Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-03-28
The World Against Him
BY WILL N. HARDEN.
Copyright, 1900, by
A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Company.

beautiful features.
II can't remember anything I have
done to make you think SO ill of me,
Mr.. Fanshaw."
She seated herself on the root of a
tree and opened the novel she neld in
her hands. He found himself unable to
formulate suitable reply and he drew
in his line and put another cricket
on his hook.
81 am afraid" she said, searching his
face, "that Capt. Wrinkle offended you
just now. I am sorry that guest of
our house should fail to treat anyone
you specially-with due courtesy, and
am glad you rebuked him as you did"
"You are very kind, Miss Has
brooke"
"My sister is Miss Hasbrooke," she
said, with little laugh. 81 am still
little Evelyn, even if have laid my
school books away"
Again she had made an unanswer-
able remark, and silence fell between
them. He broke it after moments
pause.
"But you have grown; you are" Che
wanted to say more beautifully differ
emit"
Il presume year does change girl,
but you are just the same, Mr.. Fan
the same"
1t would have been impossible for
him to believe that she was not speak
ing to him as she would have spoken to
an old friend, and this drew him to her.
The irritation of short while before
was swept away. He found himself
telling her that he had feared she would
never remember him, and that she had
made him very happy by coming back
to speak to him.
"As if could forget the first time I
ever saw you'll" she exclaimed, clasp
ing her hands over her knee and look
ingout overthe stream. 81 had actually
given myself up for lost, Mr.. Fanshaw.
Being man, it may not seem that you
did much for me, that day, but have
seen that frightful bull in my dreams
and heard his awful believing a
thousand times. remembered that he
had gored little boy almost to death
the spring before and when saw him
coming l simply could not run. Then
l saw you rush into the very arms of
death and catch it by the horns. All,
l have seen that awful struggle in my
dreams, too! You don't know how ter
rible it was; the veins of your face and
neck stood up like cords under the skin
and your eyes nearly left their sockets.
Once your foot slipped and screamed
as you went down. thought it was all
over then, but you held onto his horns
and when he flung up his head he
raised you. Then saw the CLEAN of a
set purpose in your eye as you slowly
backed him to the big stick near by and
then saw you grasp it and beat him
off,"
She paused out of breath, she had
spoken so rapidly.
II see you have not forgotten" he
laughed, modestly. "My arms ached
for week after that. don't think l
ever gave my muscles greater test"
She gazed at him admiringly.
Il think strong, manly man is Gods
best creation"-her tone was almost
reverent. mo, have not forgot
never shall forget that you offered your
life as readily as Capt. Wrinkle" (she
sneered slightly would hand me q
glass of wine. You were SO exhausted
afterwards that you could not speak
and yet you helped me over that high
fence; 1 know you were exhausted, fol-
you sank down and could not rise"
Ronald flushed slightly. 81 hoped
you would forget that he said.
ut is what I want to remembe,
most" the girl declared, because II
proves how very much you did for me. >
Her voice was low, and it quivered as
if strong emotions were working in he1
breast. The branches of the trees were
moving overhead, and shaft of shift
ing sunlight fell on her glorious, gold
en- brown hair. The breeze coming from
the east brought the strain of a plan
tation melody sung by the negroes
working in one of her fathers cotton
fields. For one instant the eyes of these
two met, and then, like man in bliss
full dream, he turned and picked up his
rod. His cork was under water and he
could see the slack line being drawn
here and there. 1t was a fine trout
and he laughed merrily as he drew il
out of the water. She sprang up ant
stood by him as he took it from his
hook and put it into his basket.
II am afraid am disturbing YOU
sport" she said, tentatively.
You see you have given me good
luck" he made answer.
II have wanted another talk will
you for long time" She cast glance
in the direction of her party. 81 pre-.
sumo ought TO join them, but have
really not said all l wished. 1t seems
half lifetime since we met"
Later that day he actually shuddered
over the boldness of his reply to this
and yet I am convinced that it was one
of his remarks which she remembered
in its entirety.
"The meeting in itself seemed g
whole lifetime to me-" he said, in g
full, tense voice-"the beginning, the
end-a short, beautiful life, for ]
thought 1 might never, perhaps never
see you again"
'lou thought we should never meet
again!" she spoke in slow surprise, as
the import of his words dawned on
her, and then he saw her eyes go down
and fresh shaft of bitterness pierced
his heart. He knew she was thinking
of the gulf which lay between them.
The look of pain which crossed her face
almost distorted it. Still it was only
to add new character to her beauty.
81 want to tell you more than ALL"
she shrugged her shoulders, as if to
shake off the unpleasant thought he
had just read, show very much good
your example has done me You re-
member you told me how you had
learned French by studying it at night,
and by hiring man to work for you
who spoke the language to you as you
worked in the field together, and that
you used to walk three miles after
supper to an old German, who spoke
his tongue TO you and lent you the
German classics? Well, when / got
back to school and was tempted to
ppp1ppf INV ctrJ;a, ,aa,n, a, /.