Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-10-01

face flushed as she met him, and her
greeting was evidently forced and con-
strained
II thought, Maude, dearest" he said,
that l might have the luck to meet you
before breakfast. 1t Is the only chance
have Of seeing you alone. Can you tell
me still that you don't repent what you
wrote in answer to my letter of some
fortnight or so backT'
"Oh, Gren, what am I to say to your
What must you think of me? l never
thought you cared about me in that way,
you know. And then to write to you as
did But, Gren, dear, l did mean it. 1
fought hard to be true to you. What can
l do? They say 1t rests with me to keep
Glinn as home to my father, and that,
If don't marry Mr.. Pearman, we shall
be wanderers about the world. That
would kill them. 1 am very miserable.
You don't know what had to go through.
l didn't give In till could bear 1t no
longer. Be kind to me, Gren, please"
And the grey eyes, swimming with tears,
looked up into Roses face with a piteous
pleading expression that half maddened
him.
Don't know what you had to 60
through, my pet7 Hum! l think I can
make a pretty fair guess" And even as
he passed his arm round his cousins waist
and kissed her, Granville Roses teeth
were set hard. ut makes me mad,
Maude, to think that that beast Pearman
should ever dare to dream Of you. No,
child, know pretty we'll the bullying you
have had to go through. You wouldn't
have proved false to your word, except
under unfair pressure.
"Then you don't think so very badly
Of mel" asked the girl, shyly.
81 don't know" smiled her cousin, as
he bent his head down to her. "I'll hear
what you've got to say. Do you love
met"
"Oh, Gren" And Maude dropped her
flushed, tear-stained face on his shoulder,
and submitted to the abstraction of un-
limited kisses with the greatest meekness.
The tears were kissed away, and a
smile was on her lips as she said, "You
whispered last night, There II hope for
US yet : what did you mean"
II didn't say that; when you quote
what say, be good enough to be correct"
"But you did say So" said Maude, open
ing the grey eyes wide as usual when a
thing passed her compensation.
mo, Miss Denison; I said, Hope for
us yet, darling"
"Oh, Gren, don't tease me, that's so
like your old aggravAting ways. Tell
me-"
swell, dearest, I hoped last night to
find a paper that would have, at all
events, broken OF your engagement with
Pearman, and left you free to choose
again"
A quiet pressure of his arm, and a
soft "WellT
II didn't find 1t, Maude, and went to
bed as miserable as a man can we'll do.
Your father promised that Pearman
should receive his dismissal If could do
what l dreamt could. 1 made sure OF
finding that paper in the big oak chest
in the study; but though went steadily
through them all, 1t wasn't there"
"When did you see 1t, Gren?"
Don't you remember when l went mad
upon heraldry, and was all for putting
your genealogical tree to rights? went
through those papers then"
"Stop q moment" said the girl; ''let
u
short pause; "and you used to bring
them up to work at to the school room
don't you recollect? And I'm almost
sure, but didn't you throw few of them
into a drawer up there, saying they were
no use, but you might make up a maya.
zine story or two out Of them some dayT
"By Jove, Maude, you've hit 1t! ]
did, and that would be safe to be one OF
them. Come along, sweetheart mine, and
see. No chance of their being disturbed
L. there7"
II should think not but I haven't ]
really believe, been In the room for the
last two years. Wen soon see, though -
and the cousins tripped rapidly back to
the house.
Poor old school room! 1t was not otter
now that It's shutters were thrown open t.
the golden light Of spring. Very different
were the old times, when MGude fitted
about It daily, making sunshine within
whatever It might be without when the
whistle Of the blackblrd and the song Of
the throstle, the twitter Of the swallow
and the scent Of the Jasmine, with Other
creepera, came drifting through the oper
easement Here she had made much Of
her doll, fought with her nurse, and risen
In more matured rebellion against hel
governess. Here Granville had teased
petted, laughed at her, and embarked In
various studies, genealogical or otherwise
No wonder they paused on the threshold
1t was classic ground to them, at al
events.
Granville Rose, however, though he may
pause for a moment, Is far too much in
earnest and immersed In the present to
give much thought to old memories. Maude
smiles softly as he throws open the win
dows, and she recalls those long pleasant
afternoons they two have passed there,
She has been 50 miserable Of late-shs Is
so quietly happy now. 1t Is true this pa
per must be found; but she believes In
Gren, as only a young girl can in a lover.
Il L. the first time he has been with her
In that character. 1t is so sweet to be
told you are loved at eighteen, when that
confession is made by the right person.
No wonder the girls face looked bright.
"Now, Maude, Quick-which Is the draw
er1 This, eh r. Hurriedly the drawer is
dragged out; but alas though all sorts Of
odds and ends, book or two on heraldry,
or a French dictionary, are discovered,
no sign Of law papers meets the eye.
"MlStaksn the drawer, pet, SUPPOSE"