The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1901-08-22

ooh, it's going to rain!" she cried.
The next instant the doWnpour be-
/ gan, and both rushed through breach
i in the earthen wall of the fort to the
tree, whose branches, to which the
! leaves yet chung, offered protection
| There they stood in silence for several
minutes, she busily brushing raindrops
from her hat. which she had taken off,
and he watching her moodily.
The silence became oppressive, and
she glanced at him curiously and ap.
He caught the glance and, moving to.
ward her, said
"WellY
ooh, don'tw she exclaimed, starting
away. her eyes still fixed upon a ribbon
with which she was working.
"Why, Katherine--er- 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
which tiny rivers ran. She, having
cried her hat, placed it again on he1
head and began brushing her skirt
where, here and there, rain had spotted
it. She glanced several times at his
back, stubboSnly turned toward her
He evfnced no intention Of moving MOI
of speaking again, and she became
nervous. The situation was unbeara
BILE, and she exclaimed:
''We must get back to the othersv'
"We can't very we'll go through this
rain" he said, without turning round.
Another prolonged silence, broken
only by the monotonous fall of the
rain. Finally, when she had almost
made up her mind to gather up he1
skirts and run to the hotel, a quarter
of mile away, he turned and came
quickly toward her.
He put out his hand as though to
take hers, but she quickly put her
hands behind her and stepped back
He 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
Will you be my wife?"
A beautiful color stole slowly from
the ribbon at her throat up. up, until
1t tinted the edges of her small, per-
fectly formed ears. His gaze held hers
for moment, then her eyelids fell anG
their long lashes swept her cheeks.
Mr.. Pearce," she said slowly and
hesitatingly, Il am so sorry, but IL
can't"
Because you do not love me?''
She looked up quickly into his face
then down again, but she did not reply
Katherine, tell me-" he said. "Why
is it that you cannot marry mew
"Because"-she was very busy dis
lodging half buried stone with the toe
of her shOe-''because you are q Yam
keer'
4 Another swift glance met his steady
look. Then she moved a little farther
away and stood half turned from him
His first impulse was to laugh. But
that passed almost as it came. The
gray. brass buttoned riding habit, the
flushed cheeks and bright eyes witt
which she had listened to Dixie
flashed across his mental vision. Th,
Yankee" might be an obstacle not t.
be laughed away. 500 DTS
i "But | am not Yankee" he sale
with emphasis. II am from Illinois,
1t seemed long time to both tina,
they stood in silence. Again she was
the first to speak.
This is an awful rain," she said.
YES. q very wet rain," he replied.
"Oh, you are going to jest about it,
But am not jesting" he answered
walking rapidly to where she stood
What mean is that you will get wet
The water is beginning to drip from
the leaves. Here" stripping off hi:
coat, "let me put this around you.'
ooh. no" she said, stepping back
"But you must. The air is chill, an6
if you get wet you will catch Cold"
But you-you''-
at won't hurt me bit. Come
He assumed a commanding tone, ant
that or something else accomplished hi:
end, for she made no effort 90 free her
self when be placed the coat about hel
shoulders. 1t took long time to get i
fixed just right and his arm was still
around her when he looked into he
face and saw that she was looking III
into his. Something in her eyes prompt
ed him to draw her close to him and tt
say very tenderly
Sweetheart, come from the north
but love southern girl. Don't you
think that she can love northern maj
just little-it he is not a YankeeY
She studied the arrangement of hi!
necktie closely. and then transferred
her scrutiny to his watch chain. Blu
evidently she was not thinking O.
either. for when she spoke she asked:
illinois people aren't Yankees?"
Certainly notw he replied. with con
viction. They are a long way from
Yankeedom-moret than 1000 miles,"
She examined the necktie again. look
ed into his eyes for moment. thel
over his shoulder. off into the rain.
katherine he said softly. do yol
love me?"
She turned her head slowly unit