The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-02-27

not be stayed. She had vet to learn
that there is no power on earth that
can Keep man who loves woman
from telling that woman he loves her
When hc feels that the woman wants
10 hear him. and almost every woman
wants to hear.
AS Peyton leaned against tho troa
. upon which she sat. MS close to bor 40
he could possibly get without actually
touching her. and as he looked ador
Ihgiy up into her soft brown eyes she
round 1t rather pleasant after all. Her
eyes We're not always soft either.
spmetimes they sparkled with light. as
the breaking wave does upon the storm
tossed sea, and sometimes they swan
steadily with the depth of a still pool
that compasses upon its surface n mic
ture OF the deepest heaven-as they
did ut that moment. AS the young
lover marked the slow rise and fall of
the dainty. undeveloped bosom, as his
eyes fell upon the scarlet ribbon of her
mocking lips. as he watched the slow
nush or warm color in her dark check
rich hue that the rose might have en-
vied-he longed to throw the restraints
or custom to the four winds Of heaven
and clasp the girl In his arms. 1t was
not the first nor would it be the last
time lovers heart rebelled against
such restraints.
"It'sout now" he murmured. "What's
the use of trying to conceal it or evade
1t? Every look, every word, every
movement Of mine. must have betrayed
me. didn't say anything to you in
Boston-not In words. that is. You see,
l was afraid, for one thing, and for
another l did not want to take advan-
tage of you. I was the only friend
you had-the only man-and I had
known you from q child. l was n
southerner. and land we," he went
on softly. 1--WE love the south. Had I
been born In New England I should
have loved the south, since it is your
land. And you were so young. You
might have said yes then"
In spite of herself the girl, listening
In dreamy abandon to his passionate
pleading, nodded her head softly.
"OhP' cried Peyton, conscious of her
slightest motion. would you have
said 'yesT"
II might" she whispered, "the -
"And now?" he questioned eal ".
"Oh, now-it Is different now. Don't
: ask me, Boyd"
II must!' Is it because there is some
one elseT
"No. there is no one. You see, the
little southern bird that was so lone
some up north is out of the cage now
and she loves-everybody." She spread
her hands abroad with delicious ges-
ture. "There isn't any one in particu-
lar. but all-you. as well as the rest.
like you. oh. very much. and if you
nre awfully I'm love with me. rs you
say you arc. am very sorry for you
l am sorry or them all."
"An?" he Gucried jealousy "Wha.
do you mean Ey that:"
why, mean all the men who ere in
love with ME and that l am rot in
love with. They all talk jast as you
do. Boyd"
"Don'tv he protested vchemently 81
cannot believe that the ephcmcral af-
fectiOn Of the men You meet can be
likened to my feeling. l tell you,' he
continued, almost fiercely. "you 90 not
dream how l love you. We. sailors are
lonely folk. Do you know, do you
realize, that winter in Boston was the
only one ever spent in the society of
a girl, woman? Are you woman,
wonder?"
"Am a woman, indeedw Indignantly
and with surprise.
''Yes, know; in years, perhaps, but
at heart only child"
"a child, Sir! Well, perhaps! And
If you knew other women maybe you
wouldn't care SO much for me-"
'It would not make any difference;
I'd care for no one else. You are all.
ALI, when sailed away last spring
and left you took with me such q
memory OF yeu as completely possessed
me. did my duties, of course; had
been so trained. That's part of life,
to do ones duty. lived on the ship.
! mingled with the others. My body
was on the African coast, but my soul
was where yougwere. was absent
minded, distrafa My shipmatcs rallied
me upon 1t. 1t was your fault. l was
thinking Of you, dreaming OF you.
-"The breeze of summer wove songs
about your name through the rigging"
ne continued, in that low voice with its
passionate cadence. "When the moon
light beat upon the low lying sands Of
the tropic shore the mist wreathed it.
self into figures whose airy grace sug-
gested you to me. Not wave that
caressed the keel Of the ship that did
not ripple with the music of your
laughter. 1 could shut my eyes and
hear 1t even now"
He suited the action to the word and
leaned his head against the tree trunk