The Detroit times., 1912-05-22

hate the thought OF II today Fortunate
" the nifty dollars is my own. Gtout
all l have left"
Nancy laughed. Il don't think that
you need have any scruples about us
ing the income money | am sure that
you have been doing all that man
could to earn II. Uncle Ephraim new
or pays for more than value received"
LET US not talk of him" said /. "or
at least. not until after breakfast. Let
me help you. / think | can make COT
fee."
Nancy paused abruptly in her hustle
OF setting the kitchen table.
Take on your gloves" she said.
mo one ever heard OF man making
coffee In gloves"
But" stammered, and stood hes
itating.
Nancy came over and stood square
ly In front OF me- I'VE might as we'll
get over this foolishness first as last.
Take OF your gloves"
unbuttoned one very slowly; II
frightened me that she should see my
hands again.
"Oh, take them on" Then softly,
and with her honest eyes looking into
my shamed ones, II am not afraid OF
your hands. am very sorry, but am
not afraid. am glad that they are
all you have In yourslife to be ashamed
OF. You are too sensitive about your
hands; you think too much about
them
wondered why she thought that
had nothing else TO be ashamed or;
nevertheless | took of my gloves.
know that new sight OF my hands in
the broad daylight of the great old
kitchen must have come TO her with
something Of shock, In spite OF her
self, but she made no sign of distress,
unless, perhaps, for a few minutes,
she busted herself the harder with the
table setting.
We made a merry breakfast of 1t. I
vowed, and so. truly, 1t seemed to me,
that Nancy fried the eggs more beauu-
fully than eggs had ever been fried
before, and Nancy said that never had
French chef produced a more delicious
cup of coffee.
Breakfast over, we made ourselves
ready for the long walk to the village.
Nancy had got little old straw hat
| from her trunk, relic of her school
days, that she had kept because she
had been happy in II, and in spite OF
the heavy coils of FURNISHED hair, she
looked simply bewitching schoolgirl
as she pinned II on. | said as much.
| She looked up at me, her face very
rosy. "A young lady must look her
best she laughed, when she takes
the air with the lord of the manor.
especially when he himself looks so
great and strong and naughty"
THAT is not haughtiness," | said,
that is pride"
lis there any difference"
! "All the difference between sorrow
and great happiness" answered. and
thought that some OF my new-found
! joy OF life was reflected in her eyes.
So We chatted happily with each
other as we strolled down the winding
sweetness of our own long lane. The
day was a golden one, a wondrous
jewel in the crown of spring. Yester-
| day morning-yes, only yesterday
had thought 1t beautiful, as | had sat
amid the cramped burgeoning of
Washington square. Today with the
country stretched before me, panor-
anna bounded only by the horizon
glimpsing ever and again through
| the tremulous foreground OF the trees,
1t seemed as IL | saw spring face to
face for the first time. Perhaps, one
may never see the greatest beauty
from lonely eyes. butImust1share the
seeing with anothersreally TO see IL
ALL Perhaps one Is always partly
blind, until some added greatness.
some unselfishness of passion draws
the veil from his eyes.
drew long breath. us it not
| wonderful" / asked
Nancy nodded, her eyes blue as the
hills that held them.
ITO think that this is all ours" she
sighed at last; that we are free to
look and look, and draw rest and heal
ing from II for as long as we likeH
/ blessed her in my heart for the
trick she was falling into OF saying
I'VE" .If things could never grow from
the level that they were taking on
this our first day, so, could be happy,
perhaps, content. 1t seemed strangely
unreasonable that should even dream
of love, when SO great a boon as com
partnership had been granted my starv-
alton. glanced down at Nancy. won
dering If her thoughts travelled at all
the same road as mine. She was very
Election of the hills.
What is it?" / asked In astonish-
ment, for these recurrent fears Of hers
were beginning to make me uneasy, In
spite OF myself. 70
Nothing" she said; nothing" But
she turned her eyes to mine with an
effort.
looked quickly about US, SO nerv-
Gus was | growing; but saw no one.
We were absolutely alone in our own
lane, under the bright May sun. Then
my eyes dropped from their searching
of the meadows, and, of a sudden,
saw. In the path before us a brown
derby hat rocking softly in the dust.
cursed myself that had forgotten
to look for ii after my encounter of
the night before. Now that searched
my memory, I could see very clearly
as he had stood and fired, and he was
the black silhouette of my assailan:,
bareheaded. No man would have gone
roaming hatless about the country. II
had not been such fool, had not
been so startled with the roar of his
revolver, I should have hidden away
this intrusive witness of the nights un-
pleasantness. Ii was too late now, but
determined that Nancy should not
remember II long.
my friend seems to have been in
something of a hurry" | said. But