The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1911-03-31
Making Him
w ait
tCopyright.d. 1910. by Associated Literary Press,
b y 10 A Nm A SIN GLE


copyrighted. 1910. by Associated Literary Press.
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
his head and watched the girls bright
hair. made splendid by the full light OF
the September moon. Then for mo.
ment he walked ON beside her in re.
Elective silence,
"Alcie," he said at length, and quite
suddenly. II want you to tell me frank.
~ why 1t Is that though you have let
Enc know you do care for me, though
you have at least tacitly promised to
marry me, you keep me at such dis.
lance? / mean mental distance" he
explained, for her laugh rippled out to
remind him that her slight figure was
very, very close to him.
What I mean. Alcie, Is that you al
ways seem to-keep something back.
You will begin eagerly to say some
thing to me, and then you will STOP;
you have never said straight out and
heartily, I love you, Steven and then
you will almost fly to meet me--and
when get you in my arms. pull away
from me on the instant. What Is It
ARE you afraid Of me?"
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 ideal And Of COURSE
v0h. girl. speak out at once-say
NJ"
We'll. then-I do--love you Steve!"
ter tone was low but sure. But I've
known you only six months, and that's
a very short time"
And time has nothing, on earth or
IN heaven TO do with loving!" he
submitted impatiently. IT 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-
estfng conversation? And 1 do-trust
you. but mother says I'm by half too
tmpulsfve. and explosive-and responr
sfve, aud that-real love makes haste
slowly"
She's forgotten her youth-what
senseless statement" the young man
said wrathfully. What else?"
We'll, she says should be perfectly
sure Of myself"
more rubbish, and not of the slight
est Importance, go long as I am sure Of
you! You don't have to be sure OF
anything but just me and Of nay love
for you, A1cie-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 60 indoors, the man
leath to let her out Of his sight. Some
way. he could not say how, she seemed
10 be slipping from him. A desperate
sort OF impotence to hold her came
over him, and deep in his heart he was
afraid OF Tom Austin--and Of her par
ients. They had perforce, and without
great resistance. consented to the en-
gagement, but the mother had skilfully
made It a condition that they should
not marry for a 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 a winter home there-and
well, It was too much for Stevens
lear and jealousy.
.Alcie," he said, when they were al
most to her door. y want you to mar.
~ me-now, I mean, this fall. Will
you?" She gave q little start Of sur.
prise, but before she could speak he
pressed his claim In words that could
not be denied straight answer.
Don't you want to, child? Just what
are we waiting for? can give you q
homo and comfort. II not the luxury
ycu are used 4o-that viii come later
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