The St. Johns herald., 1900-09-22

met Edna and apparently had at last
 found his souls affinity. He was all de- votion, tender and sweet. A love-lorn youth of Is could not have shown more infatuation. When Annis and Edna were both with Tracey he often ap- peared to forget the former, or if the conversation became three-cornered he would throw into it just the element that aroused Annis' irrstibiity and grated on her sense of fairness. Then her sharpest sarcasms always fell upon the younger girls head. At such times Tracey was so softly sympathetic with
 Edna, 50 contrived to set her defense less innocence over against Annis' harshness us to prompt Edna to little impertinences and assumptions of his championship.
 Annis could school herself to the thought that Tracey would never care for her as she did for him; she could take him al his word that he had no in- tention of marrying. but she suffered :; keenly with disappointment and a touch of disgust in seeing the one whose manly. somewhat serious bearing she had learned 10 admire. conducting him. self in a manner so nearly silly. More over. he evidently took it for granted that her honest friendship and com radeship had turned to jealousy and hostility and that there was open rivalry between her and Edna
 This was too much. Saying nothing of her plans. Annis made speedy prepa- rations for spending the winter in the south. She chose a resort not widely known ard confded it's address only to broths 9 distant city.
 ] The new surroundings. the agree able cotcre of fellow guests diverted Annis' snind and allayed her agita- i tion, so that she began to feel sure that the time of her going home ! would find her healthily indifferent to Tracey Channop's doings One after noon she with others was at the It. tie railway station idly watching the newcomers on the down train. She saw Tracey Channon among them. Be- fore he could see her she stepped be- hind a pillar and slipped away into the park At the end of the winding myrtle path she found a seat. The old love surged up. pierced through and through by the sting of those last experiences at home. Had he come knowing she was there? She was tempted to fly away on the up train she heard rumbling through the for est. But no, this hour must settle the matter forever. She would not let her love for a man who had so plainly told her not to count on him assert itself while he was so near. She ragged against her persistency in making himself so part of her life. She tore at the roots of her affection in wrath and shame Again wave of ecstatic love rolled in upon her heart at the thought that he was so near; then she clinched her hands till the tendons strained, for she must go back to the hotel and meet Tracey Cnannon a con- queror of herself or able to meet him in the old friendly way.
 When the paroxysm had spent it. self Annis felt that she had aged in the hour. The songs of the birds seemed to be in a minor key. The strong contrast between the patches of sunshine and the shadows were to her typical of life with Tracey and ex- istence without him. The sounds of voices and laughter waited up from gay boating parties on the river brought back memories of happier days. She looked beyond them to the dim. gray further bank and felt that so must she look past happiness to life as dull and monotonous as that uninvit- ing shore. The long swaying moss banners. usually so soothing and sug. gestive of the poetry of motion, seemed to her that day more like mourning draperies. fitting accompa- niment to this shutting down the cof- fin lid on happiness and hope. She saw herself a lonely. heart-weary woman
 A step on the sand and Tracey Chan non stood at her side, his hand clasp ing hers. his face wearing it's happiest expression. the most cordial words on his lips Yet she could not compre- bend a word that he was saying. Civ ing Annis no time to reply. he talked on rather excitedly. chiding her for running away from him. exclaiming over the beauties of the park and river. He suddenly stopped and scanned Annis' face, which she knew must betray the turmoil within. His own voice quavered and his face showed anxiety as he began. tenderly and slowly:
 "My dear. have come all the way 4 -I. L more than friends. have loved you truly. fondly, for a long time"
 "I do not understand you. You have said so often that you did not intend to marry; then-I-poor Edna will be heartbrOken."
 "Edna is engaged to a handsome young millionaire. I wanted to find out whether you cared for me even a little. dearest, l was suffering so do want to marry. and I want you, just you"
 ''Why couldn't you ask the ques- $ion frankly. as a man?" Annis began, with a half sob, then sprang away and walked rapidly toward the hotel.
 Tracey sat in utter perp.exity and made no attempt to follow her. A few hours later, as he was standing apart from the other veranda loungers apparently absorbed in the play of the twilight's glimmering on the rivers responsive surface. hand was slipped lightly under his arm and a smiling face looked up into his. Withou. word he led Annis out into the lofty aisles of the park. Little fairy fecks clipped from moonbeams