Evening journal., 1905-04-11
cHApTER XIV.

tkseeS remembrance. When we came /
back for another vacation the fields I
were aglow with color and the roads |
were now overdrifted with meadow
music and the smell Of clover. ] haG |
creditably taken examination for coll
lege. where was 20 begin my course
IN the fall with n scholarship. Hope
had made remarkable progress in music
and was soon going TO 0gdensburg for
instruction.
A year had gone nearly since Jed
Feary had cautioned me about falling
IN love. had kept enough Of my heart
about me ito DO business with" but /
had continued TO feel an uncomfortable
absence in the region Of It, Young men
nt Hilsborough-m Of whom. felt
ture. had a smarter look than I-had
bid stubbornly for Hopes favor. ! won
dered often it did not turn her head
this tribute OF rustic admiration. But
she seemed 60 be an unconscious OF Its
cause and went about her work with
small conceit OF herself Many a time
they had tried to take her from my arm
Mt the church door-a good natured
phase OF youthful rivalry there in those
days-but she bad always said laugh
i1gly. "No. thank YOU" and chung all
the closer to me. Now Jed Feary had
no knowledge Of the WORRY 1t gave me
or of the peril Il suggested. ] knew
that II felt free to tell him all he
would give me other counsel.
/ was now seventeen and She a bit
older. and had I mot heard of many
young men and women who had been
engaged even married at that
ageg Well rs 20 happened. a day be-
fore she left us TO go Is her work in
Ogdensburg where She WIS TO live with
her uncle. l made an end of delay.
considered carefully what a man ought
TO say in the circumstances, and /
thought ! had near an accurate notion
We were 10 the garden together the
playground Of our childhood.
"IIope / have secret 10 tell YOU"
] said
"A secret She exclaimed eagerly. II
love secrets" .r.
"a greai secretH repeated. as ] felt
ny face burning
Why it must be something awfulV'
"Not very" stammered Having
MISSED my cue nom. the beginning,
WAS h5Ua aftaf s-eongusad. .s.-, e.-s..s
"WllHam.' she exclaimed. what is
Tie matter Of your
ell am ia love" said ], very awk-
wardly
s.llat alli' SIC answered, q trace
Of lan9f n her tone. i thought \
was bad news" iaM ~2 1~ Z
Z stopped to piekra rose ana handed
Sc 70 her.
'Wel." she remarked soberly, but
smiling little as she lifted the rose to
her HIPS "is Il amy one know
felt lf was going badly with me,
but caught sudden inspiration.
.You have never seen her" said.
II She had suspected the truth had
turned the tables on her, and now she
was guessing a quick change came
into her face, and Cor a moment II gave
me confidence
rs she pretty?" she asked very
seriously as she dropped the flower and
looked down, crushing it beneath hel
foot. reN
"shc is very beautiful It is you
love, Hope"
a flood Of color came into her cheeks
then, as she stood a moment looking
down at the flower in silence.
Il shall keep your secret" she said
tenderly and hesitatng as she spoke
''and when you are through college
and you are older and am older-an,
you love me as you do now-I hope
shall love you, too-as-I do now"
Her lips were trembling as she gav'
me that sweet assurance, dearer TO mn
far dearer-than all else remembe
OF that golden time, and tears wer
coursing down her cheeks. For mysel
was in worse plight Of emotion.
dare say she remembered also the lool
Of my face in that moment.
do not speak Of it again." she salt
as we walked away together on tn
shorn sod Of the orchard meadow, nov
sown with apple blossoms. ''untl W
are older, and If you never speak agaii
shall know you-you do not love m
any longer"
The dinner horn sounded. We turn
ed and walked slowly back.
do look all right7" she asked, turr
ing her face to me and smiling sweetly
"All right" / said. Nobody woul
know that any one loved you-excep
for your beauty and that one tear trac
on your cheek"
She wiped it away as she laughed.
Mother knows anyway" she said
"and she has given me good advice