Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-06-12

curiosity, at worst foolish jealousy, Lavender yet persisted: Then you you did not know her before?"
 "How could I have had that pleas ure? You know that was my first ap' pearance in St. Charles. Rather an inauspicious debut, wasn't it?"
 Quickly over the girls mind flashed the conversation she had heard at the frolic; the gossip ol the "branch-water girl" and her "city beau.''
 In an attempt to make the crooked straight, she repeated the talk to him now, concluding: None of the gossip of the city cavalier impressed me at the time, but later, when heard of the meeting in the wood. it seemed req !. sonable to think that-that you were the man.
 She faltered through this with an apologetic blush, and for a moment I Ninslow was silent. 3a.sss--e-- -.-., ..... . { Then: 'Reasonable?' he echoed My effort to please you has surely been in vain if you think it reason able that I could stoop to secret trips to St. Charles for the sly wooing of a < rustic maid"
 Indignation rose with speech, and he finished, sternly: You have done mot only me, but yourself-a great $ injustice" V She was dumb; stricken with an over { whelming sense of loss-loss of the , man who was more than worthy of the love which she now realized had al ways been his-must ever be his. And Winslow's manner softened as { she dropped before him in sweet con { triton. Never mind, sweetheart" he said, tenderly; but she interrupted him with sudden vehemence: Then why did they remind me over and over again that you killed her father, and"
 ?. v,yFor a moment Charles forgot his v promise to Sue Miller, and burst out: T? Killed her father?"
 SThen with swift recollection of his bond of silence: GO on" he said, calmly.
 "I was going to say that the circum- stances under which you took his life, as have since learned them, make his death appear in-well, in different light"
 But still bad? You would think it better if no mans blood cried to me from the ground?"
 Unconsciously she sighed in consent, but quickly answered.: Tt is so diff ferent to me now. He was not the fa- ther protecting his child, but an an tagonist who sprang at you nilHSsares,"
 He did not reply. and she went on: But there must have been mistake; the old man probably thought you were another. Did not the girls lover appear?"
 q saw nobody" he declared.
 Docs anyone know who he is, or do they all think of you as I did?"
 He did not look at her as he replied, indirectly: Tt is a matter of indif- ference to me what they think, so long as am right In your eyes. And you-you believe in me. now?"
 He bent closer, trying to see into her eyes. But she kept them turned from him. fixed with unseeing gaze upon the river hurrying past them.
 She did believe in him with faith unalterable. but as that faith grew. rose another mist of doubt--doubt of that other, of that man who had held the mirror wherein winslow had ap- peared in such bad light to her dis torted vision. Was he, too, mistaken, or was he purposely misleading her? She dared not reason calmly. To dis trust Gonzaga now would mean mis- ery-would set all her hopes adrift For was he not her betrothed. her ! mothers choice for her' The man who was to bring that mother back to . home and life?
 The last thought stilled the tumult in her breast, and remorse toward winslow, thwarted love for him. sus- picion of Gonzsga. all sank-veighed in this last scale. Her mothers health and comfort had before seemed all important; was it only because. in her own unhappy state. nothing mattered anyway? When the one man in the world was gone out of her life. 1t had seemed easy 10 dedicate it 10 flial piety. But now-now that his love was hers. that the boon was within reach. was she to forget That had heen so plain a duty? Because the plan was now q sacrifice. indeed, vas che to renounce it? Conscience told her that though the path of duty were harder. it was just as clear.
 He interrupted her musing: We must not finger. dearest" And he cook both her hands to help her up beside him: then. with sudden passion, drew her close.
 But al the first sign of her rebellion sie gently released her, and they stood. the man and the maid. facing each ether in the road
 ] squirrel ran. una.raid. across skeir path A blackbird scolded from = walnut tree near. and ths sceat of the green nuts vas ovsrpOEeri1E Ever afterwards their pungent fra granre called 10 mind this scene the sandy road with is border of tan sled grass. and in the center Of the picture the girl ankle deep ia flower ing weeds. On the mrslin bodice vas . stain of pokebsrry juice. forming . crimson cross on her hrsas.