Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-03-09

ed up at his face, and sa n that his eyes
were fixed thoughtfully on the distant
sand hills. Seeing he still kept silence,
she moved little closer to him, and said
very quietly:
4 didn't tell William Jones that you
kissed me
Brinkley started from his abstraction,
and looked at the girls blushirs face.
"Ehi What did you sayr'
Il didn't tell William Jones that you
kissed me -
These words seemed to remind the
young man of the position of his arm
for he hastily withdrew 1t. Then the
absurdity of the whole situation appeared
to return upon him, and he broke into
burst of boyish laughter-at which his
companions face fell once more. II was
clear that she took life seriously and
dreaded sarcasm
Matt" he said, this won't do. This
won't do at all !"
What won't DOR
"Well-this y he answered. rather am
biguously. You're awfully young. you
know-quite a girl, although, as you sug
gested just now, and, as you probably
believe, you may be 'growed up You
must-ha-you must look upon me as a
sort of father, and all that sort of thing"
You're too young to be my father"
answered Matt, Enormously.
well, say yo1. big brother. I'm in
terested in you, Matt, very much inter
ested, and / should really like to get 20
the bottom of the mystery ABOUT you but
we must not forget that we're-well, al
most strangers, you know. Besides" he
added, laughing again cheerily, you are
engaged to be married, some day, to
gentleman of fortune"
Matt sprang up, with heaving bosom
and flashing eyes.
"No, | amt % she said. Il hate him ~
Hate the beautiful Monk, of Monks
hurst! Monk the beneficent! Monk the
sweet-spoken! Impossible y
Eyes, l hate him." creid Matt; and
and-when he kissed me, it made me
sick"
What, did he? Actually. Kissed
your"
AS he spoke the young man actually
felt that he should like to assault the re-
doubtable Monk.
eS. ne klSS6u unc-ODCc Be ne hiSScS
me again. I'll stick something into him,
or scratch his face"
And Matt looked black as thunder, and
set her pearly teeth angrily together.
"Sit down again, Matt"
81 sha'n't--if you laugh"
"Oh, I'll behave myself Come and
he added, as she returned to her place.
did it make you sick when / kissed
your"
He was playing with fire. The girls
face changed in moment, her eyes melt
ed, her lips trembled. and all her express
sion became inexpressibly soft and
dreamy Leaning gently toward him, she
dropped her eyes, and then, seeing his
hand resting on his knee, she took it in
hers, and raised it to her lips.
II should like to marry you," she said,
and blushing, rested her cheek against
his shoulder
Now. our hero of the Caravan was
true-hearted young fellow, and a man of
honor, and his position had become ex-
tremely embarrassing. He could no long
er conceal from himself the discovery that
he had made an unmistakable impression
on Mats unsophisticated heart. Hither-
to he had looked upon her as a sort of
enfant terrible, very rough diamond
now he realized, with shock of surprise
and self-reproach, that she possessed,
whether "growed up" or not, much of
the susceptibility Of grown-up young la
dies. 1t was clear that his duty was to
disenchant her-as speedily as possible, see
ing that the discovery of the hopelessness
of her attachment might, if delayed, cause
her no little unhappiness.
In the meantime he suffered her to nes-
tie to him. He did not like to shake her
off roughly, or to say anything unkind He
glanced round into her face; the eyes
were still cast down, and the cheeks were
suffused with a warm, rich light. which
softened the great freckles and made her
complexion look, according to the image
which suggested itself to his minds like
a nice ripe pear. She was certainly
Very pretty. He glanced down at her
hands which rested In her lap, and again
noticed that they were unusually delicate
and small Her foot, which he next in
spected he could not criticise, for the
boots she wore would have been a good
fit for William Jones. But the whele
outline of her figure, in spite Of the hide
Gus attire she wore, was fine and symmet-
ricaL His inspection was interrupted by
the girl herself Starting as If from de-
lightful trance, she sprang TO her feet
and cried:
Il can't stop longer. I'm going"
''But the picture Matt?" said Brinkley.
rising also. '.Shan't ] finish it to-day p
Il can't wait. William Jones wants to
send me message over to Pencross. and
IL don't go. he'll sccld.'
Very well, Matt"
But I'll come she said. smiling ITO
morrow; and I'll come in my Sunday
clothes. somehow
Don't trouble. On reflection, | think
you look nicer as you are"
She lifted up her bat from the ground,
and still hesitated as she put 1t on.
Upon my word" cried the artist !;
'those Welsh hats are very becoming.
Geod-by, Matt"
She took his outstretched hand and
waited an instant, with her warm. brown
cheek in prosle temptingly near his lips.
But he did not yield TO the temptation.
and after moments further hesitation,
in which l fear she betrayed some little
disappointment, Matt released her hand
and sprang hurriedly awy.
Upon my word" mutfered the young
man. as he watched her figure receding in
the distance 1.-The situation is growing
more and more troublesome l shall have
70 make clean bolt of 1t, IL this goes on.
Fancy being caught in a Irritation with a
wild ocean waif. child Of the wilderness.
who never even heard OF Lindley Murray?
Really, it will never dor
CHAPTER Mi.
Il so happened that the young man Of