The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1911-04-21

Z
ing and feigned at first not to see.
him. He leaned on the desk and put.
his face down to her flowers most
lovingly, while the sweetest smile in
the world curved his lips.
"How--fresh!" he breathed. It was
his first unnecessary remark to her.
Then he asked for another book. She
got it for him stiffly, and without a
word. She would do nothing for him,
save what her official position re-
Quired-which did not include look
ing at him where he sat in his cor
ner, his long fingers Juggling at the
rough blonde hair, his scowling gaze
bent on the page before him. He
WINGED in an annoyed manner at the
sun, which had crept round and laid
glaring finger upon his book. but
he was not aware that lowering the
shade was the thing to be done. The
librarian saw, and after watching
him first in amusement, then In vexa-
ton, she tiptoed from the desk and
gave a vicious little jerk to the long
string of the shade. This, she argued
to herself, was her official duty. The
jerk brought the shade loose from
the roller, crashing and cracking
down upon her. She gave a little
cry.
The scholar woke up, stared, left
his book and went to her rescue. She
was covered with dust, and a little
scratch on her hand showed a red
globule of blood. He took out a big
handkerchief and busted her off. hop
ing she was not hurt, taking her hand
as he might have taken a childS, to
look at the scratch. He pronounced
the wound nothing, and told her she
should never jerk at q shade-they
were always treacherous. He got hold
of the one In question, rolled it up,
and then went back to his study. She
waited moment. Then she marched
up to him and said in low tone:
"You should have sense enough not
to read with the sun in your eyes"
Then she marched to her desk with
her head high and left him staring.
Wat business was 1t of hers if the
sun was in his eyes? He was trifie
bewildered, and the matter occurred
to him again that night while he was
beginning at the last quarter OF his
thesis. commencement was but a
week away. The thing must be fin.
ished-perhaps his fellowship to Har-
ward depended on it. 1t was a fell
loWship or--his fathers business.
Somehow for the first time his odd
mans" disappointment in him came
to his real heart. He wished he could
take up the business. Was this study
really what he wanted? Then he,
,idle-minded and angry at himself for
being so, wondered If the falling
shade had hurt the girl in the library
more than she said. And it oc-
Cured to him that he was rather
brutal in his inattention.
And in that moment of thought she
vision--no more the librarian. She
was henceforth girl.
He stayed at homo the next day,
putting what matter he had into
shape, but the following day he went
and walked straight up to the desk.
Good morning" he said, actually
seeing the fresh glow of her cheek.
Her surprised brown eyes looked up
at him, and were suddenly shy. He
had the same feeling that had made
him lean over her flowers a few days
before. For moment he was silent,
but she bridged the gap with wom-
ans ready word
Were you'll yesterday" So she
had noticed his unusual absence! A
forgotten CLEAN of humor rose in his
face, hiding his pleasure.
DO look like an invalid?'
She suddenly realized how very big,
how much Of man he was. He held
his glasses in one hand, and tossed
back his head.
you look like a squad man who
neglects his exercise shamefully! It's
a disgrace to the college-stooping
shoulders, and pale with night work
What dusty, dull, old book do you
want this morning?"
He named It, But ne also laughed.
She gave him what he wanted and his
mind seemed to wander Hers stayed
Just where it had been--upon him.
And yet people speak Of women's lack
of concentration.
I The day the scholar finished his
thesis and sent 1t to the typist he also
received letter from his father set