Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-05-01
THIJRMONT FREDERICK COUNTY MD THURSDAY, MAY l, 1902

IuOTc CudIllSu cNtly w ''iS
girls amusing mixture of shrewdness
and simplicity.
ITS very nice for your uncle" he
added. after a little pause, but Is 1t
-" he hcsitated afraid of seeming
impertinent. sis it quite as pleasant
for you, to live out here, mean, so far
frOm-frOm-"
"Civilization asked Nell, smiling.
"There are some disadvantages, Ger.
tainly. OF course l know what you
really mean, and what you don't like
to say. But when the choice lies be-
tween living with my old uncle and
helping him, and going away to please
myself, is there any doubt what l
ought to do? Miss Theodore, who Is
the best woman in the world, says /
ought to stay-I am right to stay"
Clifford reluctantly agreed with her.
and allowed her to prattle on about
her uncle and his goodness, and Miss
Theodore and her goodness, until the
light of the sunset began to fade in the
sky.
When he reluctantly rose to take
leave, he found that some heavy drops
Of rain had begun to fall and he al.
lowed himself 10 be persuaded by the
landlord and his niece to wait until the
rain had cleared off. AS, however. in
stead of clearing, the weather gradu-
ally became worse, until tho day ended
in a steady downpour which threat
ened to last all night. Clifford asked
whether they could put him UP for
the night; and being answered in the
affirmative, decided to spend the night
ut the inn.
The room they gave him was small,
but beautifully clean, and was at the
front of the house. with an outlook
over the marshes to the sea. Clifford,
when he retired to 1t late that night.
raised the blind and tried to peer
through the mist of rain which blurred
the view. He began to feel that he
wanted to spend his life in this spot,
digging Nells cabbages for her. trim.
ming the hedges of her garden. water
Ing her roses, doing anything, in fact,
60 that he might be near her.
He was in love, more seriously, too,
than Willie had ever been, or than he
himself had even been before. He
asked himself what sort or spell 1t
was that this young girl had been able
SO quickly to cast upon him, and he
told himself that it was the sweetness
of her nature, the purity which shone
from her young soul through her blue
eyes, which had enabled her to be-
witch him as no mere beauty OF face
and person could ever have done. He
looked ut his hand, and saw again In
imagination the little soft, white hand,
smoother and fairer than any girls
hand he had ever touched, which had
lain for moment IN his as she badc
him good night. lie felt again the
satiny touch which had thrilled him
when the little fingers met his. He
sat caressing his own hand which had
been so honorcd, intoxicated with his
own thoughts.
1t was late before the dying candle
warned him to make haste to bed. AS
he turned to the door to lock It, as
was his custom in strange place. he
found that 1t had neither lock nor bolt.
And the words of the young fisher.
man, his warning about the character
Of the house, flashed with an unpleas.
ant chill through his mind
hp will think " cIiI
Clifford, with affected solemnity. .,
think myself that, after such heavy
work as that, he did deserve Il cup oI
tea"
Nell looked up in some distress, hol
blue eyes brighter with excitement
and her voice quite tremulous In it'
earnestness.
"Ah, you don't know" she said
quickly. 81 am not ungratefui, but
am in very difficult position, and
have to be careful how l treat people
Don't you know yourself that grea
many men. gentlemen too--or they cal
themselves so-think they have 4 riSh
to treat girl who lives ut an inn Glf
leTtully LlOh OthNL S,ilAo' ouiNis Jo'
must know that:''
Clifford grew red, conscious that thu
girl had penetrated weak spot IL
Willie's social armor
"Well, but"
"Oh. you needn't say but" inter
rupted Nell. "You know it is true
Now I don't want to say anything
against your friend; he is very nice
and very good-natured but"
The next moment he was ashamed
| of having remembered them. O1
course, there was n possibility, ther
whispered his common sense, tha
cvon the house which sheltered a god
| dcss might also contain man or ,
| maidservant who was a common
| thief. SO. as he had very handsom,
watch with him. and nearly twenty
Eve pounds in his purse, he tuckc'
these possessions well under the pill
low, and went to sleen thinking o
| Nell.
| lie was awakened out Of 4 soun'
slunber by the feeling that there wa
| some one in his room.
| He felt sure Of this, although Tor
few minutes, rs he lay with his eye
closed. he heard nothing but the tick
Ing Of the watch under his pillow. Al
| ter that he became conscious that i
| the darkness there was shadow
something passing and repassing be
| II. Al, ny1,
tained window. His first impulse wa
to shout aloud and alarm the would-b
thief, as he could not hut suppose tn
intruder to be. The next momen
however, he decided that he woul
wait until the theft had been actual
committed. and take the perpetrato
red.handed.