The Appeal., 1910-11-12

Yielding to her first impulse, Alice
trusted him her slender fingers a brief
moment, and then withdrew them from
his clinging hold and the man turned
MS head and watched the girls bright
halr, made splendid by the full light of
the September moon. Then for a mo-
ment he walked on beside her in re-
fective silence. +..-..
"Alcie,' he said at length, and quite
suddenly, II want you to tell me frank
~ why it is that though you have let
me know you. do care for me, though
you nave at least tacitly promised to
marry me, you keep me at such a dis
lance? l mean mental distance" he
explained, for her laugh rippled out to
remind him that her slight figure was
very, very close to him.
What mean, Alcie, is that you al
ways seem to-keep something back.
Again she gave the little half nerv-
GUS laugh, and put her hand upon his
arm.
"A, baby would not be afraid of you,
you nice, big, kind thing, you! What
silly idea! And of course"
"Oh, girl, speak out at once-say
it,"
We'll, them do-love you Steve!"
Her tone was low but sure. But I've
known you only six months, and that IS
very short time
"And time has nothing on earth or
in heaven to do with loving!" he
submitted impatiently. II never lived
until met you and love began life for
me! And as for you, you've known
Tom Austin since you were an infant,
and you don't love him-I trust!'
NO." she laughed, II don't-but
father and mother do. Why drag poor,
defeated Tom into an otherwise inter
esting conversation? And I do-trust
you, but mother says I'm by half too
impulsive, and explosive-and respon-
sive, and that-real love makes haste
slowly"
shes forgotten her youth-what a
senseless statement" the young man
said wrathfully. What else?'
We'll, she says should be perectly
sure of myself"
More rubbish, and not of the slight
est Importance, so long as am sure of
you! You don't have to be sure of
anything but just me and of my love
for you, Alcie-do you hear?"
She nodded her head, for mere
words would not answer the yearning
in his voice.
The two had been spending the eve
ming with mutual friends and were
walking slowly back to the girls home,
both reluctant to go indoors, the man
!loath to let her out of his sight. Some
way, he could not say how, she seemed
to be slipping from him. A desperate
sort Of impotence to hold her came
over him, and deep in his heart he was
afraid cf Tom Austin-and of her par
ents. They had perforce, and without
great resistance. consented to the en-
gagement, but the mother had skilfully
made it condition that they should
not marry for year, at the very least
Then Austin, with all his money and
his real attractiveness just in himself,
had gone promptly to Florida to ex-
tensive, intensive farming. This would
not have been alarming, but Alcie's
family had winter home there-and
well. it was too much for Stevens
fear and jealousy.
:''Alcie," he said, when they were al
most to her door, II want you to mar
ry me-now, I mean, this fall. Will
you?" She gave a little start of sur
prise, but before she could speak he
pressed mis- claim in words that could
not be denied straight answer.
Don't you want to, child? Just what
are we waiting for? I can give you a
home and comfort, if not the luxury
you are used to-that will come later
but don't you want to marry me-
soon?" His tone compelled a reply.
"Yes," she said, 'I-think I do-but
I'm sure it can't be done-mother
would be wild. You know she stipu-
lated for a year, and we tacitly con-
sented, for the sake of peace. She
thinks that I'm-pretty young"
you're pretty and young-further
! reasons for my wanting to have you all
to myself. Waiting can't make me love
you more-I hope it could not make
you love me less. What's the use-or
the real reason behind it? Are you all
going south this winter?"
well, I was just wondering how I
| would tell you. You see, Maude is not
quite as we'll as usual, so they have de-
cided today to leave in October instead
of waiting until January, as usual. It
can't seem to be helped. Doctor Wake
field thinks it would be the best for
her, it seems. OF course, nobody real
ly needs me, when you can't step with
out walking on a nurse or servant.
But can't refuse to go. Mother would
cry and take on, and father depends
on me to help keep the peace. don't
see"-she hesitated as they came to
the porch, and he spoke.
well, shall probably not cry and
take on but need you, and you are
mine, and my claim is before theirs,
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