Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-04-17


uaple eau inass " NAAlsasANs fAr pew
yet ana that yenr Amiable Mnee has q
will Of his own under his pompadour
and silky beard"
what pity to have 1t clash with
mine!" said the GIRL serenely.
Mrs. Ferrall looked at her. Mercy
on us. Towards pompadOur would
stick up straight with horror II he
could hear you Don't be silly; don't
for an impulse, for caprice, break of
anything desirable on account Of
man for whom you really care nothing.
whose amiable exterior and prospec-
tive misfortune merely enlist q very
natural and generous sympathy In
you"
"Do You suppose that shall endure
interference from anybody-from my
uncle, from Howard?"
"Dear. you are making mountain
out of molehill Don't he emotional;
don't let loose impulses that you and
know about. knew about In our school
years, know all about now and which
you and | have decided must be climi-
mated
"You mean subdued. They'll always
be there"
Every we'll. Who cares as long as
you have them In leash"
Looking Mt one another, the excited
color cooling In the younger girls
cheeks, they laughed, one with relief.
the other little ashamed.
"Kemp will be furious. ] simply
must cut in" said Mrs. Ferrall. hastily
turning toward the gunroom. Miss
Lands looked after her, subdued,
vaguely repentant, the consciousness
dawning upon her that she had prob
ably made considerable conversation
about nothing.
ats been so all day." she thought
impatiently. I've exaggerated. I've
worked up Il scene about man whose
habits are not the slightest concern or
mine. Besides that. I've neglected
Howard shamefullyw She was walk
ing slowly. her thoughts outstripping
her Grant feet. but It seemed that
neither her thoughts nor her steps
were leading her toward the neglected
gentleman within. for presently she
found herself at the breezy veranha
door looking rather ixedly at the stars
The stars, shining impartially upon
the Just and the unjust, illuminated
the person of Siward, who sat alone
rather Imply, one knee crossed above
the other. He looked up by chance
and, seeing her star gazing in the door,
way, Strengthened out and rose to his
feet
Aware of him apparently for the first
time, she stepped across the threshold.
meeting his advance halfway.
would you care to go down to the
rocksT" he asked. 1.-THE surf is ter
rife"
"No-I don't think care
They stood listening moment to the
BtupeHuOuo ioah'
"a storm somewhere at sea-" be
concluded.
"ls 1t very Hne-the surf"
"very fne-and very relentless" ne
laughed. 1T is an unfriendly crea'
ture, the sea, you know"
She had begun to move toward the
cliffs. He fell into step beside her.
They spoke little. a word now and
then.
The perfume of the mounting sea sat
urated the night with wild fragrance
Dew lay heavy on the lawns. She
lifted her skirts enough to clear the
grass. needless that her silk shod feet
were now soaking. Then at the cliHs
edge. as she looked down into the
white fyry of the surf, the stunning
crash of the ocean saluted her.
For a long while they watched IN 81
lence Once She leaned trife too fal
over the starlit gulf and, recoiling, In
voluntarily steadied herself on bis
arm.
81 suppose" she said, mo swimmer
could endure that battering."
"Not long"
"Would there be no chance%
"Not one"
She bent farther outward, fascinat
ed, stirred, by the splendid frenzy Of
the breakers.
"I-think"- he began quietly; then
a firm hand fell over her left hand
and. half encir