The St. Johns herald., 1901-03-09
.I do not understand.p he said. [

Surely you don't mean-you can't mean-that you have merely been pre- tending to be good friends with me?"
 "Of course not" I said, lightly. We're excellent friends, l 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.
 ''Is it absolutely impossible for friendship to grow" He touched my hand, and I drew it sharply away.
 "It depends upon persons and cir cumstances, of course" replied, cold ly.
 Do you mean" he said, sternly, "that you have no thought for me be- yond mere friendship? If so, you are the most heartless-" l drew myself up stifly.
 Really" I said, frigidly, you carry the way too far, Mir Chalmers. There is point at which it becomes an in- suit"
 Insult" He stood up and lowered over me. Insult! That love you. That I-oh. am fool to tell you!"
 'Foolishness," said, mesningly, ''is pardonable. Some things are not De ceit is enc of them" He looked down at me for a moment. Then he smiled wintry smile.
 Deceit" he agreed, ''is one of them. I do not think shall ever be deceived by a woman again."
 He looked so angry that it seemed to me that perhaps, after all, he had really fallen in love with me a little. It was wrong, wicked, inexcusable; but was glad, glad, glad! Imust find out, l resolved.
 ''Tell me honestly" demanded, eff you can drop pretense for once"
 ''You have TO right to speak to me like that" he interrupted, furiously.
 Have not? Have you not known perfectly well. all along, that you would never, never be anything more to me than friend?"
 'I think" he said, "that you are the" He stopped abruptly. q don't like to say hard things to a woman," he stated, after an interval. Then we were silent.
 There was sudden burst of con- versation when the game came to an end.
 They will be making up another set" said 'Won't 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 cared for you, if you un- derstood-" q understand" I said, quietly.
 Haven't you down in the bottom of your heart just one little bit of love for me? When I love you so much-my dear?"
 I tried to say "No," but I couldn't. l I clenched my hands fercely and bit . my lips to keep from crying out aloud. Oh, he should never, never know! Aft CT a few seconds, that seemed an age, the others came to the tent.
 "Ah, Miss Eve" said the colonel, "I knew that you were hiding here. but wouldn't disturb you. Let me intro i duce another Mir. Robert Chalmers, the cousin of our big friend here" I rose mechanically. "He is coic--g to settle down here with his wife and-Why, what is the matter, my dear?"
 "I-I-feel faint" I said, feebly. I dropped back in a 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
 I soon recovered. Then they lifted the cooling breeze. They insisted upon carrying me, though I knew I could have walked. Then I began laughing and talking, and they went off one by one, till only Bob-my HOb-was left. He sat down on chair some distance from me, and looked out through the opening and didn't speak.
 I thought of several thngs to say, but they didn't seem the right ones. So waited few minutes for Lim to begin, but he didn't. He looked so hurt tFat l felt I couldn't wait any longer.
 Tt is awkward" I remarked, feeb- ly, that you and your cousin have the same name"
 Ut is not unusual with cousins" he indifferently.
 'No-o, but" l looked at him ap- pealingly.
 "I don't see why it matters"
 People might mistake one for the other"
 "Yes. Do you mean-has anyone"
 'No-o. At least-Do you know your cousins wife?"
 "Of course! One of the jolliest lit tie women in the world. He is devoted to her."
 People might think that you were"
 "Eve!"
 Were married, I mean"
 He stared at me for moment, then he jumped up. It was good thing that I was sitting right at the side of the tent.
 When he had spoiled my hat and crushed my blouse he demanded an ex- planation. So I explained. I expected that he would be dreadfully cross, but he wasn't. He just put his arm around me and As l said, he has good way with 
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