The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-02-01
A Letter AND ITS Result.

>~~~0~~s~
a o that's the way the land lies, Is
~ it," asked Ivy Lyle.
The sensitive face under the big.
rosc-,ined sunhat was very white. Her
lips Quivered little. The hands that
held the vagrant sheet trembled.
| Il thought" said the girl to herself.
Il hadn't begun to care--in that way.
l was only becomlng-attracted But
the shock-the dlsillusion--"
When she had started out an hour
ago for her usual brisk morning walk
along the crisp, shelving sands, she
| had been one Of the most Indifferent,
| light-hearted Of girls. She was done
with college and the two years OF for
elgn travel that had succeeded school
rs a sort of polishing process. She
had perfect health. and misty dreams
Of all the yelled future held In its
Keeping. She had esthetic tastes. and
her skill In athletic sports was the ad-
mlratlon Of her less vigorous girl
friends. She had been having beau
| tiful time down at this gay, uncon-
ventional resort OIL the Michigan coast.
And now-well, temporarily 1t seemed
that her pleasure was spoiled.
And In her heart she knew that she
must have been beginning to think too
much Of the man whose attentions to
her had been so marked, or else this
discovery would not SO affect her. Sit.
ting to rest and watch the white-crest-
ed waves come curling up to break OIL
| the border Of the lake like threads of
rarest lace, her attention had been
caught by a small, white. whirling OBJ
! ject that at first sight she had taken
for bird. 1t had whisked lower and
nearer. Then 1t foated so close she
could put out her hand and grasp 1t,
and she found 1t was a sheet Of note
paper covered with dlminutlve CHR
tionery of the fashionable hotel loom.
Ing up on the dunes behind her. At
first she had been about to crumple II
up and cast It aside. But In the very
! act Of doing SO name--her own name.
met her eye.
Even then size hesltated. But the
three words were SO significant she
must know their writer's full meaning.
The page was the continuation Of a
letter. And the first three words at
the top Of the page were love Ivy
Lylew Impulsively. giving herself no
chance to weigh the niceties of honor
In the balance, she scanned the page
love Ivy Lyle. I've fought against
it--for ! can't afford to marry her, as
you know. But she has rather swept
me on my feet, old chap! At first
was taken with her innocent beauty
There was no one at this big hostelry
to compare with her for good looks.
So let myself drift. I thought she
was just a dear little country girl, and
that 1t would be easy to say a sentl-
mental farewell when the summer was
over. You know what these warm.
weather flirtations amount to. SO I've
been going to see her steadily and tax.
ing her everywhere. We've gone
dancing and swimming and boating
and all the rest Of 1t. And-by Jove!
for all she's mighty quiet, I've come to
find out she's not the typical little
country girl at all. She's well read
and travelled. though she seemed rath-
Or aghast when she let that fact out.
And she looks at fellow I'm a cool,
'apprising sort Of way that makes him
feel pretty chenp---if his spoken
thoughts are not quite up to her white
standard. But she's not really In the
social swim. She's native, I take II.
It's been hard to pin her down to any
confidence about herself. She lives
with a very dragon of an aunt at n
farmhouse on the edge OF town. She
wears her cotton dresses ana shade
hats In way that takes the shine out
of women up at the hotel. but I've
never seen her sport any OF the swell
clothes they wear to the hops here.
Oh, confound II! What's the use of
my incoming away to you at this rate?
I've got to go away and try to forget
her before It's too late.
"DamarIs Chase and her father are
to be here this week. they tell me. And
she's the girl the heads OF both our
houses expect me 10 marry! Sne may
have the good taste to refuse me--and
almost hope she will. She's a great
heiress. and the consolidation OF the
business interests would be a capital
thing: but, oh. hang me II thought
Il would be 20 hard to get that little
girls sweet face out Of my heart.
must do the sensible thing. and 20 In
for the twenty thousand year. Lord!
but I'm sorry for those poor devils OF
kings who have to wed for reasons of
state. ! feel dlsgustingly like ono Of
them. I'm sleepy. Good night-I'll
finish this in the morning. Ten to one
I dream Of Ivy Lyle:
1t needed no signature. The writer
was easily recognized. She crumpled
The nauap tt0hftv In her hand and