The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-02-10

He had seated himself on the wheel
barrow again. ghe stood looking down
at him, hands now bracketed on her
narrow hips. 90 close that the fresh
fragrance Of her grew family percep-
ible, a delicate atmosphere Of youth
ningIing with the perfume Of the
young garden.
Nina, basket on her arm, shipping
away with her garden shears, glanced
Jver her shoulder-and went on snip
ping. They did not notice how far
away her agricultural ardor led her
lid not notice when she stood a mo-
nent at the gate looking back at them
,r when she passed out pretty head
bent tboughtfully, the shears swing
Ing loose at her girdle.
you are very like a boy some
tines" said Eileen-'as young as Ger
lld, often think, especially when your
hat is of. You always look 30 per-
iectly groomed. i wonder-I wonder
what you would look like IL your hair
we're rumpled."
TRY it." he suggested lazily.
"I? 1 don't think / dare" She
raised her hand, hesitated, the gay
laring in her eyes deepening to au-
iacity. "Shall I?'
why not?"
"T-touch your hair-rumple it, as I
would Gerald's7 I'm tempted tO-Only
only
"What3"
II don't know. 1 couldn't. lit was
,nly the temptation of a second"
She laughed uncertainty. The sug-
gestion Of the intimacy tinted her
,heeks with it's reaction. She took q
,hort step backward. Instinct, blindly
stirring, sobered her, and as the smile
faded from eye and lip his face chang
I'd too. And far, very far away in the
silent cells of his heart q distant pulse
awoke.
Have you misunderstood meI' she
lsked in q low voice.
"How, childT'
81 don't know. Shall we walk lit
dep
When they came to the stone fish
3ond she seated herself for a moment
IN a marble bench, then, curiously
,estless, rose again, and again they
moved forward at hazard, past the
,pouting fountain, which was a driven
we'll, out Of which a crystal column OF
water rose geyser-llke, dazzling In the
westering sun rays.
NINA tells me that this water rises
n the Connecticut hills" he said, land
lows as subterranean sheet under
he sound, spouting up here on Long
Island when you drive we'll"
She looked at the column Of fash
ng water, nOdding silent assent.
They moved on, the girl curiously re-
,erved, nOncommunicative head slight
v lowered, the man vague eyed,
thoughtful, pacing slowly at her side.
Behind them their long shadows trail
I'd across the brilliant grass.
Traversing the grove which encircled
he newly clipped lawn, now fragrant
with sun crisped 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.
II like to prowl in it."
"Aloney
Sometimes"
"And--at other times"
He laughed. "Oh, I'm past the
poOning age. Are you gladT"
She halted. "Yes, because I'm quite
sure of you IL you are; 1 mean that
.an always keep you for myself. Can't
~
She was smiling, and her eyes were
clear and fearless, but there was
wild rose tint on her cheeks which
1eepened 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 It, Eileen?"
eyes, until marry"
"And then We'll let each other CO.
is that it,"
"Yes; but 1 think 1 told you that
would never marry. Didn't I?'
"Oh! Then ours is to be a lifelong
and anti-sentimental contractv'
Yes, unless you marry"
Il promise not to-" he said, unless
you do"
Il promise not to-" she said gayly,
unless you do
There remains" he observed, "but
one way for you and 1 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
taraway, absent expression which ex-
cludeS me. and when l venture to