Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-01-30
CHAPTER VII.

AVN w thhhhc " uuu WOD
a glorious victory. The guests were gone
from the Hall. 1t was a lovely afternoon,
with a soft west wind.
Never had June looked to such advan.
tage as she did that evening at dinner,
There was a lovely color in her cheeks, a
new light in her eyes; her voice had a
Joyous ring; she seemed to be an ,incarna-
ton of pleasure and happiness.
Would not you young people like to 60
into the garden?" said Mrs. Ellesmere
the moment dinner was over, and they
obeyed her suggestion with alacrity.
"Let us get into the boat whispered
Dallas; and June gave a radiant assent.
Twilight was creeping on, all nature was
hushed; they might have been the only
two living creatures on earth. And, for
the tim being, they would have been con-
tent to have the world to themselves. To-
night June knew the difference that the
society Of another human being can make
to all life, to all n~ature-knew how it can
fill every moment with a strange, heaven
ly rapture, marred only by remembering
how t1eeting is the joy.
Neither seemed disposed to talk much:
both were possessed by a sense of happi-
alCoos III " Cullc OuL uHu III up Ile
flowers on the bank, turning them to
many colored jewels.
"How | wish this could last forever!"
murmured Dallas, at last, bending a lit
tie toward June.
She smiled and sighed. The smile was
for content, the sigh for regret.
Suddenly an uneasy scruple came over
Dallas. Was he not acting a traitors
part to Tom-Tom, who would never have
been disloyal to any human being? Ought
he not, instead of making love to this fair
girl on his w account, to be pleading his
cousins cause? 1t was extremely repug-
nant to him, but the better side of his ma
ture was awake tonight. AnGl any
thought of marrying June himself was out
of the question. Some day he would be
n baronet, with a fair income; not, how
ever, in all probability, before he was
getting gray and well on in years; he had
several brothers and sisters, he had debts.
A penniless wife for him, therefore, was
a luxury not even to be contemplated in
the remotest manner. Tom-lucky chap!
had no factor to consult save his own
willard the lady's.
you were not serious the other day."
Dallas asked June, when you said that
you did not mean to marry Tom%'
For a moment all June's sense Of hap
piness vanished; n cold pang swept over
her. She had forgotten that Tom existed.
"Do not let us talk of him!' she said,
with u little gesture that conveyed dis
gust more eXpressively than she was
aware of.
mot much chance" thought Dallas,
4'for a man to whom a woman feels like
that" He was almost ashamed of him
self for the satisfaction which her action
gave him. "How you snubbed me that
first night at dinnerv' he said, with a half
smile, after a pause. Il never felt so
small. You turned your back on me all
dinner time, and, though l was watching
my opportunity like a cat to speak to you,
you never gave it me until, by a lucky ac-
cident, you dropped your fan under the
table. "
June smiled pensively. How well she
remembers that evening! how she likes to
think that he noticed her behavior!
why were you so unkindT"
81 wanted not to like you," she an
swers, simply. II made up my mind that
/ would not"
"But you have changed it now, have
you mott" looking into the depths Of her
eyes.
"Yes," she says.
Why should she lie to him? All! she
has indeed changed, if there ever was a
time when she did not like him. But was
there ever such a time?
ST." he says, tenderly, shave never
changed from the first moment that 1 saw
you. I can't tell you how much hurt 1
was that you would not be friends with
me. The only time / ever thought you
felt a little bit kind to me was that even
Ing of the dance. Do you r~ememberT'
Does June remember? Ay, most truly
does she.
She bends her head in answer
Il was dying to ask you again, but I
dared not. 1 thought it was best not"
Best for you and best for me-"
quotes June, smiling.
"Only for me-" he answers. 81 was not
such a conceited ass as to think It could
make any difference to you. And then 1
imagined that you belonged to Tom
June makes an impatient movement
through the water with her fingers. She
cannot bear any allusion to Tom tonight.
How divinely you dancer says Dali
las. Then, with n sudden inspiration,
why should we not jhave a waltz to-
night? My aunt plays dance llusic
charmingly."
"Oh, yes!' echoes June, her eyes kind
ling with pleasure; 'let us ask her!'
Dallas takes UP the SOULS, and in two
minutes they are at the landing place.