The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-12-25
ment of this.' Dallas says, and again they

float along the pOllSned moor.
Alas. alas! it is over! the piano has
banged the final chord; perfOrce they
stop.
Mrs. Rivers was sitting up for her dar-
ling. anxious to hear all the events of
the evening and, as June made her re-
cital, a sudden consciousness came to the
girl that, instead of pouring all her heart
out to her mother as was her wont, she
was talking almost as insncerely as
though she had been speaking to a strang-
er. 1t was q relief to her when her story
was finished and she had kissed her moth
er fondly and hidden her goodnight. The
maid who acted as parlor maid, house
maid and lady's maid at the Rose Cottage
unfastened her dress and fingered a little
deeply interested in the doings at the
Hall.
When at last she went, June stood i'm
movable for moment. Then she flung
herself down by her bedside and cried as
if her heart would break.
CHAPTER VI.
June, scarcely knowing how it happen
ed, found herself in the boat in the garden
lake, while Mr.. Broke was leisurely dip
ping the SOULS into the water and rowing
her away to the furthest point from the
house. And when he came to the big
elm, whose branches overhung the water
and made a canopy above their heads, he
quietly shipped his oars, and, bending
little forward, said, quite simply and
frankly:
II am going to take the liberty of ask
ing you a question. May I?
"Oh. certainly"
"Why won't you, who are so charming
to everyone else, be a little bit kind to
mer'
"Am not kind to your" she said, dip
ping her white fingers into the water and
apparently intent on watching them.
"What have doneT"
"You have hardly looked at or spoken
to me since l came; indeed, l have fancied
that you purposely avoided me-"
To utter a polite disclaimer was June's
first instinct; but second coming swiftly
on its heels, she followed that instead.
You have taken his mothers love from
Tom," she said. "And, whenever you
are together, you always stand in his light
and make him seem-seem-"
But June cannot find the words she
wants.
"At all events, there is one brilliant ex-
ception to the rule" answered Dallas, in
a piqued tone, losing for moment his
almost imperturbab BILE good temper. Then,
with a flash in his blue eyes eminently be-
coming to them, II assure you, you are
completely mistaken about my aunt's feel
ing for me. She likes me, and amuse
her; but it is hardly probable that wom-
an would care more for her nephew than
her own son."
June is more attracted to Mr.. Broke in
this mood than in any in which she has
yet seen him. 1t is her turn to assume
that charming tone and manner which she
possesses in almost as great a degree as
Dallas himself.
Il did not mean to say anything I'M
kind" And she looked at him so softly
that his momentary wrath melted away.
But 1t is little hard on Tom"
tom is the best fellow living" cried
Dallas, "and no one knows it better than
Aunt vi. She is woman Of the world,
and would like him to have a little
more"
'PolishT' suggested June.
THAT is hardly the word; something Of
that sort, suppose. But she knows his
sterling worth as well as anyone"
Sterling worth! yes, how appropriate
those two words are! Yet they have a
dull sound in June's ears this summer af-
ternoon whilst young Apollo's eyes are
meeting hers.
II imagine" he said, that you will
very soon have all the say here"
The swift blood few to June's cheeks.
tYnn n1iSfQ bon fhnr ~ saI
hotly. IL am not going to marry him.
am not engaged to him. love him as my
dearest friend, as my brother, and moth
ing, nothing more"
Then she sank back in her seat and a
cold, shamed feeling crept over her that
she had betrayed Tom, ay, more cruelty
than mother or any other living being had
power to do. Dallas was so astonished at
this confession that he let go the bank,
and the boat drifted out into the sunshine.
He had to rise, take scull and punt back
to the shore.
Had we not better be going in p sug-
gested June, coldly.
mo, not just yet" he answered. "Do
you know you have positively taken my
breath awayT
Have IT' said June, with averted eyes.
remorseful and ashamed, and yet feeling
sort of satisfaction that she had struck
off her chains and declared her freedom.
II do not know why you should have
thought l was going to marry Tom.
do not suppose that he told you that 1
was
"Most certainly not"
LET us be friends!' he whispered
bending forward and stretching out his
hand; and she let him take hers. There
was a magnetism in his touch that was
utterly wanting in Toms: involuntarily
her eyes met his and stayed a moment