The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-03-21

under MS IOuci. bui dlltI tlldt 1
never worried, because | saw that
You didn't care. All, you didn't know
how | watched you, sir"
did you. Puss?"
"And this morning when Aunt Belle
said that Mrs. Charters had never
failed to win any man she had set
out to conquer, | didn't say a thing,
because | wouldn't even mention her
name with yours, Leonard; but oh!
you don't know how proud of y,u |
was in my heart. Oh, Leonard, |
don't think you begin to know how
much love you"
With an exquisite yielding of her
self. she lifted her suddenly wet eyes
to his. and the young man gathered
her close in his arms, while he muir
INJURED those love-worn words Of
which the ears of women have been
covetous since that time so long ago
when the first two souls discovered
themselves in flesh.
"But | can't understand it, Leon
ard Aunt Belle says she's so clever"
She waited for him to speak.
Eyes"
"And awfully good-hcarted.'
"Nes."
''But she isn't what you'd call a
beautiful woman?"
No"
and children just adore her. l
think that's 50 strange, because, you
know, they always say children Judge
character correctly by instinct
"Ycs.''
But she's not good. Leonard"
NO"
And she didn't care snap for her
own poor little baby"
MOP"
"She's cruel woman"
"UndoubtedIy."
Then how can she be llind-hearted,
too?"
IL don't know"
ooh. what an communicative
boy" the girl exclaimed. petulantly.
"You're as prickly as a burr tonight.
| cant get anywhere near you"
My dear" he said, deliberately
widening his arms. If this is what
you want"
But She beat him into silence with
sofa cushion. Then she studied
him with an elusive fraulness which
might have charmed him had me only
eyes TO note it.
Leonard" she asked suddenly. "do
you like Mrs. Charters?"
Far away in the big house a cuckoo
clock strucI, II in cadences which
rose and fell in mournful unison with
the waiinA wind.
DR.. Mansfield rose abruptly.
Dora, YOU will lose your beauty
sleep. must 90, dear"
But She stood in front of him, her
little hands clutching the edges of his
coat
do You. Leonard ?" she repeated.
His clear blue eyes looked steadily
into he soft, appealing brown Of hers
as he answered calmly: II? Like
here"
lie paused a moment, considering.
"Why. Puss. ! think | hate her" he
said. deliberately.
\ sob broke from the girl.
"Why, darling what is ito" he asked
in the tcnderest alarm.
"Oh, ! don't know. Leonard. I'm
tired, and you've bpen-Oh, such a
funny, funny boy tonight"
Dora, IN going to lose a patient.
he said, grayey. Every physician
hates that, and I've fought for this
womn's life"
eyes, | know. I'm sorry | was
naughty" she said, smiling winsome-
~ at him through her tears.
1t seemed as if she could hardly
LET him go. He kissed her good-by So
many times that at last he said, with
the merest shade of Impotence in his
voice: "Oh. my dear, | ought really
to begin to say good-by to you as soon
as | arrive"
she let him 90 then, and as the big
carved door swung stealthily to upon
its nOiScleSs sockets behind him. she
flew to the tower window in the Ii
brary. and watched his lessening fig
ure until she could no longer separate
il from the sWayiug shadows, and the
last faint echo of his footsteps died
upon the encroaching distance.
She did not see him again for sew
raj days. 50 that when she was finally
summoned one evening to receive him.
there was piquant frost upon her
girlish charm as she entered the
drawing room and futtcred close to
him like timid bird. BUT he drew
away from her.
"Leonard!"
The smothered reproach in her
voice stirred him.
Don't, Dora" he said. huskily q
ha,c conc to tell you something. If
You look at me like that | can't. And
! must. have tried for days to per-
suadc myself that | needn't tell YOU
now
"Oh, understand il all" Her long
strangIed intuitions had sprung full
iicdged into birth, as only woman's
can. You have come to tell me that
YOU cared more for Mrs Charters
than YOU do for me"
He stared at her in bewiIderment.
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