Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-07-25

amusing, and makes the time pass: and I
dare say he liked me well enough when
everything was going prosperously. Then
| you know how my fathers affairs went
wrong" she continued, with an occasion
al glance toward those other people, to
make sure they were not observing her;
"and there was q change after that Yes.
he Is very sensible, and prides himself ON
| it. Oh, know what his ambitions are.
He wants to get among the millionaires;
he wants to run the biggest yacht afloat,
and to have paragraphs about himself in
| the papers. That is why he has never
come to Europe; he never will come to
Europe until he has money enough to get
himself talked about. And then, when
my fathers Affairs went wrong, I sup
pose 1t was but natural he should begin
to think twice; and although he has never
said he wanted the engagement broken
of-no. for he Is afraid Of Quarreling
with his own people-he has left me pret-
ty free to imagine that / can go il
choose. Oh. am not vexed." she son
tinted. ''Of course. q girl does not like
to be thrown over"
You thrown Over!
1T Is not quite so bad as that, for he
writes me from time to time-in q kind of
q way-and am left to understand that
he considers the engagement binding if
l wish it. Well, q girl doesn't quite like
that" she added, with just the least
passing tremor In her voice; but doubt
less 1t was pride rather than any sense
Of injury that was driving her to speak.
, $50 / want you to tell me what
should be justified in doing" she resunl-
ed.
"Oh, Miss Rosslyn, come along here for
. minuteP' third person broke in; 1t was
Jack Duncombe. II have discovered the
tablet put up to commemorate the illus
trious virtues Of Beau Nash. It's beau
tiful. Come along, and 1 will translate
1t for you.''
So Miss Rosslyn was hailed away, some
what to the relief Of the person whom
she had been consulting. For II was
not SO easy as 1t looked to say off-hand
what Miss Peggy should do in these cir
cumstances.
The beautiful valley increased in love
illness and loneliness as we followed the
slow windings of our galieried waterway,
high up on this hillside. We had all this
world Of sunlight and green leaves and
sweet blowing winds entirely to ourselves
We met with no one. Miss Peggy was
up at the bow, her throat bare to the
warm breeze, her hair, unshielded by any
gold in the sunlight. Jack Duncombe
was standing beside her, with an ord
nance map spread out on the roof Of the
house.
Then we came to the Dundas AQue-
duct, which spans the wide vale, and here
! the spacious view was more extensive
than ever-the landscape disappearing in
to tender distances Of rose gray and light
| est green until, at the far horizon line
and melting into the silvery sky, there
| were touches of pale, translucent blue.
But this aQueduct carried Us across the
valley and very soon We mad left the
wide, open country behind US, and were
plunged into outrageous woods. 1t was
| much hotter here; there was hardly
| breath Of air to stir the shelving branches
that felt their way out into the sunlight;
and it was but rarely that the interven-
| ing foliage afforded any shelter. Never
ftheiess, these good people would insist on
going for Q stroll along the towpath-all
except Miss Peggy, who, at the last mo
ment, abruptly changed her mind and
decided to remain with the steersman, to
cheer him with her company.
This might be a river in a Brazilian
forest" said she, ''for the beauty Of it
and the solitude"
1t was not of any river in Brazil she
was thinking; she was but waiting until
those people on the bank were out of
earshot.
Then she said presently:
Have you thought that over?"
YES"
Her next question was not put into
| words; 1t was a nervous flash Of inquiry
that appeared In her eyes. Then she look
ed down again, as II awaiting judgment.
She had q bit Of red hawthorn in her
hand. and her fingers were pulling into
small shreds one or two Of the dark
green leaves.
We'll, you see, Miss Peggy, il your de-
scription Of the situation is literally cor
rect-literally and absolutely correct
then you would be amply justified in tell
ing that young gentleman in New York
to 60 and be hanged. That is what any
man would say-off-hand and at once.
There may be some explanation. Letters
may have been delayed. You may get
them when you 60 back to London"
And il there were a hundred letters,
do you think don't know what would
be in them?" she demanded, rather proud
ly. And as for drifting and drifting.
have grown a little tired OF that. 1t is
| no great compliment to a girl to put her
| III sucn u pOsltlOn. 1 care say, now, II
l were over In America-if l were to &C
to America for even a fortnight, l could
get the whole matter settled"
You really and honestly mean that you
want to have it broken OFF,
Broken OFF, she exclaimed, with just
a touch Of indignation in her voice. lit
| is he who wants to have it broken of
and hasn't the courage to say SO. He
| won't own il TO me. he wont own it to
his family; but do you think l don't un-
derstand9 l am not blind. And how
ever stupid q woman may be at other
times, in an affair Of this kind she can
see clearly enough"
That is true. But ON the other hand,
il you think that this half-and- half en-
gagement should come to an end, why
not let it gradually die a natural death ?
1t seems pretty moribund ut present,
doesn't it? Cease writing to him.
He hasn't written to me for nearly
two monthsv'
Very well. Stop altogether. II that
| doesn't force him to ask for an explana-
tion-if he asks for no explanation, then
the matter is at an end. You go your
way, and he his"
IL suppose that is good advice; and
thank you," she said, In rather a low
| voice.
! Ito be continued.)
| --