The Delta independent., 1900-08-03


silly have ,,is>.i ihtwr,D US: Yen
mi:Si be .,..oi...G under souie mistake.
sac rxc.'.. ....c'. in ss,. prise. Il s.sw .oI
l,rn you c;i;i.e iEiJ ih" church :a1
had scarcely spoken To you Until you
came herr. Il few ruinLtss a.o.''
''W lat 10 you mean. asirr what was
said in the ;intvroo.I h..,.i .ol wc.e
aft, r ropc:''
MIR l'.tcaii n. Il yoD hal any coaver-
sation with any che down stairs IL GER
tliI.Iy was not with i.ic. | wc2t down
after rope. hut ! WAS not gone two min
utss. and You mus remember that |
WAS net the only one who lad hceI
down stalis after things. anl Il you
;.ave LI:iae aay arrangements to ae-
coinpany q youn. lady home this even
ing j; MAS not with your humble serv
ant and her black eyes danced nerri-
~. and he knew that she was cnjoyin;
his discount turs'.
..r. Iii,a.!n .,rew p2le.
"i'ii forgive y0n for calling ~ Gra-
h-'o a fellow " you don't DO II again.
for he is''-she hesi.:1ted and blushed-
FL very irir ic;i.ar friend of mine. aI.i
you ami have been such good friends
"a .
gagged"
oh. you Iif:i, ,ormcn;. l nigh, have
known thar ynu would Try lie ex-
claimed. his face all aslow.
Why. Mr.. Pitcairn. how coull you
have known IL. wien we did lot know
II ourselves Uutil this evening: And !
don't know what the doctor will say TO
my telling you"
Mr. Pitcairn staggered back against
n seat. II wish you every hlp,'i
ness" lc sia,:irnrrcd. il!rn hr inrnrd tc
examining the flowers until after they
lad left til. church. lie f.l, 'iaz,-l. nnl
lie certainly p.nclcd himself 10 see ilint
he WIS not dreaming Hs lie went down
stairs to his study.
~ pretty kettle OF fish I've got into"
he exclaimed. as he threw himself into
n chair. and kicked the foots'ool which
Miss Reynolds had made across the
room. LOST the girl ! wanted anh en-
gagged myself to something ! don't
want. md l haven't any Idea wl.o II
is,''
lie lii n match and went over 10 the
unterooEi. There lay piece OF rope On
the Goor AMI bcsi.lr II q dalnriiy per
fumcd handkerchief. lie picked them
up and went Lack TO his study. lie re-
nlcmberrd now that he noticed the
scent Of violets ns hc held her In his
arms. II coss him u struggle To give up
Nellie Collier. lie sat and thought un-
Ill long after rild..ight. He studied
over all the NcliIes OF his ccqsrcgation.
There was Miss Reynolds. but she was
too stout. he thought. with n great sigh
Of relief: Miss Mat,ern was too tall II
was some one whose head just reached
his shoulder. lie had called her Nellie.
he was certain OF that. with some love
epItlets thrown In. She was small and
dainty aud. whoever she WAS. evident
Iy loved him.
II he found she was sotne one who
would not suit him. well. he would
have TO get ort Of u In some way.
But, whoever she was. her presence
seemed to haunt him ns he sat there.
lie coclJ feel her arms around ILLS
neck and tic pressure OF her head
uguinst his shoulder. and he felt an
Intense longing to again hold the little
white robcd figure In his nruns and feel
her warm breath on his check. And
he-tliguificd minister that lie was
picked up the handkerchief and kissed
u pa ssionnfely.
He scarcely knew how he got
through the next day. lie was thank
ful that the services were such that
he did not nave TO give n regular ser
mon. lie studiously avoided loo,sin:
nj the choir. where Nellie Collier was
sitting, until near the close Of the
evening services. when. while Elinor
vantcvcr was singing a solo. he turned
that wny, and for n moment their eyes
met. her voice falfcrcd for an Instant
and then rang out clear aud sweet. He
nearly let the hymnbook he was hold
ing fall to thc floor In his surprise. and
a sudden feeling Of relief came over
him.
ElIuor vaudevcr. lie had never
thought Of her. AMI yet lie knew that
her pet nnmc at home was Nellie. She
had always been 80 reserved that he
had never .Irenrne that she would
care for him. but there was no mis-
taking that look.
"Whnt n dear little thing she IL. !
don't think that ! will want to give her
up. IL have been very Fortunate"
be said to himself Rs he met her NJ the
foot Of the stairs and drew her little
hand ON his arm. Last evening you
didn't Ec paused moment.
"YOu-you were not angryr she
whispered nnxiously. You were busy
talking 10 Nellie Collier. and Aunt Min
ME was ready TO go. and didn't know
how to get out Of not going along with
her. . thought you would understand
IT,"
"weII. u . didn't have you last night
I have you ,ouight." he said tenderiy,
pressing the little hand TO his side
fv1sf<.a NnWa