The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-06-04
BY TEMPLE BAILEY
Copyright. 1908. By I. C. MCCLURE

skirts and waved her bunch or Amer-
can beauties at the pair. and the coach
| drove off.
Cornelia turned to the man beside
her.
DID you hear what she said?"
Yes" he answered absently. his
eyes Oh the 1uttering bit of white veil
! far down the road.
We'll, she needn't have said it. /
Ghan't let her know"
| TIL man turned, his sunburned face
showing his surprise.
81 thought you liked Miss fremont"
80 did, and l do yet, but tell you
now. Dave Clinton. that if mother
takes boarders again next summer l
shall go away and stay" Her voice
| was fierce.
| An uneasy look came into the blue
eyes of the young farmer.
"And leave me?" He tried to ask the
question easily. but his voice was not
steady.
She laid her hand OH his arm. with a
kind Of doubling appeal.
Would you care If l went-if she
was here?"
The man shifted his position uneas-
lily. Il don't see that you are called
upon to ask me that question. Nellie"
| he said.
But do ask it." Her fingers were
| locking each other nervously. II did
like her" she went on. for she is SO
beautiful. and she interested me-until
you began to notice her.
He tried to take her hand, but she
] flung herself away from him. Then for
| / moment there va, t.'.:se silence.
II love you, Nellie he said at last.
you don't. you don't! You love her!"
| she cried passionately. And wish we
had never seen her" She ran swiftly
up the path and shut the door of the
| house behind her.
That night the family sat down ut a
small table in the big kitchen. The din
ing room had been restored to its origi-
| nal position as living room, and the
parlor was closed. The supper of
| warmed over potatoes and eggs, with
| one kind of preserve. announced the
] return Of plain living.
After supper Nellie washed the dishes
in the big pantry just outside the
| kitchen. Her mother was in the milk
| room. Swimming. SO when Dave came
| and stood beside her they were alone
whats the matter, Nelie?' he said.
| Are you mad at me-"
She raised her blue eyes.
mo, Dave" she said quietly.
, She poured some hot water into her
pan so recklessly that her fingers were
burned, and she uttered an involuntary
! cry.
| Dave reached over and took them.
red and wet as they We're.
Poor little fingers!' he said.
| Nelie's eyes blazed. II went have
your pity, Dave Clinton" Her voice
was hushed, but vehement.
| Without another word the man turn
ed away, but she called him back in
whisper.
81 want to see you when finish. I'll
come down to the orchard seat"
| The orchard was spicy with the scent
| Of apples. and under the moonlight the
great red globes showed dark in the
shadow of the leaves. Dave sat on a
natural bench made by the gnarled
trunks of two old apple trees and
watched Nellie come down the path.
He rose to meet her and put his arm
around her, but she thrust him aside
with little impatient gesture.
Then she sat down and looked up at
him as he stood in front of her.
at isn't that l am jealous" she be-
! gan, as if their conversation of the aft
ernoon had not been interrupted, "but
it's because | can never be the same
to you, no matter if you do think you
love me. You have seen Miss Ire
mont, and now, always. she will be
the most beautiful woman in the world
10 you"
''She is a beautiful woman" he as
sented gravely. 1913.
Eyes, and before she came you
thought my hands were pretty-my
little, red, rough hands''-her voice
broke-"and you admired my hair and
| the little dresses l made myself. am
not blaming you" she went on, "but
you had never seen a woman like her.
hadn't, either, and you were carried
away just as 1. was. But don't you
see that want to be first with you?"
"You are first, Nellie" he said grave
~. .... -, -
"But I haven't wonderful eyes like
g.; hers, and can't use them as she does.
I can't say the right thing as she does
In her soft voice. And her perfumes!
! Will you ever smell a violet again,
Dave, without thinking Of her? Will
your
He smoothed her hand soothingly and
said nothing.
Ibid you ever see such dresses and
! beautiful shoes? 1 was ashamed all
the time, and wore my best slippers ev-
cry day. She was like rose one Of