The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-12-27
CHAPTER VI-lContinued.l

i
Christmas; but / never knew that they
could be reckoned upon to know any
thing else that mattered."
But they were in the wars before
they were pensioned."
Maybe" said Mary; that makes nc
difference"
Mary" said Jack, when, after 8
brisk gallOp, they were walking the1l
cobs leisureiy through the leafy lane
that led to the farm. Mary, you seem
to be mighty struck with the foreign
looking man."
Hes not foreign-looking, Jack; and
why do you think I'm mighty struck
Because l saw you do what I've
never seen you do, except once"
"And what was that?"
"You blushed when he waved his
hand at you"
"Blushed Rubbish, Jack, did
nothing of the kind"
Il thought you did," said Jack hum
bly,.
That's because you're jealous
Il wish you'd give me the right to
be jealous, Mary
You are, without the right" she
replied.
81 am, Mary; but if you would give
me the right to be, l never would be,
so help me heaven!"
"And when did 1 blush once before,
said Mary, "since you have mentioned
it, Jack?"
when T asked you to marry me"
81 didn't blush then, Jack, surely; 1T
was such silly thing for you to ask.
Yes, you blushed-because you
were sorry to say no; it was not a
regular right-down blush, suppose,
but your cheeks went red, and-well-
there, we won't talk Of it."
mo, you said you never would,
Jack; and we have been right hearty
friends ever since, have we not?"
Yes, Mary"
And always will be, won't WEI"
Eyes, please God, if we are never to
be anything else," said Jack.
I'VE settled that long ago." she re-
plleQ, SOMEWHAT curly.
81 suppose we did," said Jack; then,
with sudden fervor, Mary, you have
opened the old sore, or l have myself,
and by the Almighty that made us
both, l have lost the power to bear it
any longer"
Jack Meadows" exclaimed Mary,
the color leaving her face at this I'M
expected assault What is the mat
ter with you?"
Jack slid from his horse and stood
by her bride.
"You are the matter with me, Mary!
l love you beyond repair! l can no
longer live without you! If any 9TH
er man won you I should kill myself
Or him! am mad! That look you gave
yon stranger has made me mad! Some
thing in my heart said to me, Jack,
tell her what you feel, ask her once
more to soften to thee!' And I've
done it,"
aye, thou's done it" said Mary,
assuming the local vernacular, as
country people will when they are in
trouble or in very great earnest; and
l am sorry for thee, for can never
love you as you'd have me do, and that
is as certain as DEATH"
Mary you have broken my heart!"
"Then, surely, thou are selfish, Jack.
I've told you always there is no man
I respect so much, no man l honor
,ooro. Fool touordc Won &C might
towards a brother, but l can never
marry a man l don't worship; why
should /? I am not like other lasses;
am a tomboy, old Taylor says, and
I'm more like lad than lass. I've
known you, Jack, ever since | was a
child-and-there, I'd never have come
out with thee if I'd dreamed thou'd
begin at me again"
81 couldn't help it," said Jack, his
voice trembling, his face as white as
| the rudy streaks in his cheeks would
allow. his knees tottering under him.
81 saw thee look at yonder fellow, and
l fear you think he's sort as you could
worship"
How dare you say so, Jack! Why,
he only came into the house last
night"
There is such a thing as love at
| first sight," Jack replied, "and there is
such thing as love that thinks nowt
but of her, thinks nowt but for her,
would die to please her and would
not live to cause her minnit's sor-
row-that's my love Mary that's my
love-"
He leaned against his horses neck
and covered his face with his hands.
you have made me very unhappy,
Jack" said Mary, with something OF
her natural manner, "and / am very
sorry for you and for myself; and now
know there is truth in the ill-omen
Of putting wrong stocking on left foot
and finding an owl on her nest, which
did this morning, and dreaming you
are sitting under a gibbet and an old
witch won't let you go home.
Nay, Mary lass, don't go away like
that; I'll try and bear up. I'm
damned conceited fool to think any
lass could care for me, much more the'
above everybody, but"
| aNOf cara for vou 1ad9 Half thl