The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-09-05
be should be forever miserable. At .
critical stage Of this declaration q rain
drop kissed the girls cheek.

|
The silence became oppressive, and
she glanced at him curiously and ap.
prehensively from under her lashes.
He caught the glance and, moving to.
ward her. said:
"Well?"
"Oh, don't" she exclaimed, starting
away, her eyes still fixed upon ribbon
with which she was working. j
why. Katherine-er-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
which tiny rivers ran. She, having
dried her hat, placed 1t 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:
I'VE must get back to the othersw
I'VE can't very well 20 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 her
skirts and run to the hotel, a quarter
Of a mile away, he turned and came
quickly toward her.
He put out bis hand as though to
take hers. but she quickly put her
hands behind her and stepped back.
He folded bis arms and stood before
her, looking earnestly into the eyes
that she raised to his almost appeal
lngly.
Katherine" he said, 81 love you.
VIII you be my wifeT
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 a moment. then her eyelds fell and
their long lashes swept her cheeks.
."Mr Pearce," she said slowly and
hesltatingly 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 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 Yam
keel"
Another swift glance met bis steady
look. Then she moved a little f~"lher
away and stood half turned from him.
His first impulse was to laugh. But
that passed almost as 1t came. The
gray. brass buttoned riding habit, the
flushed cheeks and bright eyes with
which she had listened to Dixie"
flashed across bis mental vision. The
Yankee" might be an obstacle not to
be laughed away.
But l am not Yankee" be said
with emphasis. II am from Illinois,"
1t seemed long time to both that
they stood In silence. Again she was
saS AiSl " SPSdNs
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." be 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 bis
coat, "let me put this around you."
"Oh, no." she said. stepping back.
But you must The air Is chill, and
II you get wet you will catch cold"
But yOu--yOu'-
1T 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 he placed the coat about her
shoulders. 1t took long time to get It
axed Just right, and bis arm was still
around her when he looked into her
face and saw that she was looking up
into bis. Something In her eyes prompt.
ed 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 a little-if he Ia not Yankee"
She studied the arrangement of his
necktie closely, and then transferred
her scrutiny to his watch chain. But
evidently sbe was not thinking of
either. for when she spoke she asked:
"IlliAols people aren't Yankeesw
Certainly notv' be replied. with con.
viction. 'T'bey are long way from
than 1000 miles"
She examined the necktie again, look.
ed into bis eyes for moment, then
over bis shoulder. off into the rain.
Katherine" he said softly, do you
love me"
She turned her bead 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 sudden thought Of
her surroundings and Of stormy day
40 years before. she replied, "I-I sur.
render"
The rain, as II to hide the scene from
my possible observer. fell more heavily
for moment Then 1t ceased alto
gether, and soon the sun shone through
from blue sky where the gray clouds
had parted.
His Early Home Coming.
Does your husband carry latch.
key. Mrs. HomebodyT
mo; never knew him to-"
MQh then he cnmpa In parlYl That |