The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-04-15

spOuting tOuulain, Whl'h was ullN td
well, out Of which crystal column OF
water rose geyser-like, dazzling in the
westering sun rays.
"Nina tells me that this water rises
IN the Connecticut hills. he said. "aud
flows as a subterranean sheet under
the sound. spoutlng up here on Long
Island when you drive a we'll"
She looked at the column of flash
ing water. nodding silent assent
They moved ON. the girl curiuusly re-
served. nonCOmmunicativc. head slight
ly lowered the man vague eyed
thoughtful. pacing slowly at her side
Behind them their long shadows trail
ed across the brilliant grass.
Traversing the grove which encircled
the newly clipped lawn. now fragrant
with sun crispcd grass tips left In the
wake of the mower. he mentioned
moonlight
She glanced up, then away from him
"You seem to be enamored of the
moonlight" she said.
81 like to prowl in It,"
"AloneT'
Sometimes"
"And--at other timesY"
He laughed "Oh. I'm past tine
Spooning age. Are you Pladf"
She halted. Yes, because I'm quite
sure Of you II YOU are: | mean that
can always keep you for myself. Can't
~"
She was smiling. aud her eyes were
clear and fearless, hut there was u
wild rose tint on her cheeks which
deepened a little as he turned short in
his tracks. gazing straight at her.
You wish to keep me-for your
self?' he repeated. laughing.
"Yes, Captain Selwyn."
Until you marry Is that II. EileenT
"Yes. until | marry"
"And then wen let each other go
Is that IT."
YES; but ! think | told you that
would never marry. Didn't IL"
"Oh! Then ours is to he lifelong
and anti-sentimental contractw
Yes, unless you marry"
Il promise not to-" he said, unless
you do"
II promise not to-" she said gayly.
"unless you do"
There remains" he observed. "but
one way for you and ever TO marry
anybody. And. as I'm hors concours,
even that hope is ended"
She flushed; her lips parted. but she
checked what she had meant to say.
and they walked forward together in
silence for awhile until she had made
up her mind what to say and how to
express 1t.
Captain Selwyn, there are two
things that you do which seem TO me
unfair. You still have at times that
faraway, absent expression which ex-
cludes me, and when venture TO
break the silence you have a way of
answering, Yes, child and No child.
as though you were inattentive and !
had not yet become an adult. That II
my first complaint! What are you
laughing at? II is true, and 1t con
fuses and hurts me, because know
] am intelligent enough and old
enough toto be treated as a woman-
n woman attractive enough 10 be reck-
Oned with! But ! never seem to he
wholly so TO you"
The laugh died out as she ended.
For moment they stood there con.
fronting one another.
"Do you imagine" he said in a low
voice, that l do not know all that?"
81 don't know whether you do. For
all your fTiendship-for all your liking
and your Kindness TO me-somehow-I
Il don't seem TO stand with you as
other women do. l don't seem to stand
their chances"
"What chances"
"The-the consideration You don't
call any other woman child do YOU:
You don't constantly remind other wo-
men OF the difference in your ages, do
you? You don't feel with other women
that you are, as you please to call 1t,
hors concOurs-out of the running.
And somehow with me it humlliates,
because, even n | am the sort OF girl
who never means to marry, you-your
attitude seems to take away the pos
sibility of my changing my mind. 1t
dictates TO me, giving me no choice, no
liberty, no personal freedom in the
matter. It's as though you considered
me somehow utterly out of the ques-
hon-radically unthinkable as a wom-
an. And you assume TO take for grant
ed that l also regard you as-as hors
concours. Those are my grievances,
Captain Selwyn. And | don't regard
you so. And land 1t troubles me to
be excluded-to be found wanting, in
adequate in anything that a woman
should be. ! know that you and
have no desire to marry each other,
but-but please don't make the reason
for It either your age or my physical
immaturity or intellectual inexperi-
ence."
One OF those weather stained seats
or Georgia marble stood imbedded
under the trees near where she had
halted, and she seated herself, out
wardly composed and inwardly a little
frightened at what she had said.
q For ha