Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1913-02-21
CHAPTER x,I.-Continue, d.


But such a condition was, after all,
more apparent than real. LII his heart
Aleck knew that he did love Melanie
enough" however much that might
be. 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
ting her, rewarding her faith with his
own She had not seen that, and 1t
was his problem to make her see 1T.
There was only one way. And so, in
forgetting himself. forgetting his
wants, his comforts, his studies and
his masculine will--herein was the
<ioiossoming Of Alexis soul.
Melanie fnstinctively felt the sub
tie change, and knew in her heart
that Aleck had won The day, though
she still treated their engagement as
an open question. Aleck would read
to her in his simple, unaffected man.
ner. sometimes with Madame Reynier
and Mr.. Chamberlain also for audi
ence, sometimes to her alone. And
since they lived keenly and loved. all
books spoke to them Of their life or
their love. a line, phrase, thought,
would ring out of the record, and each
would be glad that the other had
heard that thought; sometime they
would talk 1t all over. They learned
20 laugh at their own whimsical preju-
idlces, and then insisted on them all
1.-THE harder; they learned, each from
the other. some bit of robust optimism,
some happiness of vision, some
further reach of thought.
! After they had read, they would play
at quoits, struggling sternly against
each other or Chamberlain would ex-
amine Melanie in nautical lore; or to-
gether, in tho evening, they would
trace the consultations in the heav-
ems. During their first week they were
Gin the edge of storm for night and
. day; but they put into harbor where
Sthey were comfortable and safe, and
5merry as larks through it ALL
- So day by day, Aleck hedged Me-
Mamie about with his love. Was she
sthoughtful? He let her take, as she
would, his thoughts, the best he could
lgive from his mature experience. Was
she gay? He liked that even better.
and delighted to cap her gaiety with
his own queer, whimsical drolleries.
Whatever her mood, he would not let
her get far from him in spirit. 1t was
mot in her heart to keep him from
her; but Aleck achieved the super
mundane feat Of making his influence
felt most keenly when she was alone,
She dwelt upon him in her thoughts
more intensely than she herself knew;
land that intenseness was only the re-
Election of his own thought for her.
; They had been sailing little more
than a week, changing the low,
placid Connecticut fields for the |
Irougher northern shores. going some |
times farther out to sea, but delight |
hing most in the sweet. pine-fringed |
coast of Maine. There were no more |
large cities to visit, only small vii |
nages where fishermen gathered after |
their weeks haul or where slow, print |
tive bodybuilding was still carried on |
eiaost OF the inhabitants of the coast |
country appeared to be farmers as |
well as fishermen, even where the soil |
was least promising The aspect of |
sShe shores was that of a limited but |
fairly prosperous agricultural com
xnunity. Under the shadow of the hills |
iwere staid little homes. or fresh-paint- |
ed smart cottages. Sometimes bold |
'rock-hank formed the shore for miles |
and miles. and the hills would vanish /
for space. Here and there were
Aeadlands formed by mighty boulders.
against which the waves endlessly |
dashed and as endlessly foamed back /
into the sea.
[ SUCH headland loomed up on their