Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-11-22

she stood tapping her small foot on
the ground and plucking at the cheap
but neat lace on her dress-watchei
her absent-mindedly.
| Suddenly she turned her head, as
one instinctively does when one is
watched, her dark face flushed and
she made a movement as if to conceal
herself behind the trees, but as Cyril
mechanically raised his hat she step
ped forward and stood looking at him
haif-shyly, half-defantly.
1T is very warm said Cyril, for
! the sake of saying something, wonder
ing whether she was servant, and in
clined to decide that she was a far
mer's daughter.
Becca inclined her head.
Yes she said. What are you do
ing?' and her dark eyes wandered
curiously to the picture
Painting" he replied. checking a
smile
She came up to him and looked at
the sketch, and the thought crossed
| Cyril's mind that he had quite a grand
private view that day.
Its very pretty she said; then,
as she looked at him again she made a
half curtsey and said, her face GRIM
son: Il beg your pardon, sir. T.
| didn't know you were gentleman"
Didn't you? Well, that's a mistake
other people Nten make. And, after
all, perhaps I'm not But we won't
argue the question: you have done
nothing that requires my pardon. Are
you waiting for some one?s
No. she said in low voice. Il
was looking at the DEER
He nodded. He was sure that he
had not seen her before, and yet some
how her voice seemed familiar to him.
Suddenly there flashed upon him the
recollection of the fragment of con-
versation he had heard by the horse
pond last night and he looked at her
with more interest.
do you live near here?" he asked.
SIN the village, SIR
we'll suppose | mustn't ask you
your name?" he said, with the frank
smile in his eyes and about his lips
that was SO characteristic and irresist-
ible
''Oh, yes, sir; I'm Becca South"
! "Becca? That's short for Rebecca,
l suppose? Well, it's a pretty name,
and''-"you're pretty girl he was
going to add, thoughtlessly, but it
struck him at the moment that it was.
scarcely wise thing to add to the
vanity already existing behind the
pretty face-"and now l must be
going" he said instead, and he began
to pack up his things. In doing SO he
dropped his box of colors, and Becca
quite naturally went down on one knee
to help in their recovery.
you are very kind and l am very
clumsy he was saying, with laugh,
when, as if from the ground Guilford
Berton and his black horse stood be-
fore them.
Becca uttered cry and let drUJ
the box, and Cyril, looking up, fancied
he saw, if not fear, look of recogni-
ton in her face, which had grown sud-
denly peony-colored; but Mr.. Gull
ford Berton glanced at her in a ours
ory sort of way.
All, Becca," ne said carelessly.
She stood for minute, her eyes
fixed upon the ground, then putting
the box on the edge of the easel, turn.
ed and disappeared among the trees
Mr. Burne-for have learned in.
the village that that is your name-I
nave come to offer you an apology
for my-discourtesy this morning. I
was engaged in deep thought when l
came upon you suddenly, and, being
quite unprepared for your presence.
II candidly admit-lost my temper.
beg to tender you an apology"
4 accept it, Mr.. Berton,'' he said
L fancy we both lost our tempers.
didn't we? At any rate, 1 am sure 1
did But, you see, disliked being dis
turbed at my work as much as YOU
did at your thinking. And after all it
was | who was in the wrong. as well
l suppose he said good-naturedly
for he was going to say, "as you tried
to make me out"
I hear that you are staying at
the rooms at The Chequers?"
Yes" said Cyril, "and very ioliy
little rooms they are.'
Yes. | am living in a small ,ot-
tage in the lane close by: any one
viii show it to you. Perhaps If Won
are not more probably or pleasantly
engaged you will come in and smoke
cigar with me this EVENING".
He gave the invitation almost in the
same tone as that in which he had
offered his apology. and Cyril would
have liked to have declined. but think
ing it would seem ungracious. he ac-
cepted at once
Il shall be very pleased he re,
Piled