El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-01
WIND
By Agnes GrOzier Herbertson.

~ ACHEI, stood at the cottage door
X and watched her son move down
l. the path He walked stlfly anu
uncouthly, for he felt her glance upon
him, and he was wearing his SUNDAY
clothes. He had forgotten to oil ms
dark hair, and it punched out rlSldly
setting his cap awry. A spriS OF SOU
ernwood nodded in his buttonhole. A
rose or a daffodilly would have causnl
a girls eye better" thought kachei'
She wondered why he had chosen the
green sprig.
sudden gust of wind caught her
skirts whirled them and shook them
till they stood out like the petals OF
a flower Rachel spread out her hanos
to push them down. She saw aubrey
cap fly off, and watched him race,
forgetting his Sunday clothes, in pur-
suit He was lost in the green OF the
lane and Rachel sighed and turned
I'm glad he's going to ask Feclilty at
last" she said voicing her thoughts
aloud. They'll settle down together
real well. That wild young thing al
the Marsh house set her cap at him.
Once feared-but Aubrey's too sensl-
! BILE. Still. I'm glad
She entered the cottage, and the door
slammed behind her. 1t was WINDY
day.
Aubrey was racing. his dark locks
BLOWING out, across the stony pain OF
the Home meadow.
The wick et-gate at the other SIDE OF
the meadow was scarcely yard from
him, when suddenly the young man
turned He stood for moment lrreso-
| lutte, facing the wind. then clapt his
can under his arm and started to rush
madlv back the way he had come.
At the meadow opening he chose
without hesitation the road opposite
that which led TO his mothers cottage
and ran on. The Marsh house, lonely
and neglected, stood beyond the spinney-
He raced up the path and knocked with
his knuckles on the door. His breath
broke from him in quick sasps-
1t had time to quieten, for his sum-
mons met with no response The youth
waited. knocked again. Again there
was silence.
Aubrey pushed the rickety door open
and went into the house The first
room into which he looked was empty;
the second held a girl. who sat brood
ing bv an empty CRATE, her chin was
on her palm
The young mans holiness left him,
and he stood abashed. 4 redness came
into his face which was not that of the
wind. The girl turned and stared at
that " ere Knocking" She asked.
His colour grew deeper Yes" he
said.
Il did not answer. You should not
have come in" said she.
He braced himself. Why did you
not answer"
The girl laughed contemptuously-
Because I knew nobody could be wait
ing there whom I would wish to sec"
or . h.
same cruel unkindness from her. and.
as it had done many a time before, his
heart grew hot.
The youth advanced a step, clumsily.
He took the southernwood from his
buttonhole. Take it, he said. holding
out the sprig.
She took it, smelt it with a kind OF
passion. and laid it upon her knee.
1T is like YOU" he said. nodding at IT.
The girl looked at him curiously.
why were YOU wearing it-and YOUR
best clothes? You have a clean handker-
fchief, too" Her voice dropped into
contempt.
She did not repeat ner question, nav
inc apparently lost all interest in him:
but he answered it. Il am going-my
mother has sent me-tO ask Fecility to
marry me-"
She laughed carelessly, turning the
southernw God between her fingers.
We'll, why don't you go?"
Aubrey paused, and a gust of wind
shook the house. The girl turned her
head to listen. The man listened too,
He said indistinctly, II would rather
marry you
She looked at him and broke into a
hearty laugh.
He thought she would never stop
laughing. but she did at last, quite
suddenly Leaning> towards him, she
asked him in a Grave tone what have
YOU TO offer me?"
The question was to him a welcome
one. affOrding-or so he ina gined-a
level on which they could meet. He
said his eyes on the floor, as if ad-
ding up the sum of his possessions.