The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-08-14


away, her eyes still fixed upon a ribbon
with which she was working.
"Why, KathcrInc--cr- Miss Moore
"oh, you MUSTN'T"
He walked to the edge of the circle
protected by the leaves and looked out
over the clay wall of the fort, down T
which tiny rivers ran. She, having !
dried her hat, placed it again ON her
head and began brushing her skirt |
where, here and there. rain had spotted |
It. She glanced several times ut his
back stubhornly turned toward her. |
lie eNinced no intention of moving nor
OF speaking again. and she became
nervous The situation was uubearn-
BILE, and she exclaimed:
We must get back to the othersw
I'VE can't very well go through this
rain" he said. without turning round.
Another prolonged silence, broken
only by the monotouous fall of the
rain. Finally, when she had almost
made up her mind TO gather up her
skirts and run to the hotel, quarter
of mile away, he turned and came
quickly toward her.
irc put ont his hand MS though to
take hers, but she quickly put her
hands behind her and stepped back.
lie folded his arms and stood before
her, looking earnestly into the eyes
that she raised TO his almost appeal
Ingly
Katherine" he said, 81 love you.
VIII You be my wife,
heautifm color stole slowly from
the ribbon at her throat up, up, until
II tinted the edges of her small, per-
fectly formed ears. His gaze held hers
for moment, then her cyellds fell and
their long lashes swept her cheeks.
MIR. pearcc," she said slowly and
hesltatlngly, Il nm SO sorry, but IL
can't"
"Becausc YOU do not love mel"
She looked UP quickly into his face;
then down again. but she did not reply.
katherine, tell me-" he said. why
Is II that you cannot marry me?
"Bccause'-shc was very busy dis
lodging n half buried stone with the toe
of her shoc-'because you nre Yam
keer
Another swift glance met his steady
look. Then she moved n little farther
away and stood half turned from him.
His first impulse was to laugh. But
that passed almost as IL came. The
gray, brass buttoned riding habit, the
flushed checks and bright eyes with
Which she had listened to 'DIxIe.n
flashed across his mental vision. The
Yankee might be nm obstacle not to
be laughed away.
hut | am not n Yankee" he said
with emphasis. 81 am from Illinois,"
II seemed n long time to both that
they stood In silence Again she was
the first to speak.
This Is an awful rain" she said.
Yes, n very wet rain" he replied.
"Oh, You are going to Jest about it,
hut am not jestlng," he answered.
walking rapidly TO where she stood.
What | mean Is that you viii get wet
The water Is beginning to drip from
tho leaves. Here" stripping off his
-,vsu-rrrv-Iue Viiip u,lpuutt- yuus-
"Oh, no." she sald stepping back.
"But you must. The air Is chill, aud
lf you get wet you VIII catch cold"
but you-you"-
at won't hurt me bit. Come"
He assumed n commanding tone, AND
that or something else accomplished his
end. for she made no effort TO free her
self when he placed the coat about her
shoulders. 1t took n long time to get 1t
fixed iuet right, and his arm was still
around her when he looked into lef
face and saw that she was looking up
into his. Something in her eyes prompt
cd him To draw her close TO him and to
say very tenderly:
Sweetheart, | come from the north,
but love southern girl. Don't you
think that she can love northern man
just llttlc--if he IL not Yankeer
She studied the arrangement OF his
nccltle closely, and then transferred
her scrutiny to his watch chain. But
evidently she was not thinking OF
either, for when she spoke she asked,
illinois people aren't YankeesY
Certainly notW he replied, with con-
victlon. "They are n long way from
Yankeedom-more than 1000 miles"
She examined the necltle again. look
cd into his eyes for Il moment. then
over his shoulder, off Into the rain.
KATHERINE" he said softly, do you
love met"
She turned her head slowly untll
their eyes met. wave of color rushed
into her checks. and she murmured
family. YES"
"And you viii be my wlfeY
with perhaps n sudden thought OF
her surroundings and of stormy day
40 years before, she replied, 81 sur
render"
The rain, as If to hide the scene from
any possible observer. fell more heavily
for moment Then 1t ceased alto.
gethcr. and soon the sun shone through
from a blue sky where the gray clouds
had parted.