The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-08-16

"Oh, don't!' she exclaimed, starting
away, her eyes still fixed upon a ribbon
with which she was working.
"Why, Katherine-er-Miss Moore
ooh, you mustn'tw
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
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 at his
back, stubbornly turned toward her.
He evinced no intention of moving nor
of speaking again, and she became
nervous. The situation was unbeara-
BILE, and she exclaimed:
1--WE must get back to the othersp
eve can't very well 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 I'D her
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
it tinted the edges of her small, per-
fectly formed ears. His gaze held hers
for moment, then her eyelids fell and
their long lashes swept her cheeks.
"Mr. Pearce," she said slowly and
hesitatingly, 81 am so sorry, but IL
| can't"
Because you do not love meY
| She looked up quickly into his face:
then down again, but she did not reply.
Katherine, tell me-" he said. "Why
| is 1t that you cannot marry me?"
"Because"-she was very busy dis
lodging half buried stone with the toe
of her shoe-"because you are a yam
| keep
| 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 with
which she had listened to 'Dixie."
flashed across his mental vision. The
yankee" might be an obstacle not to
be laughed away.
"But am not Yankee" he said
with emphasis. II am from Illinois,"
1t seemed a long time to both that
they stood in silence. Again she was
the first to speak.
This Is an awful rain" she said.
Yes, 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 his
coat, "let me put this around you"
"Oh, no." she said, stepping back.
"But you must. The air is chill, and
If you get wet you will catch cold"
"But you-you"-
at won't hurt me bit. Come"
He assumed commanding tone, and
that or something else accomplished his
end, for she made no effort to free her.
self when be placed the coat about her
shoulders. 1t took long time to get it
| fixed just right, and his arm was still
around her when be looked into her
| face and saw that she was looking up
into his Something in her eyes prompt
ed him to draw her close to him and to
say very tenderly:
Sweetheart, | come from the north,
but l love southern girl. Don't you
think that she can love a northern man
just little-if he is not YankeeY
She studied the arrangement of his
| necktie 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 notp he replied, with con-
viction They are a long way from
She examined the necktie again, look
ed into his eyes for moment, then
over his shoulder, off into the rain.
katherine" be said softly, do you
love me?"
She turned her head slowly until
their eyes met A wave of color rushed
into her cheeks. and she murmured
family. yes"
"And you will be my wife?''
With perhaps a sudden thought Of
her surroundings and of stormy day
40 years before. she replied. Ill sur
render"
The rain. as If to hide the scene from
any possible observer fell more heavily
for a moment. Then it ceased alto
gether, and soon the sun shone through
from a blue sky where the gray clouds
had parted.
His Early Home Coming.
Does your husband carry latch