I
have an inkling of what the world
may mean"
1.-THE world" said he. means hap
piness."
1.-THE world" she retorted, means
tears and bitter wringing Of the
hands. Have | not heard of death,
and have / not seen pain? You think
me CAV. yet how long shall I keep
this gaiety in my heart? l go round
upon the wheel. 1t turns and changes.
What shall befall to.morrow that I
shall not weep today? You would pluck
me with no greater consideration
than you would pluck a flower from
its stalk wherewith to deck your coat.
Should it wither or fall adjust, another
will serve until the coming of the
wine. Look you, you will sigh and
weep for love, and your signs will be
smiles, and your tears will be laugh
ter. Fortnight your heart is singing
like a lark. Yours! yours is the shall.
lowest of paltry passions"
81 would do much for you" said he.
'Give me your dimples," cried Mi.
randa, and SO to the c~hurchyard with
o wry face"
Even that he answered, nodding.
"Pah! You will not contain your
face lugubriously for five minutes by
the clock. Though you shall remem.
Der to be sober for two sentences, at
the third you will be whistling, and
the fourth will find you holding your
sides"
He moved q step toward her.
And IL I should die for you," he
asked, pleadingly.
Miranda gasped. She contem plated
his face with uncertainty. His eyes
shone with the dew of tears; his
hands trembled; it was the corner of
his mouth that betrayed him. Mi.
randa burst into laughter.