The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-04-10

v
| There was not shadow of hestancy
in her tone, but the man doubted.
II judge by past experience" he re-
turned, quietly. you have been for
six years trying to cure me and have
not succeeded yet"
She looked down; her color came
and went swiftly; she had no answer
| ready.
How do you explain that?" he per-
sisted.
There was a faint flicker of a smile
about the corners of her mouth. but
she suppressed 1t sternly.
"Perhaps-it is because-I have not
been sufficiently in earnest in trying
10 do So" was her reply.
His grasp tightened ON the small,
soft hands he held in his.
"Then why will yor not give up try
ing altogether, Grace!" he asked
quickly.
But to this question he received no
satisfactory answer.
Six weeks had passed away. The
season was almost at an end. Already
the numbers were considerably thin
ner on the beach, in the gardens and
on the golf course. Mrs. Miller's
house had been crowded since June,
but during the last week two leaves
had been taken out of the dining table,
and the gas had not been lighted in
the second drawing-room.
In the balcony OF Cliff House one
evening in September Hugh Cameron
was talking to Mrs Miller. The moon
was at the back OF the house; the
balcony lay in the shadow; inside the
! open windows all was silent and de-
serted. There was the last fete of the
season at the gardens, and the guests
had betaken themselves thither.
Mrs Miller lay back in her wicker
chair her face white and set in the
dim half-light. While the soft swish
of the waves stole up from the beach
below, and the distant strains of the
band were waited on the fresh even
ing air, for the first time she realized
TO the full the strength of the torrent
1t was her duty to stem. With Flor
cnce Martin, a coarse, loud voiced.
vivacious blonde. the boy was simply
infatuated; but for his youth and in
experience he would never have been
her prey; but Grace Miller had touched
his higher nature. and to her he had
| given the best love of his life.
So in the still twilight hour Grace
Miller recognized that she must listen
to what Hugh Cameron had to say,
and that she must answer him as a
man, and not as the boy she thought
him.
Mrs. Miller" he said. in a hoarse
broken voice. 81 can be silent no
longer; you know that l love you"
"As | loved your mother" she re-
piled, land as also love you, Hugh"
But the boy was not to be turned
aside. He knew exactly what he
meant and he intended to say it.
No lie answered firmly. mot il
the least as you loved my mother
| love you as a man loves the woman
he wants TO marry the one woman
in the world
There was silence for moment
then her words were as firm as his
own
"But a man does not marry his
grandmother" she expostulated.
Cameron drew a stool near TO Mrs
Miller's chair and sat down at hel
feet.
Grace, you are too good a woman
to play with me-" he pleaded. "What
has your conduct to me these last few
weeks meant?"
Again she hesitated. Then she de
cided not to fence the question. not t,
equivocate. but to tell him the Who'll,
truth.
Hugh" she said, gently. ~ saw,
knew that your intimacy with Mis-
Martin could only end in disaster
might possibly spoil your whole life
tried to turn your love towards my
self"
She had not anticipated the effect O.
her words The boy leant toward
hor, his face glowing, his pulses auiy
cring.
My darling" he whispered rapsur
onsiy' land now that DO love you?"
1t was a difficult moment. Grac
Miller braced herself to face it. Il
ierYld tones she spoke to the boy o
the claims of duty, of the briefness o
love Of the beauty of life apart from
the tender passion, of the fact tina
man is designed to be something BET
ter than a womans plaything.
But of all she said only one poln
impressed itself upon the listener
mind, Grace Miller did not love hin
ana never could, and never would
lie did not answer. He sat still, ca2
ing out on the sea with eyes that sa,
nothing, and yet every detail OF th
: scene was burnt in upon his brain a
he looked-the dark heaving water.
the silver streak Of moonlight. tn
silent, peaceful night.
Hugh" said Mrs. Miller gently. q
length, Hugh"
, He started as If from a dream an
rose TO his feet. The moon had passe
the corner Of the house, and lighte
, his clear-cut. handsome features, an
his beautiful, almost italian eve,
/ There was something in his name
: that made Mrs. Miller shiver as sh
afla Al