Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-12

searching look she dropped her eyes,
and the warm color came slowly up in
to her neck and face. Then, as II with
4 sudden resolve, she lifted her eyes to
his and looked back at him unfinch-
lngly.
He started, surprised, drew slowly
near, put his hands upon her shout
ders, surprise giving place to wild Joy.
She never moved her eyes. They drew
him toward her. He took her face be-
tween his hands, smiled into her eyes,
kissed her lips. She did not move.
He stood back from her. threw up his
head and laughed aloud. She came to
him, put her head upon his breast and,
lifting up her face, said, kiss me-"
He put his arms about her, bent down
and kissed her lips again and then rev.
erently her brow. Then, putting her
back from him, but still holding both
her hands, he cried:
"No. you shall not 90! shall never
let You go!'
She gave little sigh Of content and.
smiling at him, said:
II can 20 now" But even as she
spoke the flush died from her face, and
she shuddered.
"Never!' he almost shouted. "Noth-
ing shall take you away. We shall
work here together"
"Ah, II we could, If we only couldw
she said piteously.
"Why not?' he demanded fiercely.
you will send me away. You will
say it is right for me to CO." she re-
piled sadly.
do we not love each other" was
his impatient answer.
"Ah, yes, my love-" she said. "but
love is not ALL"
"No!" cried Craig. "But love is the
best"
YES" she said sadly; "love is the
best, and it is for loves sake we will
do the best"
"There is no better work than here.
Surely this is best" And he pictured
his plans before her.
She listened eagerly.
"Oh, il 1t should be right" she cried.
II will do what you say! You are
good; you are wise. You shall tell
me-"
She could not have recalled him bet
ter. He stood silent some moments,
then burst out passionately:
"Why, then. has love come to us?
We did not seek it. Surely love is Of
God. Does God mock us?"
He threw himself into his chair,
pouring out his words of passionate
protestation. She listened, smiling,
then came to him and, touching his
hair as q mother might her child's,
said:
"Oh, ana very happy! was afraid
you would not care, and could not
bear to 60 that way"
you shall not go!" he cried aloud, as
II in pain. Nothing can make that
right"
But she only said: you shall tell me
tomorrow. You cannot see tonight,
but you will see, and you will tell me-"
He stood up and, holding both her
hands, looked long into her eyes, then
turned abruptly away and went out.
She stood where he left her for some
moments, her face radiant and her
hands pressed upon her heart. Then
She came toward my room. She found
me busy with my painting, but as l
looked up and met her eyes she flush
I'd slightly and said:
Il quite forgot you"
$50 it appeared to me-"
you heard"
"And saw" I replied boldly. att
would have been rude to interrupt,
you see."
ooh, l am SO glad and thankfulv
Eyes; it was rather considerable of
me-"
ooh, don't mean thatr the flush
deepening. IT am glad you know"
II have known some time"
"How could you? only knew today
myself"
II have eyes"
She flushed again.
do you mean that people, she be-
gan anxiously.
mo; l am not people, l have eyes,
and my eyes have been opened"
Opened"
Eyes. by love-"
Then I told her openly how weeks
ago l struggled with my heart and
mastered 1t, for l saw 1t was vain to
love her because she loved a better
man, who loved her In return. She
looked at me shyly and said:
Il am sorry"
Don't worry" said cheerfully. II
didn't break my heart you know.
stopped 1t in time"
"Oh! she said, slightly disappointed.
Then her lips began to twitch, and she
went Off into a fit of hysterical laugh
ter.
Forgive me-" she said humbly, "but
you speak as If 1t had been fever"
Fever is nothing to It," said SOL
tmnly. ut was near thing"
At which she went off again. l was
glad to see her laugh. 1t gave me time
to recover my equilibrium. and 1t re-
lieved her intense emotional strain. So
lrattled on some nonsense about Craig
and myself till saw she was giving
no heed, but thinking her own thoughts,
and what these were 1t was not hard to
guess.
Suddenly she broke in upon my talk:
"He will tell me that must go from
him"
II hope he is no such fool" said
emphatically and somewhat rudely.
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