The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-08-21
cnAPTER xn-contlnued.


But such a condition was. after all,
more apparent than real, In his heart
Aleck knew that he did love Melanie
enough" however much that might
De. He loved her enough to want.
not only and not mainly. what she
could give to him; but he wanted the
happiness OF caring for her, cherish
ing her, r%ewarding her faith with his
She had not seen that, and 1t
was his problem to make her see II.
There was only enc way. And 90, In
forgetting himself. forgetting his
wants, HIS comforts, his studies and
his masculine wili-herein was the
blossoming OF Alexis soul.
Melanie in~stinctively felt the sub
Gle change. and knew In her heart
that Aleck had won the day, though
she still treated their engagement .aa
nm open question: Aleckn svufd read
70 herAn~hfs Simple, unaffected man
her. sometimes with Madame Reynier
and Mi. Chamberlain also for audi
ence, sometimes q kof alone. And
since they lived keenly and loved, all
books spoke to them OF their life or
their love. A line, a phrase, a thought,
would ring out OF the record. and each
would be glad that the other had
heard that thought; sometime they
would talk II all over. They learned
20 laugh at their own whimsical preju-
dices. and then insisted on them all
the harder; they learned. each from
the other. some bit OF robust optimism,
aome happiness OF vision. some
further reach of thought.
After they had read, they would play
nk Quoits, struggling sternly against
each other; or Chamberlain would ex-
anime Melanie In nautical lore: or to-
getaer. In the evening. they would
trace the consultations In the heav-
ens- During their first week they were
In the edge OF a storm for a night and
n day; but they put into harbor where
they were comfortable and safe, and
merry as larks through it all.
So. day by day, Aleck hedged Me-
fania about with his love. Was she
khoughtful? He let her take. as she
would. his thoughts. the best he could
give from his mature experience. Was
she gay7 He liked that even better,
nnd delighted to cap her gaiety with
bis own queer, whimsical drolleries.
Whatever her mood. he would not let
her get far from him In spirit. 1t was
M In her heart to keep him from
her: but Aleek achieved the super
mundane feat Of making his influence
FELT most kecniy when she was alone.
she dwelt upon him in her thoughts
more intensely than she herself knew;
md that intenseness was only the TO
Section Of his own thought for her.
They had been sailing q little more
fhan q week. changing the low.
placid Connecticut fields for the
rouSher northern shores. going some
timcs farther out to sea. but delight
dng most in the sweet. pine-fringed
coast or Maine. There were no more
barge cities to visit, only small VII
1ages where fishermen gathered after
THAR weeks haul or where slow. print |
tive bodybuilding was still carried on.
krost OF the inhabitants of the coast
Dountry appeared 70 be- farmers as
veII as fishermen. even where the soil
WAS least promising. The. aspect OF
klae shores was that OF a limited but
Jnzrly prosperous agricultural com
nnuulty. Under the shadow or the hills
0ore staid little homes, or fresh.paint-
"a smart cottages. Sometimes q b0ld
sock-bark for1aed the shore for miles
md miles. and the hills would vanish