The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-08-16

glanced through IL hastily, rivsrs Of
scarlet flowing over her cheeks - abe
recognized Hardiman's familiar back
hand. She tore open the envelope
eagerly and scanned the conten4n with
whitening face. The paper fell FROM
her fingers, and she leaned Imply
against the banister rail. So she was
asked, In the briefest possible wy, 10
resign, and she had dared 10 dream
she had been 80 sure-she had been
such a fool! She smothered the sob
Ia her throat and In quick scon OF her
self dashed the hot tears from her
eyes. Then she pulled herself togeth-
or sharply and went upstairs. With
trembling fingers she filled out the
blank and directed Il to the board.
Drab weeks followed. Bvery ef-
fort the professor made to gain an au-
dience with Belinda failed. He bad
mortified and insulted her nagraptly,
and she would see that he got no more
chances to repeat the indignity. As b
Hardiman, he was on the rack. Eool.
like, he reflected, he had rushed In and
frightened her away with his maudlin.
lmportunafe lovemaking, and thus lost
her for good. But perhaps, after all, II
was not for him that she cared, but
the other fellow! What a dolt he had
been to presume upon the affection Of
q matchless creature like that Life
grew to be a bitter struggle to him,
and he began all at once to look his
thirty-nve years
It was in May, almost the close OF
school The day was warm and on
pressive, and a lazy breeze was blow
Ing. The professor made his way in
absent WEAKNESS toward the school
house, stopping on the way to get his
mail from the postoflce. There were
several circulars in his box and-his
breath stopped-a communication from
the dead letter office. He broke the
seal anxiously, an intuitive knowledge
Of what It contained making his heart
thump thickly. Sure enough: Miss
Belinda Maxwell, Greenville, Colo"
And this was Alabama! Unadulter-
ated. blue labeled carelessness and
stupidity II living in a place five
years could make one responsible fol
an idIotic blnnder of this sort, what
else had he not done? He walked Out
Of the postoffice In a daze. All wal
clear enough now. She had never
received his letter at all, only that
wretched, COMPOUNDED blank! No won
der she had frozen the very air about
hlm-no wonder! Out in the open air
he quickened his footsteps. It was al
ready $40, only ten minutes before tn,
opening Of school, but he turned di
rectly into Oak street and forgot thai
he had ever been such a thing as prin
cipal OF the Greenville High school.
, In the distance he caught sight Of ;
familiar blue tailor made gown. II,
doubled his pace and was quite VI
with Belinda before she realized hi
| nearness. To her naughty glance he
! cool drawing away from him, Hard
. man paid no attention whatever, blu
3 thrust the letter into her hands in
! determined, masterful way which sh
r could not resist.
Z Hypnotized, she opened it and rea,
!, the lines through, the crimson mOvln
D In her cheeks:
7 Ny DarlinE-I want you to give u
!. teaching and let me do 1t for both. al
not mistaken In thinking that you wi
= come 70 met Just Q line. giving me N
= right 20 speak, and I shall attempt to te
g you in q different way. in q thousand al
a terent ways, how much i worship yo'
!, Most earnestly. r. W. H.
;. Belinda caught her breath in somt
thing between a sob and a laugh q
y she lifted her eyes shyly to his keel
q appealing apologixing and at last con
q handing glance.
Il The professor was tardy, very tard
70 that morning. but he gave his excul
n Of q headache glibly and mendaciOusl
L and dismissed pupils and teachers {,
II q holiday.
4 Thia he spent with Belinda.