The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-02-26

Jug and cereal; to saunter out into the
freshness of the world and breathe 1t
and feel the sun warming cheek and
throat and the little breezes from n
sunlit sea stirring the bright strands
of her hair
Out over the rain wet odOrous grass
she picked her way, skirts swung high
above the delicate contour Of ankle
and limb, following a little descending
path she knew full of rocky angles
swept by pendant sprays of black
berry, and then down under the jut-
ting rock. south through thickets Of
wild cherry along the crags, until be-
lore her the way opened downward
again where a tiny crescent beach
glimmered white hot in the sun.
From his bedroom window Mortimer
peeped forth. following her progress
with a leer.
AS she descended. noticing the riffs
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 a 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 l
supposed you were here| she asked
briefly. Then. frank I'm her disap-
pointment. she looked up ut the cliffs
overhead, where her line Of retreat lay.
"Why did you not 20 with the
others?' she added, unsmiling.
"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 ii.
"Wait a moment, Mr. Siward. l don't
mean to drive you away"
Its self exile" he said quietly
quite voluntary, assure you"
"Mr. Siwardw
And. as he looked up coolly: Have
you nothing more friendly to say to
me? Is your friendship for me so
limited that my first caprice Oversteps
the bounds?"
Il meant no criticism
wait, Mr.. Siwardr 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 a night is 1t not natural for a 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.
lis that why" he asked slowly.
as it not a reasonr'
1T 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.
IL suppose you cannot go now"
she reflected innocently.
Indeed l can and must"
"And leave me here to dig in the
sand with my heels? Merci"
do you mean
81 certainly do, Mr.. Siward. l 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 to
save silly girl the effort of evoking
you in the spirit? All, 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 TO
gay audacity which for the instant
extinguished In her the little fear OF
him she had been barely conscious Of.
do you know" he said, that you