Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-06-25

| sreeaDle the arrangement is. have de-
| cloed to leave tomorrow. so YOU have
not a long martyrdom TO endure"
SO sudden decision is probably at
tributable to important business he
said sarcastically
No, all for your happiness she re-
sponded, airily.
You are very kind he replied for
mally.
moment passed in silence. He broke
the pause with sudden change of front.
HOW foolishly we have been talking.
Lois. You must not think OF going away
aud losing your vacation, and the rest
you so much need, on my account. Jack
would be awfully disappointed, for YOU
know you are his favorite sister. and
this is your first visit to his home since
MS marriage. And Mary, well. | know
1 that she Will guess the reason for your
departure, and be as disappointed as
| your brother at the sudden terslination
| OF your vlsit-Ch account of her brother.
| only this morning she was saying how
| she wished that you could stay all win
ter, and how ii cheered her to have you
| here you know she has not been very
well lateiy). As for myself, | was fool
| Ism enough to hope that we might get
| back to our OLD friendly footing.
| thought that it would depend on me-
and that certainly you would not refer
to that-must | say it-unfortunate oc-
| currence. You seem determined that |
| snail not have the chance to forget. even
| IL would, and act as though had COM
united crime that was likely to repeat
| at every opportunity. One grows useC
TO disappointment, even though he NAV
not be able to forget, and while your
| presence here has shown me how utterly
| l love YOU still"
She help up her hands and INTERRUPTED.
him with an exclamation of welI-as-
sumed alarm: Jack take care. if YOU
go on talking that way and looking at
me so, | shall surely think that you are
| going to propose again."
| Il promise you that am not. though"
| he replied. patiently. Il was just about
to say that even my love for you would
hardly make me lay my heart at your
feet when l know it would be trampled
| upon"
| Hasn't it occurred to you that our
being here and assuming such friendly
| relations as YOU desire might have ten
dency to creace false hopes in Mary's
mind? 1 know she used to hope-I be-
! lieve she prayed that you and THAT is.
that things might turn out differently"
l wouldn't be surprised. for used to
| DO that myself"
| Now. Jack. be careful; you know you
| said you wouldn't
| who SAID was going tor"
You look that way. | really think
| | will have to go tomorrow. early. Poor
fellow" she soliloquized, he don't know
what his eyes say"
| 1t won't be necessary for you to go
tomorrow. am going to-day"
| You are going to-day" she gasped.
How many minutes ago did you come
to that decsion?"
About five"
| You have been here week | sup
pose you are fully rested from the past
three years vacationless work.
thought Mary said that the doctor or
| dered three months rest for you. |
must have misunderstood her"
| Il don't need any more rest than you
| do" he replied
| She ignored his remark and went on:
Then faNorite brothers are not so
/ greatly missed by their sisters when it
has been only three years since they were
together"
He made no answer.
| And of course no one would guess
the real reason for your going so sud
| denly" She paused moment. then in
a different tone said: IL wonder if |
were to ask il as special favor to me,
| If YOU would stay
Only on one condition"
| And that isl"
| That you stay too"
Her heart was beating in her throat
| She knew that she could not keep up this
acting much longer. Not a day had
| passed in all that long three years since
she had said NO" to him the last time
he had asked her TO be his wife that she
| did not regret that answer. He had gone
| away and she had not seen him since
| until they met i'm her brothers home a
| few days ago, and she knew the moment
her eyes first met his that he loved her
| still in spite of the long silence which
| she herself had commanded. Since then
| her bold bantering was, she felt sure
the only thing that kept him from fall
ing at her feet, literally and figura-
/ lively. She was cruel, she knew il. and
| had little conscience smitten twangs
/ every time she lool cd into his eyes and
\ knew that il was in her power to fill
them with the old glad, joyous light
| that had been there before she had
| driven ii out. Why should she not use
that power? Why did she violate her
| own feelings and pain him so continu-
| ousy? Now there was a sicllening wear
in her heart that she had gone too far.
He waited for her answer. She made
quick resolve
| IF stay will you promise not to pro-
| pose to me once during the time?"
| Yes, promise"
| Then won't stay"
1 He looked at her in amazement, hardly
daring to believe his ears, then strobe
over to her, and standing close to her
| demanded:
| Lois, what do you mean?"
| She lifted a flushed but happy face and