Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-08-30

"Of course! Great joke, wasn't it?"
assented the young man, rather awk-
wardly.
Down tie broad sweep of roadway,
running between its granite coping,
they strobe at smart pace
You know you complimented my
walking powers on that other walk
we took, away off there where the
sun goes down."
Eyes, of course" he replied absently.
Nov, he's beginning" she sad to
herself, noting his absent and some
what embarrassed manner.
In reality he was thinking how few
were the days ago he would have held
this the dearest of all privileges, and
how strange that he should now prize
1t so lightly, almost prefer, indeed, not
to have it; that he should regard her,
Of all women, "the fairest of all flesh
on earth" with nervous distrust.
She was dressed in tan corduroy;
elation was in her face; her waist, as
she stepped, showed supple as will
low; her suede-gloved little hands were
compact and tempting to his grasp.
His senses breathed the air of her per-
feet and compelling femininity. But
sharper than all these impressions
rang the words of the worldly-wlse
Higbee: "She's hunting night and day
for a rich husband; she tries for them
as fasL as they come; she'd rather mar
ry a sub-treasury-she'd marry me in
a minute-she's marry you; but If you
were broke she'd have about as much
use for you -"
Her glance was frank, friendly, and
encouraging. Her deep eyes were clear
as trout-brook. He thought he saw
in them once almost a tenderness for
him.
She thought, "He does love mel"
Outside the grounds they turned
down bridle-path that led off through
the woods-off through the golden sun
wine of an October day. The air bore
clean autumn spice, and faint salty
scent blended with it from the distant
sound. The autumn silence, which is
the only perfect silence in all the
world, was restful, yet full Of sig
nificance, suggestion, provocation.
From the spongy lowland back of them
came the pleading sweetness of a
meadow-lark's cry. Nearer they could
even hear an occasional leaf fiutter and
waver down. The quick thud of a
falling nut was almost loud enough to
earn its echo. Now and then they saw
a lightning flash of vivid turquoise and
heard a jays harsh scream.
In this stiffness their voices instinc-
lively lowered, while their eyes did
homage to the wondrous play Of COL
or about them. Over yielding brown
carpet they went among maple and
chestnut and oak, with their bewilder-
ing changes through crimson, russell,
and amber to pale yellow; under the
deep-stained leaves of the sweet-gum
they went, and past the dogwood with
scarlet berries gemming the clusters Of
its dim red leaves.
But through all this waiting, incit-
ing silence Miss Milbrey listened in
vain for the words she had felt so GER
tain would come.
Sometimes her companion was VOL
uble; again he was taciturn-and
through it all he was doggedly aloof.
Miss Milbrey had put herself bravely
in the path Of Destiny. Destiny had
turned aside. She had turned to meet
it, and now it frankly fed. Destiny,
as she had construed it, was turned a
fugitive. She was bruised, puzzled,
walk back, when this much had been
made clear, the silence was intolerably
oppressive. Without knowing why,
they understood perfectly now that
neither had been ingenious.
"She would love the money and play
me for fool" he thought, under the
surface talk. Youth is prone to en-
dow it's opinions with all the dignity
of certain knowledge.
yet I am certain he loves me-"
thought she. On the other hand, youth
is often gifted with a credulity divine
and unerring.
At the door as they came up the
roadway a trap was depositing a man
whom Miss Milbrey greeted with evil
dent surprise and some restraint. He
was slight, dark, and quick of move
ment, with finely cut nostrils that ex-
banded and quivered nervously like
those of a high-bred horse in tight
check
Miss Milbrey introduced him to Per-
cival as Mr.. Ristine.
81 didn't know you were hereabouts,"
she said.
I've run over from the Bloynes to
dine and do Halloween with you," he
answered, flashing his dark eyes quick
ly over Percival and again lighting the
girl with them.
Surprises never come singly," she
returned, and Percival noted a curious
little air of defiance in her glance and
manner.
Now it is possible that Solomon's
implied distinction as to the mans way
with a maid was not, after all, so i'll
advised.
For young Bines, after dinner, fell
in love with Miss Milbrey all over
again. The normal human mind 60
ing to one extreme will inevitably
gravitate to its opposite If given time.
Having put her away in the conviction
that she was heartless and mercenary
having tasted in the desert of doubt
he now found himself detecting in
her an unmistakable appeal for SYM