Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-22

frotii obligation, from continents IRON
tlemaIid Ur exaction; freedom from re-
straint. liberty to roam about, 10 reau'
70 dream. to idle, to remember. An,
that was what she needed-a quiet IN
teryal In this hurrying youth or hers
TO catch her breath once more anu
stand still aid look back day or TWO
and remember.
So to breakfast all alone was de-
licious; to stroll unhurried to the SIDE
board and leisurely choose among tne
fresh cool fruits: to loiter ove' cream
lug and cereal; to saunter out Into the
freshness of the world and breathe II
and feel the sun warming cheek ana
throat and the little breezes from u
sunlit sea stirring the bright strands
of her hair.
Out over the rain wet odorous grass
she picked her way. skirts swung nlgn
above the delicate contour OF ankle
and limb. following a little descending
path she knew full OF rocky angles
swept by pendant sprays OF piack-
berry. and then down under the 1ut-
ting rock, south through thickets OF
wild cherry along the crags, until be-
| fore her the way opened downward
again where tiny crescent Deach
gIimmered white hot in the sun.
From his bedroom window Mortimer
peeped forth. following her progress
with a leer.
AS she descended, noticing the ri1ts
of bronzing seaweed piled along the
tide mark, her foot dislodged a tiny
triangle of rock. which rolled clatter-
ing and ringing below, and as she
sprang lightly to the sand man, ~
ing full length and motionless as the
heaped seaweed, raised himself on one
arm. turning his sun dazzled eyes on
her.
The dull shock of surprise halted her
as Siward rose to his feet. still dazed
the sand running from his brown
shooting clothes over his tightly strap
ped puttees.
"Have you the faintest idea that
supposed you were here? she asked
briefly. Then, frank In her disap-
/ pointment, she looked up at the cliffs
overhead, where her line Of retreat lay.
"Why did you not go with the
others?" she added. unsnillng
"I-don't know. will If you wish
He had colored slowly, the frank dis
appointment In her face penetrating
his surprise, and now he turned around
instinctively, also looking for the path
! of retreat.
"Wait," she said. aware Of her own
| crude attitude and confused by 1t.
"Wait moment, Mr.. Siward. don't
mean to drive you away"
'Its self exile" he said quietly
"quite voluntary, I assure YOU"
"Mr. Siwnrdp'
And, as be looked up coolly: "Haye
you nothing more friendly to say to
me-? Is your friendship for me so
limited that my first caprice oyersteps
the boundsT
1 Il
"Wait, Mr.. Siwardn' as he moved
slowly toward the path. you force
me to say other things which you have
no right to hear. After last night
the vivid tint grew in her face-"after
such night is it not natural for girl
! to creep off somewhere by herself and
try to think little?"
He had turned full on her. The an-
swering color crept to his forehead
as that why?" he asked slowly
els it not reason?"
at was my reason for being here
She bit her bright lip. This trend to
the conversation was ominous, and she
had meant to do her drifting alone in
[ still sun dreams, fearing no witness.
no testimony, no judgment save her
own self in court with herself.
I'll suppose you cannot go now,
che reflected innocently.
"Indeed can and must
"And leave me here to dig in the
sand with my heels? Merci!'
do you mean
81 certainly do, Mr.. Siward. ! don't
want to dream now. ! don't care to
reflect. You see what you've done
don't you-saved me from an entire
morning wasted In sentimental rev.
erie over what might have been? Now
you can appreciate it, can't you-your
wisdom in appearing In the flesh 10
save q silly girl the effort of evoking
you in the spirit? Alb, Mr.. Siward,
am vastly obliged to you! Pray SIT
here beside me In the flesh for fear
that in your absence might commit
the folly that tempted me here"
| His low running laughter accompa'
nying her voice had stimulated her 10
a gay audacity which for the instant
extinguished in her the little fear OF
him she had been barely conscious or
"Do you know" he said, that you
also aroused me from my sun dreamsF
! "Did I? And can't you resume
them|
"You save me the necessity"
"Oh. that Is a secondhand compli
ment." she said disdainfully-"a weak
plagiarism on what | conveyed very
wittily. You were probably really
asleep and dreaming of bird murder"
He waited for her to finish, then
amused eyes searching, he roamed
about until high on a little drifted sand
dune he found
eS. MAN a place for him
TIA self, and while
w she watched
.~-IA him Indignantly
..1 E,u he curled up 10
1S2 n the sunshine
| ( Y W. and. dropping