River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-11-08

tired OF pretending. lie drew MS
breath sharply. 1t occurred to me that
perhaps he really had cared little.
~ do not understand" he said.
Surely you don't mean--yo0 can't
mean-that you have merely been pre-
tending to be good friends with me?'
"Of course not" / said, lightly.
We're excellent friends, hope. But
friendship has certain limits" The
night before he had held my hand ever
so tightly in the dusk, and when we
parted he tried to-he almost-Oh,
well. I'll tell the truth. He kissed me.
us Il absolutely impossible for
friendship to grow" He touched my
hand, and l drew it sharply away.
1T depends upon persons and cir
cumstances, of course" l replied, cold
ly.
"In our case, and circumstances"
My heart beat furiously that he should
dare to go so far. | would draw him
little further, decided. So looked
at my shoes and said nothing. 1--WE?
Pretty little Eve?" turned and
laughed up at him.
VT is so silly-when neither of us is
the least in earnestl" he stared at me
in apparent bewilderment.
DO YOU mean" he said, sternly,
that you have no thought for me be-
yond mere friendship? If so, you are
the most heartless-" I drew myself
up stiff1y.
Really" l said, frigidly, you carry
the way too far, Mr.. Chalmers. There
is point at which It becomes an in
suit"
Insult" He stood up and lowered
over me. Insult! That love you.
Tha4 Lob, am fool to tell you'll"
"Foolishness," said. meaningly, sis
pardonable, Some things are not. De-
ceit is one OF them" He looked down
at me for a moment. Then he smiled
wintry smile.
Deceit" he agreed, lis one of them.
l do not think | shall ever be deceived
by a woman again"
He looked so angry that Il seemed
to me that perhaps, after ALL he had
really fallen in love with me little.
1t was wrong. wicked, ineXcusable; but
was glad, glad, glad must find out,
I resolved.
Tell me honestly" demanded, III
you can drop pretense for once"
You have no right to speak to me
like that" he interrupted. furiously.
Have I not? Have you not known
perfectly well, all along, that you would
never. never be anything more to me
than friend?"
81 think" he said, that you are
the" He stopped abruptly. ~ don't
like TO say hard things to woman"
he stated. after an interval. Then we
were silent
There was a sudden burst of con-
versation when the game came to an
end.
"They viii be making up another
set" said Wont you join them?"
He took quick step to the opening
of the tent. Then he turned.
| 'For Gods sake, Eve" he implored,
tell me that it isn't your real self that
is speaking this evening. If you knew
how much l cared for you, if you I'M
derstood-"
81 understand" I said, quietly.
Haven't you down in the bottom Of
your heart just one little bit of love
for me? When ! love you so much-my
| dear9"
l tried to say NO but / couldn't.
l clenched my hands fiercely and bit
my lips to keep from crying out aloud.
Oh, he should never, never know! Aft
er few seconds, that seemed an age,
the others came to the tent.
"Ah. Miss Eve" said the colonel, 81
knew that you were hiding here, but 1
wouldn't disturb you. Let me intro
duce another Mr.. Robert Chalmers, the
cousin of our big friend here" i rose
mechanically. HE is coming TO settle
down here with his wife and-Why,
what is the matter, my dear?"
"I-I-feel faint" l said, feebly. I
dropped back in chair and everything
grew misty. Some one ran for water,
/ think, and the two Robert Chalmers
lifted me, chair and all. into the open
air.
soon recovered. Then they lifted
me back again into the tent, out of
the cooling breeze. They insisted upon
carrying me, though | knew I could
have walked. Then | began laughing
and talking, and they went off one by
one, till only Bob-my Bob-was left.
He sat down on a chair some distance
from me, and looked out through the
opening and didn't speak.
| thought of several things to say,
but they didn't seem the right ones.
1 Y e. l.
begin. but he didn't. He looked so
hurt that l felt l couldn't wait any
longer.
ut is awkward" | remarked. feeb-
~. that you and your cousin have the
same name"
1T is not unusual with cousins" he
answered. indifferently.
MOO. but" l looked at him APP
pealingly.
Il don't see why it matters"
People might mistake one for the
other"
YES Do you mean-has anyone =
MOO. At least-Do you know yC ar
cousins wife,"
"of course. One of the iolliest lit.
tie women in the world. He is devoted
to her"
People 'Aight think that you
were"
"Eve!"
Were married, | mean"
He stared at me for moment, then
he jumped up II was a good
thing that ! was sitting right at the
side of the tent.
When he had spoiled my bat and
crushed my blouse he demanded an cx.
PLANTATION. So l explained. | expected
that he would be dreadfully cross. but
he wasn't. He just put his arm around
me and
As said. he has good way with
me.-Madame.
wisconsin Butter and Cheese.
Wisconsin produced 100000
pounds of butter and $1,000 900 pound.
of cheese last year. The butter wa:
valued at an average of 20 cents ;
pound. or SCI, 0Oo, GOO, and the cheese
| at over u cents, or $1,000, 900.