Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-03-26
Miss Conover

family.
Presently the lady of the house
knocked and entered the room. Ey-
identity she was much pleased with
the new arrival, for her eyes rested
upon a sweet, frank face, a graceful,
compact form and an attire as neat
as il was sensible.
81 hardly expected to find you 10
young" Mrs. Cameron said.
s'No?v asked Miss Conover. sStill
-you will find me proficient"
"0h, to be sure" Mrs. Cameron
hurriedly said. "Please walk down
to breakfast"
The breakfast room reached, she
said:
"Miss Conover = Brice Ruther-
ford, my nephew"
The name startled the young lady
so much that her self possession al
most failed her. She bowed in rec
ognition of the introduction, and
then turned her attention to the
two children who were to be under
her charge.
During the morning meal she
cast several furtiye glances at
Brice Rutherford. He was young,
handsome, refined, with perhaps
rather an exalted opinion of him
self.
1t was not remarkable that dur
ing the summer he began to take
considerable interest in the pretty
little governess. He was thrown al
most daily in her society, and her
frankness was especially charming
to him because he was not much
disposed to be frank himself.
His interest at last assumed a
more fervent shape and finally led
him to make a declaration of love.
A look of triumph crossed her face,
but it escaped his notice, for she
was seated in the shadow.
'This isn't unexpected" she re-
piled, ''but"-
Brice Rutherford frowned at the
remark and waited for her to con-
clude it.
"You see, you don't know any,
thing about me-" she said, starting
in afresh.
"Oh, but l flatter myself do"
was his reply. Il never act without
proper consideration"
81 mean as to my-my-antece-
dents" Miss Conover said. GAS to
my-my-purposes"-
81 don't care about your antece-
DENTS" he interrupted, ''and as for
your purposes / hope one of them
will be to make me as happy as
you camp
ooh, to be sure" replied she.
"Well, l am glad that we under
stand each other, and"-
"But ! don't know that we do"
interrupted she in turn. 81 know
that you proposed to me, but l can
not recall that l accepted you"
"Ohw he calculated, with crest
fallen look.
Miss Conover laughed softly and
said, 81 am willing to hold your
offer under advisement."
'"That will not satisfy me-" he
replied.
But it must" rejoined she. 81
think ] am according you a great
deal"
"Well, maybe you are" he said
with grimace. 81 can't say that
I'm excessively grateful"
''I'll give you my answer in Sep
tember," Miss Conover replied.
''That isn't far off, you know"
"Well, no, it isn't" assented he,
and that closed the conversation.
In the early part of September
business took him into the city
and he was absent a week. When
he returned to his aunt's country
seat, he found that the pretty little
governess was no longer there. He
was almost dumfounded.
"Where is she?" he asked.
81 don't know" replied Mrs.
Cameron. "Among her friends, no
doubt"
''She is coming back?"
mo, much to my regret and the
disappointment of the children"
Brice Rutherford stared at the
carpet.
"Did she leave a message for
me?" he asked.
"A letter, at least" replied Mrs.
Cameron. 81 notice that there is
one on her bureau directed to you" "
| He hurried upstairs in a manner
not in keeping with his habitual
dignity. When he opened the en-
yelope, he was surprised to find one
of his own letters in it, although
he had never written to her. A
look of CONSERVATION spread over
his face as he read it.
| In his boyhood he had had little
sweetheart named Rose Ralston. II
was stipulated between the parents
of both that the two should be mar
ried when they were old enough.
He was sent to school on the con-
tinent, where he stayed until he
had attained his majority. He then
wrote home, declining to renew the
attachment of his boyhood or to
carry out the stipulations. Indeed,
so emphatic was he that one or two
sentences were unkind, because un-
called for.