Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-09

glanced through 1t hastily, rivers of
scarlet flowing over her checks rs she
recognized Hardiman's familiar bnck-
hand. She tore open the envelope
eagerly and scanned the contents with
whitening face. The paper fell from
her fingers, ana she leaned Imply
against the bnnistcr rail- SO she was
asked, In the bricfest possible way, to
resign and she had dared to dream
she had been so sure she had been
such n fool. She smothered the sob
IN her thront and In quick scorn of her
self dashed the hot tears from her
eyes. Then she pulled herself togeth-
or sharply and went upstairs. With
trembling fingers she filed out the
blank ard directed 1t to the board.
Drab weeks followed. Every cf-
fort the professor made to gain an au-
dicnce with Belinda failed. He had
mortified and insulted her nagrantly,
and she would see that he got no more
chances to repeat the indignity. AS to
lIardinan, lie was on the rack. Fool
like, he reflected, he had rushed In and
frightened her away with his maudlin
importunatc lovcmnlSing. and thus lost
her for good But perhaps, after all, II
was not for him that she cared, but
the other fellow! What dolt he Ind
been to presume upon the affection of
! Il mntchless creature like that, Life
grew to be II bitter struggle to him.
and he began all ut once to look his
thlrtyiiyc years.
| 1t WAS in May, almost the close of
school The day WIS warm and op-
pressive, and II 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 postoilicc. There were
several circulars In his box nnd-his
breath stoppeda communication from
the dead letter Office. lie broke the
seal nnxlously, an intuitive knowledge
| OF whit II contained making his heart
thnmp thlclsly. Sure enough: Miss
Belinda Maxwell, Greenvlllc, Colo"
| And this was Alabama! Unndultcr-
ntcd. blue labeled carclcssncss and
stupidity! If living In place five
years could make one responsible for
mn idiotc blnndcr of this sort, what
else had he not done? lie walked out
az the postolice In II dnzc. All was
clear enough now. She Ind mover
received his letter at ALL only that
wretched. COMPOUNDED blank No Won
der she had frozen the very air about
hlm-no wonder! Ont In the open mir.
4, he quickcncd his footsteps. 1t wns al
rcndy $40, only ten minutes before the
opening of school, but he turned dl-
rcctly into Oak street and forgot that
he Ind ever been such n thing MS prin-
clpal of the Grcenvlle High school.
In the distance he caught sight Of II
! familiar blue tailor made gown. He
doubled his pace and was quite up
! with lIclindn before she realized his
ncarness. TO her naughty glance, her
cool drawing away from him, Iardl-
man pnid no attention whatever, but
thrust the letter into her hands in n
determined masterful way which she
could not resist.
IIypnotized, she opened 1t and read
the lines through, the crimson moving
In her checks:
My Darllng-I want you to give up
| teaching and let mo do IL for both. i am
not mistaken In thinking that you Will
como to me? Just line. giving mo tho
right To spcnk. and shall attempt to tell
you In different why. In a thousand DIFF
fcrcnt ways. how much l worship you.
Most earnestly. r. w. H.
Belinda caught her breath In some
thing between sob and laugh as
she lifted her eyes shyly to his keen.
appealing, apologlzing and mt last COM
mnnding glance.
The professor was tardy, very tardy.
that morning, but he gave his excuse
of hcndnche gllbly and mcndaciously
and dismissed pupils and teachers for
Il holiday.
This he spent with Belinda.