St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-01-09
Her Favorite
--Seat--
copyright. 1905, by Daily story Pub oo,
By ELLIOT WALKER

HE girls reply walled out with a
despairing. sobbing note, like the
cry OF one lost in the deep woods; one
VINO has wandered and struggled for
escape until the shadows of night fall
relentless and chill to extinguish the
aast ray OF the guiding sun, and with 1t,
hope.
Il cannot!" she cried. "Oh, Mr..
Malnway, it is impossible. can never
marry you. Never! You have been so
good to me-so kind. / wanted you
near-1 would not let myself think.
dld not believe-that is-it has been q
dream that I should not have dreamed
VI course you can't understand" Her
eyes 1mplored his as dying spaniel
gazes for help in the eyes of master.
Lawrence Mainway drank in the an
gulsh In her look and voice, and he did
not understand. This passionate out
burst answering his quiet, matter-of-
TACT proposal made his heart leap, to
presently throb with cold sinking of
confidence. There was f1nality behind
the long glance of alteration, the gath
erlng tear-drops, the parted, quivering
lips,-all loving signs, which staggered
his soul. He felt the uselessness of
pleading, of questioning. Was this
Corinne, who laughed by his side but
moment ago-chatting brightly, the
slender fingers clasping his brown hand
as he helped her through the stile? The
girl so happy and childlike, smiling in
his own joyful face, while his brain
formed the words he felt she was wait
ing to hear?
No, this was a woman, suddenly a
woman. broken, pitiful, new Corinne,
but, ali! so sweet and far away.
Dear" he said, gently, Il think you
love me' ~
Love you!" Mainway caught the
slight figure as it swayed to him. "Kiss |
me once!" trembled tenderness that f,
thrilled him like the first mounting of
strong wine. "just once, my-oh! only
once"
1t had been more than once, he re-
membered, as he stood leaning against |
the oak tree, trying to think connected
ly, wondering. She had left him so
quickly after that swift embrace. Why |
had he let her go? Yet he had, and |
with no attempt to follow as the swift |
feet moved down the road. Around the |
curve, an erect, graceful, Whitehead |
shape, she had disappeared with never |
backward glance.
Il will go home" muttered the man,
'and think this over. 1t can't be-
that"
For the suspicion of love is an alert |
quality and it might be there was i
another man. After all, what did he
know of her? Was it for him, too, a
hopeless dream?
The lawyer walked slowly back by
the highway. No, he would not seek
his room in that country hotel. Children
were padding in the brook-their
shouts annoyed him. On the piazza
stood his landlord, coatless, and holding
forth volubly to a group of village
loungers. Mainway tramped by in the
warm sun, across the bridge and on
toward the hills. Green, fragrant and
restful, they called him for the calm of
Natures soothing touch and sympa-
thetic whisper.
Hollyview. He had come to forget
the ofice-to fish-to cato loaf. A
tired young man, quiet, unobtrusive
guest, reserved and no trouble. "Only
Mr.. Mainway-a lawyer, spending few
weeks, and not very sociable.'
In the cool of ledge he stretched his |
long legs and lit his pipe. i
"Corinne," he said, aloud. "Corinne!"
1t was all very queer about it. Could
that first day have been two weeks ago?
A Sunday a fortnight. ( !
Idly rambling through the pastures. he Z
had encountered her sitting upon an (
old stone wall, bareheaded, with the I
sunset on her face, a soft and cheerful
light.
1t seemed to him that the radiance S