Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-09-21


and you speak as If wished to change
my state. So much do the best OF men
know of womenv' she added mourn
fully. $50 much do you, after all these
years, know Of me! Why. sir, have
never had a thought of such things. 1
have never sought to be seen even, or
to meet any living man since the day
the day when Clifford left me; and now
that am young no longer. you speak to
me of finding happiness in loving some
lone but him! You meant well, Mr.. Fol-
lett, you meant well--but you don't
know me, even after all these years.
1t is, doubtless, good thing for a
man to escape being rejected; and MI.
Follett's intense disappointment was. L
doubt not, tempered by thankfulness
that Jane had never for moment sus-
pected him of speaking for himself
But her very blindness showed him the
more strongly In what light she viewed
him. even if her own indignant words
had not so plainly set 1t forth.
81 have never sought to be seen by
or to meet living man since the day
that Clifford left mer'
He, the Vicar Of Chesterford, classed,
palpably with Huntley. the married
doctor, or Mr.. Gillett of the mill, or
any other aged man Of the parish who
happened to wear a coat instead OF
gown! He felt horribly. intensely BIT
ter towards her He thought he hated
her. He thought her faithfulness to
Clifford the obstinate. stiff-necked fancy
Of fool. He thought her declaration
Of It to himself indelicate. vain, heart
less; and, under the influence Of these
genial feelings, he: broke out into the
following speech:
81 beg your pardon for what have
said. Jane-I beg your pardon for be-
lieving your heart to have the slightest
need of support or affection. AS you
Justly say, you have never seen or been
seen by any one worthy to receive your
love since Mr.. Mohun left. Fortunate
ly, as you are averse to the thought
Of marrying. you are now again to have
a neighbor from whom you will know
you have nothing but friends regard
to fear. Mr.. Clifford Mohun is coming
back. Jane! l am here at this moment
for the express purpose Of telling you.
Clifford Mohun is coming back to re-
cruit, If possible, some Of his shattered
fortunes by living quietly at Yatton.
I hope you will pardon my uninten-
tional offense, now that have given
you this exceeding good news Of the
prodigars return"
AS he spoke strange light came
across Miss Grand's face. She forgot
Mr.. Follett, forgot that be had wound
ed her pride, that he was speaking
bitterly to her or speaking at all. Gift
ford was returning. the dream of her
life-G Clifford, broken and weary. return
ing to her-was to come true. Her
eyes filed and sank to the ground; her
lips trembled; faint color rose up in
her cheeks. For a few moments the
years of heavy pain seemed lifted from
her, and she was girl again, listening
at the little wicket for Mohun's step in
the twilight; few moments, thcn she
remembered Mr.. Follett, and that if
she was going to shed any more foolish
tears of Joy it would be disereeter to
escape and shed them alone than to
weep here with him for an audience.
AS she raised her eyes, however, fall
tering out something about the sud-
denness Of the news and the way in
which it had overmastered her she
found that she was already alone.
There are probably few men generous
enough to- appreciate the charm of
bushes called forth by thoughts of an
old lover Immediately after the rejec-
ton Of themselves; and the Vicar of
Chesterfield did not. with all his vir-
tues. possess the supcrhuman qualities
requisite for such self-abnegation. He
had turned abruptly away at the first
faint color that rose into poor James
delighted, downcast face, and at this
moment {bitter at his own folly In hav-
ing spoken Of love at all. bitter at Miss
Grand for her unwilling refusal OF his
suit and trebly bitter against himself
for his own last ungencrous speech to
herr was making his way back to the
vicarage fierce and fast beucath the
sultry morning sun.