Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-05-22


Nell started and stopped for q mo-
ment in her work again.
shielding! am shielding nobody.
I wouldn't shield q thief!'
If Clifford had been as suspicious Of
her as he was, on the contrary, sure or
her innocence, he would have had ali
his doubts swept away by the burst Of
superb pride with which she flung
these words at him. 1t was the very
tone he had wished to hear in her, the
very scornful utterance Of the pure
soul, capable Of no wrong. 1t made
the whole matter more mysterious, but
it soothed him. He heaved great
sigh, and. In spite Of her warning ges.
lures, came nearer.
"Nell," he said, II had been waiting
to hear you speak like that. Those are
the very words l have been longing
for you to say"
"Well, now they are said, you had
better 60 back to Stroan to your
friends, )" said she, coolly. "And try to
persuade them to take your view of
the story. For certainly 1t will be all
over the Place by this time that Nell
Claris is a thief, or the accomrlice Of
a thief"
And the girl, having flung this speech
at him with all the dignity Of outraged
pride and innocence, suddenly broke
down at the end, and burst into such
bitter sobs that Clifford's heart was
wrung. But as he sprang toward her,
she sprang back and made rush for
the door of the cottage. Clifford, how
ever. was too quick for her, and plac-
ing himself between the girl and the
refuge she wished to reach. he spoke
to her In iniploring, passionate tones:
Zone moment. You must listen to
me. All the world will be against you,
you say? Not all, Nell. not all. l will
take your part. will show them
what to believe. Take ME for your
husband, Nell, and then who can dare
to think of you except as think? Who
can dare to say word when you are
my wife"
The girl stood transfiyed. He was
pleading as eloquently, as earnestly, as
If it had been for his own life. When
he paused. letting his burning eyes
speak his love, as he watched her
startled, blushing face, and faIcied he
could trace the feelings Of amaze
ment, incredulity, pleasure and doubt
as they struggled in her heart. she
presently shook her head. and turned
away SO that she should not again
meet his eyes.
"Do you know what you are say
ing?" she asked In n matter of fact
tone, after a short silence. "And do
you really expect me to listen to such
nonsenseT'
ut is not nonsense. 1t is my firm in
tention to make you my Wife"
"Ah, but it's my firm intention to be
nothing Of the kind. am very much
obliged to you for your good inten-
tions, and l quite see that you think
you are doing fine thing in offering
to marry me. But and she drew
herself up, and flashed at him a de-
fiant look, II am not going to be mar
ried like that, and out of pity, too. to
a man never saw till yesterday"
These last words came upon Clifford
with a shock of surprise. He had for
gotten what short time it was that
his acquaintance with Nell had lasted;
1t seemed to him that he had known
her for months-years. He was ready
with his answer to this objection.
"As to that, l have known you for
q very long time, Nell" he said, grave
ly. II have known you just as long
as I have looked forward to meeting
a girl exactly like you. And have al
ways intended, when l did meet her,
to take no rest until had persuaded
her to become my wife. think you
may take this as an answer to the
suggestion that there is any pity In
the case. The pity will be for me if
you won't have me-"
Now this was rather prettily put,
and Nell looked Modified. She took
her broom in hand again, and affected
to 90 on with her sweeping, although
the pretense was not very efectual
one.
Unfortunately" she said. in a low
voice, which was not 30 flippant as she
could have wished, II haven't such a
vivid imagination myself, and l can't
pretend that / have known Won long
enough to be sure that I should like
you for husband"
Her tone was not so discouraging as
her words. Clifford, who, much to his
own surprise. was quite in earnest,
pressed his suit with proper eagerness.
II don't want to rush you into mar
rying me-" he said. "Take me on pro-
baton. Let it be known that l have
asked you to be my wife; give way SO
far as to become engaged to me; and
If, before l 60 back to town next
month, have bored you SO much that
you have to break the engagement in
disgust, you send me about my busi-
ness and refuse to receive any letters
from me. At any rate, people won't
be able to say 'unkind things when
they know I wanted you to be my
wife,"
But Nell persisted.
II won't even be engaged to- YOU"
"Why not? Don't you like me?
Although her manner betrayed that
she did, Nell stoptly denied 1t. She
wanted to go on with her work. she
said, and he had better 60 back to his
friends at Stroan. And he must please
consider, as she meant to do. that he
had not said any of the silly things to
which she had tried not to listen. She
should forget them at once, and she
honed he would do the same. And 1t
amused her to think how disgusted his
c-i. L.. la hnnIl