The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-06-14


done. Perhaps the tone of her voice
showed him. Better a lifelong misun-
derstandlng than a disclosure-after
that. He breathed sigh Of genuine
relief.
"And yet you refused me-" he said,
watching her, and seeing for the first
time that tremulous color. "WhyT
"You have a right to ask. Yeti Is
difficult sometimes for woman to ex-
plain her reasons"
But you gave no hint In your an
swer. 1t was not that-that I am dis
tasteful to your
His voice was unreasonably anxious,
and he was unable now to take his
eyes from her face. How beautiful 1t
was in Its unexpected blushes!
"Ah, mol You must understand that
at least it was not that But. surely
we have known each other too long,
you and /, for any nonsense Of senti-
ment between us"
"Our engagement could have been
the shorter" returned Mr.. Sheringham,
almost gally. Now that his ordeal was
removed, he found himself enjoying
the interview amazingly. "And 80, for
this no reason at all, whlm which
you cannot even explain, you have con-
demned me to solitudev He sighed,
with gentle self pity, mental picture
of his bare bachelor lodging, in con-
trast with this dainty room, coming to
add pathos to words In which already
he more than half believed. "Ah, cruel,
cruel !"
my dear friend" said the widow,
"ls 1t possible that you have not yet
seen the absurdity of wishing to join
your life with that Of an old woman
like myselfY'
odd" cried Mr.. Sheringham gal
lanty. Perish the thought! you have
the advantage of me by years." He
meant it, too; with the danger behind
him, he felt that he could safely allow
himself the luxury of little sentimen-
tai regret. "If you are old, Annette,
what of me?
"A man Is different; bachelor is
a youth at CO."
Because he has never lived"
She smiled, and half held out her
hand as though to place 1t upon his,
then drew 1t back again. "Your views
are not altered then," she said softly
after d moment (and surely the hesita-
ton might have warned him) you
still wish to hear my reason for reply
ing to you as did"
"Can you ask it2"
"Then will tell you. 1t was be-
cause, having to answer to you imme-
diately, wrote in such haste that per-
haps'-again she hesitated, then fin
ished in tones that weer barely audi
ble-"perhaps l did not wait to know
my own mind"
What" Mr.. Sherlngham had been
listening In a pleased reverie, soothed
by the gentle murmur Of her voice.
He sprang up, white with emotion.
lis 1t so difficult to understand ~
Mrs. Pilkington raised her eyes to his,
smiling shyly-"the woman's privilege.
am an old woman, but not yet, l
fear, very wise one How astonish-
ed you look. Could you not see what 1t
was that has been making me SO fool
lshly nervous ever since you came in?
If-lf you, too, had regretted your de-
cision, you should never have known.
But now-now, Augustus, If you still
want me. 1t shall be as you wish!"
Mr.. Sheringham gasped. The come
ly figure Of Mrs. Pllkington danced
grotesquely before his vision, the floor
seemed to be giving way beneath him.
Only two ineligible thoughts remain
ed In his mind-one was that it was
now become absolutely impossible to
undeceive his old friend, the other that
somehow, In the last ten minutes, he
had fallen In love with her.
"Annette" he said, "Annette!' It
was the only thing to say, and he fol-
lowed 1t gallantly with the one action
that was appropriate to the circum-
stances.
How we shall astonish people"
murmured Mrs. Pilklngton.
YES" said Mr.. Sheringham truth
fully, at ls no doubt something of a
surprise-for everybody"
"Tell me, Augustus" said his fiance,
somewhat later, when they were seat
ed upon the sofa, 'how came you to
be at West Point yesterday"
AT West Point" Mr.. Sheringham
looked bewildered.
"Yes. Your letter-the letter-was
post-marked from there"
"Oh, of course, yes" said the lover,
"the fact is ran up to have look at
my nephew, Tom-Mary's eldest, you
know" he explained.
Mrs. Pilkington gazed at him admir-
ingly. "How like your kind heart"
she said-''to think of a schoolboy-at
such a crisisr
''Not at ALL" said Mr.. Sheringham.
AS matter of fact he was thinking
of him at that moment, but his thoughts
were OF too tumultuous and contradic-
tory a nature to be expressed in
words.