Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-01-20

of meaning. MISS Mailing flashed
glance at him as she asked:
did wake you? II was quite unin-
territorial on my part"
''And involuntary on mine"
Pauline, fearing that the conversation
was getting beyond her control, turned
quickly and caught up the first picture
that came to her hand from the open
portfolio.
AS was to be expected, Jack had spent
many of his spare hours during the last
lonely fortnight in painting her portrait
from memory; and it was this that she
caught up in her nervous haste.
"Oh, Mr.. Dornton!" she exclaimed, in
rapturous tones. Even her vanity was
satisfied. and she blushed genuinely at
the lovely picture Jack had made or her.
Il am sorry you found mat. You will
perhaps think it gross presumption; if so,
| can destroy it. l can't wish it undone,
for it has given me so many pleasant
hours
Presumption No, indeedl l feel as-
tonshed at the truthfulness and the fiat
terry you have managed to combine in
the picture
After that there was an awkward
pause. Pauline half wished to hear Jack
say that he loved her, and she half dread
ed it, for she had not yet made up her
mind as to how she would answer him.
Her wish was fulfilled sooner than she
anticipated.
Jack showed her his sketches one after
another, and they were discussed, criti-
cised and replaced. AS he put the last
one back into the portfolio he turned and
addressed her abruptly. With such i'm
petuous force did his words flow that
she was compelled to listen to the end.
with regard to my staying here, Miss
Mailing, | did not care to discuss the
matter further before Mrs. Seton at
luncheon; but | must do so now
He drew a deep breath, and clinched
his hand firmly on the back of a chair.
Il cannot dare not stay here with
out telling you the truth; for, if | allow
my feelings to become any stronger than
they are, and meet disappointment in the
end, I'm afraid l shall not be responsible
for my actions. Miss Mailing, | love
you-madly. While l am telling you
this know the chances are that you will
presently turn your back and say, as you
leave me- Please quit my house at once;'
stay in your presence with safety another
hour unless you give me some hope. l
have loved you from the moment l woke
and saw you that morning in the wood.
You will say that is not very long; to me
it is lifetime. l never lived until that
moment. l shall never live again if you
send me away"
His face was very pale when he ceased
speaking. Pauline stood near him, the
color coming and going in her cheeks,
her eyes fixed on his face; but she said
never, a word. When he spoke again his
words came slowly, hesitatingly, and his
voice had a stifed sound, as if choked
with despair.
You have no answer for me; but you
do not tell me to leave you! 1t cannot
be that, Pauline; heart al my heart,
queen of my soul, you love mel''
His last words died away to a whisper
of intense rapture; and, as Pauline felt
his arms encircle her, his kisses on her
lips, she forgot all the shadows that
lurked in the past, forgot all the ques-
tionable means she had employed to at
tain this end. She only knew that she
loved him with all the force of her ma
ture, that she was loved in return and
for the moment there was in her heart
as supreme a joy as was ever felt by a
woman.
(To be continued)