Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-10-18
IL MAKING SURE. VI
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"How do ! know" repeated the
man, visibly embarrassed for the mo-
ment. Perhaps a little bird whis-
pered it to me, as children say"
But they don't have little birds
on ships at sea- responded the
young woman with a pensive air.
"Oh, don't they! Why, every
woman aboard-yourself excepted, of
course-is a little bird of gossip. II
you could only evoke the confidence
of Lady Louisa or Mrs. Martin
though / don't mean to imply that
either dear lady constituted the little
bird in this case; that might be a
breach of faith on my part-she
would tell you things about yourself
which would literally amaze you.
Habitual globe trotters of the gentler
sex and distinctly uncertain age are
the most vicious gossips between
heaven and the axis of the earth"
You are cynical" she remarked,
leaning her pretty chin in the palm
of her hand and gazing at the vast
waste of waters stretching away
from the side of the vessel.
Women always think a man is
cynical if he happens to have dag
nosed correctly any outstanding char
acteristic of her SEX" he answered,
deprecatingly. Say I was indiscreet
and I'll admit it, for l have given
you the opportunity to evade my
question"
Which was--?" she inquired,
with an exaggerated air of WEAKNESS.
Which was that you are going out
to marry a fellow you engaged your
self to SO many years ago that you've
forgotten what he's like"
That's not question; that's an
assertion. And I'd ask you to reflect
before you apply a reference to
many years in relation to myself.
How many feet in the grave would
you estimate l have?"
Still prevaricating," he muttered
sadly. But seriously" he added, 81
should like to know if that is really
the reason YOU are going out alone?"
YES" she murmured, the corners
of her mouth dropping for moment.
"And you have not seen him for
many-for some little time? 1 had
hoped that-that-that is to say, L
we'll
She waited for him to clear away
antiquities. There was a singularly
attractive droop to her eyelids, and
slight suggestion of determination in
the pressure of her lips.
You had hoped?" she said tenta-
lively.
Il checked my words" he replied
quickly Please recollect that I
checked my words! And it must be
obvious to you that l did so because
they would have been inexcusable in
the circumstances"
How tantalizing you are, to be
sure!" she exclaimed. After half
an hours talking and pausing-
chiefly pausing-you arrive at the
point of saying something compli-
mentary, and then, by way of a
change from pausing, I suppose, You
check yourself. Could YOU reach my
book, do you Think"
He shot quick side glance at her,
and his eyes cleaned angrily as he
leaned forward and picked up the
volume
May I, then, tell you that hoped
the rumor was not true?"
did you?" she inquired, gentle
smile ripping her pretty cheeks.
But it is" she added softly, with a
modest sigh.
Perhaps the prospect is not alto
gether inviting TO you?" he hazard
ed, with insinuation.
"Oh," she murmured, brushing
something imaginary from her skirt
with nervous gesture, well, you
see, it is necessarily something like q
risky speculation after 81 long a sep
aration, isn't it? l mean that time
works great changes in men, and the
friends of our youth are apt to de-
generate into bores and cranks in
maturer years, and since it is posi-
BILE that my f1ance could have
changed altogether from what he
was when he taught me how to care
for him-and it is quite possible. of
course it is!-well, the marriage lot
terry becomes a lottery indeed. l
may draw a first prize, and l may
draw something distinctly more dis
couraging tina blank.
Then why put yourself in such a
lottery?" he asked, after a stifed
gasp for breath
oh" she responded, in a far
away tone, "a promise is a promise.
isn't it? And he is awfully fond OF
me, or of his recollection of me as he
knew me.
And" he said, after biting his
mustache viciously, you are pre-
ipared to fulfill your promise even at
THE risk of spelling your whole life,
and rendering his unutterably
wretcned with the knowledge that
you have done So"
Yes" she responded, with little
sigh of resignation. II suppose |