Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-07-26
CHAPTER XIX.

woman of his own age who Is not his
sister. Mrs. Fenton ought, no doubt,
to have provided herself with a chap
eron before inviting her cousin to stay
with her; and when she laughingiy
asked him whether he thought that she
hal compromised herself by what she
had done, he answered that perhaps II
would be as well not to mention 1t 20
her friends.
She said she would be careful to alb
stain from doing so. Meanwhile" she
added, as nobody knows us here, and
as nobody need ever know that you
have been here, we win make the most
of our time and enjoy ourselves.
don't think we should have enjoyed
ourselves very much in the company
of a third person."
He didn't think so either, and was
far from regretting the absence of such
an incumbrance. OF his cousins COM
pany he had just as much as he chose
10 ask for and no more. She break
tasted In her own room; she scrupu-
lousy avoiding thrusting herself upon
him at any hour of the day; she did
not suggest that they should make ex-
cursions in the neigh 0rhood, nor did
she attempt to proyil amusements :e~
him. Only she was always at hand
when he looked for her, and always de-
lighted to do anything that he pro-
poSd.
GU are spelling me, Laura" he
said to her one evening when they were
sitting in the garden after dinner as
usual; you give way to me in every
thing; you make me say what / should
like, and then you do it as if you had
only been waiting for orders. That Is
all wrong, you know"
My motives are purely selfish" she
answered.; 1T pleases me to nlease
you. Besides, there are some people
who are born to be spoiled, and think
you are one of them. / dare say II
won't do you much harm"
1 am not so sure of that" returned
the young man. shaking his heal
Thus far / have been tolerably moi
est, because there has been nobody 10
interfere with me; but | shouldn't Won
der II you were to find me rather over
bearing and tyrannical when you come
up to London again. l shan't like be-
ms told that you are engaged when ]
want you to give up an afternoon
me. By the way, when are you COM
Ing back to London?"
Il don't know; l haven't thought
much about 1t yet. When will you oe
there?"
oh, shall be there Tomorrow
evening, I'm sorry to say / shan't
stay more than a day or two. because
l have few weeks of shooting in
prospect at different places: but / sup
pose before the end of next month
shall have pretty well settled down for
the winter"
Tomorrow evening"" exclaimed
Mrs Fenton, In a voice of consterna
ton; you are going 10 desert me al
ready, then! We'll, l won't beg you u
stay. OF course it has been dun Gov
you; but you have been very good
about 1t and haven't even looked Dor "a
the whole time, and"
You know very we'll that I have
never felt So" interrupted Fred.
Haven't you? Well, your looks
pretty generally reflect your feelings
must confess. Anyhow, I'm not nm
grateful though I'M sorry. And nov.
as this Is to be our last evening. NAV
dictate the program, for once? That
will give me an opportunity of Judging
whether you are spoiled yet or not"
Fred, of course. replied that she
might dictate anything she liked. and
no undue advantage was taken OF his
complaisance. for 1t seemed that she
only wanted to go out in a boat
You needn't take the oars n von
would rather sit in the stern and
smoke" she added: I'm quite accus
toned to rowing"
But he said that he, too. had ha
some little experience of that kind. and
that, II she didn't mind his taking /,
easy, he thought he could manage m
combine smoking and sculling. Ten
minutes later they were out upon tn.
sea, which was almost as calm as
lake.
Il love to be on the sea-" said Mrs
Fenton. IF I am ever so short a dis
lance from shore / feel as If had rat
out of the world away from all thu.
cruel people, and the malignant peopls
and the wearlsome people whom on.
calls ones fellow-creatures."
But ] thought you rather liked Tho
society OF your fellow creatures" Fred
remarked
"Oh. they are Indispensable. NJ
course; one can't remain in the word
and take no notice of them. But some
OF them have treated me badly. ana
some 1 am afraid of; and often think
how delightful 1t would be to escap.
altogether from this world with-sbau
] say. with one OF then?"
Fred rested on his oars. pitched AWAY
his cigar. and sighed.
Il should think II very delightful. In
deed, IL you were the one.' he said.
I'm afraid you wouldn't have
tired YOU in a week, YOU see; and
knew l should, though I have tried
hard not to.be tiresome."
Fred protested warmly against so
false an accusation. Did she suppose
he asked. that he liked leaving her.
Did she suppose that ne would enjoy
going up to London to meet Mr.. Brefii.
who wanted to see him about some
matters of business? All he could say
was that nothing would give him
greater personal satisfaction than 10
stay where he was and throw up every
enga cement that hs had made for the
next month.
Throw them M, then" she return
ed; that Is easily DONE"
But when he opened his lips 10 reply,
she held up her hand and stopped him.
Don't be ridiculous" she said
laughing; you can't throw up all your
engagements; and II you could
wouldn't let you. l am selfish. own.
but / am not quite so selfish as that
Only shall miss you dreadfully. and
l don't know when | shall see YOU
again. or whether l shall ever see YOU
again in this way; and So"
She did not finish her sentence. Her
voice seemed To fail her suddenly: and
when he bent forward to look at her he
saw that there were tears in her eyes
This dlScoVery--or possibly another
discovery, which he might have made
before il he had not been little dull
of experimentation upset his
mental balance. and left him al the
mercy OF the impulses and emotions OF
the moment. He took her hand. which
she had allowed 10 fall listlessly upon
her knee. and she did not withdraw II
from his grasp.
Laura" he exclaimed Il love you.
We needn't part any more unless You
wish T."