Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-02-25
NUMBER 8.

grow It rs soon as she met other men
and could form some standards OF
measurement and comparison. Ones
first experiences OF the divine fire did
not last. 1t was merely preparation
for the more sane and reasonable love
of comparative maturity.
81 am the first friend you ever had"
he told her, land naturally your feel
ing Is intensified because all you are at
present capable Of Is concentrated on
one object"
He felt the absurdity of his cold
blooded analysis as his eyes met the
fire Of hers, but he went on:
"Wait until you have learned to
know your aunt and others and have
met with many people who are kind to
you, and then no one person will 80
entirely fill your mind
They walked on in silence and
thosghtfuness. Kinross felt himself
stirred to the depths Of him. and yet
what his own feelings toward her
might be he did not even stop to con.
ing Of himself as invunerable.
This. then. was why she had so fas.
tened upon his flippant declaration
that he "loved' Georgiana! Well, bet
ter that she should think so. Tho
sooner would she get over this exag-
gerated state Of feeling toward him.
Though perhaps she must suffer a bit,
for a few weeks, in the process, poor
little girl! His heart softened to her
with wonderful tenderness.
"Will you tell me something" she
broke in upon his musings. did you
and Miss Ellery ever see each other
before you met herei'
"No, Eunice."
"But she spoke Of you when you
were away, calling you DR.. Kinross.'
"She knows of me-"
"Are you, then, man of fame" she
inquired with interest, though her
voice had a note Of melancholy d'eDer
than her habitual pensivenegS
Not outside the village in
live, Eunice."
He saw that she was lool
perpleXed.
what was it GeOrgiana saii =.
KinrossT" he inquired. not V.
sneaking feeling that he was tak...s
mean advantage of Georg!ana.
"Miss Parks, in that picturesque way
she has of speaking. said to Miss Ellery,
You will do him brown And, You
are as good rs engaged to him. Put
Miss Ellery seemed to have srne
doubts about 1t. She said, I am not
so sure"
Her seriousness in repeating their
absurdities was too much for Klnross
he grnned his enjoyment. That
was q mere figure Of speech on Geor-
giana's part-she is quite confident Of
doing me brown.
"She seemed to have doubts. BH' II
reassured her.
"Oh, you did! What did you tell her.
EuniceT
"That you had told me you r"@i
her"
He shouted laugh. "You "
away, then-told them Pete Dr
Kinross?"
"No. l thought they must know it
I couldn't understand"
"What did Georgiana sa: !
told her loved herr
'T didn't wait to hear /. -
away"
Leaving them as puzzled no /
as they left you" he said. grou. y
ber with the realization Of thr in
In the white, drawn face Of the Z IT
his side. How strong her feeli1 or
him must be when it could so err
shadow the great news he had - sht
her and the brilliant future bc'' lcf!
His brain swan for momc"I g
felt all the fascination of her "ct
maidenhood. but he took himEr in
hand. II won't undeceive he" he
said to himself "I'll explain ne .ng
Even II were in love with hrr il
wouldn't be fair to take advaaia Of
her inexperience. Let her think I'm
engaged TO Georgiana."
He abruptly changed the subject md
forced her to talk prOsacally of her
life with her aunt, though his pulses
were bounding with the excitement OF
his discovery. In her naive barring Of
her heart.
And so at length they stroIIcd back
to the farmhouse.