The Washington herald., 1913-07-20
THE MIDLANDERS

mep She held out her hands trium-
phantly. "Of all the girls you knew
High Street girls-you came up here
to me-alone"
"Aurelie," he muttered, that's one
thing I'm sorry for
She looked up quickly, and he went
on. slowly Mother wouldn't like it. =
She tried dimly to grasp this rever-
ence What it meant of upbringing
was beyond her in her meager and un-
advised idea of honor. She had a
sense of some strength back of him
that had made his character, that had
made the great, hand. Vaguely she
felt it meant a home, large house
with wide lawns about it, like the Van
Harts'; good living, surrey or motor
at the door; and the easy and welcome
fitting of fair girls in cool white such
as she had seen-a beautiful way OF
life linking all clean and clever people
together everywhere, but never extend
ing to a quarryman's shack. 1t was
this blind groping TO understand his
world that made her humble with him,
and so proud without him, to brave
the ignorance she knew was hers. The
conscience of her lover was quite be-
might be high, and blood hot-and
there was adventure in the September
nights-yet always he would think
back to the obligation of his birth and
breeding.
And she. Well, such a little thing
it takes to make or defeat one-such a
little thing! The sort of girl one
meets unknown to all in the moonlight.
Aurelie was shot through with her
old jealousy of this mother. this col
lege in the East, and all the brilliant
world that claimed him. Your mother
wouldn't like it: Or me! | hate
then she bit her lip-"Oh, I'll not spoil
it, Harlan-our last night together
And its only another year, as you say.
You'll be free and can work" She
stopped again, suddenly fearing. What
would that freedom mean? He had
never asked her to marry him. They
had lived an idyl of the hills, the
moon shimmering over the purple val
ley, the river winding to the sea; all
the glory of :he summer nights they
had felt, but never had they taken
thought beyond it
He went on, gently but troubled by
the tenseness of her face. Only a
year. And the East isn't far, dear.
Only two days travel or So"
The East was an unknown splendor
to her. 1t looked too critically, with
the cool measuring of his mother, the
same reserve she had seen at times in
his own eyes. And she-she was ready
to give all, to pour out her life at his
feet. She took his arm and put it
about her and looked down at the
front of her simple little gown. Il
don't know what I'll do. / was only
going to school because of you, Har-
Ian. hate it! Only for you-and now
Papa Lindstrom won't have that. And
he's hurt, and his wife's no good
just worn out, and the boys are too
little to help. Sometimes l think l
ought to work-perhaps clerk at Dick
inson's grocery"
He smiled at the idea of Aurelie, the
wild hawk, clerking! She would not
stand i, day. Then he WINGED. He
thought of Elsie, the grocer's dsugh-
ter. and her amiable patronizing OF the
town girls who worked there; OF his
mother giving her orders of a morn
ing from the surrey to some young
woman who brought out scoopful of
sugar for inspection and apologizing
for a delay Aurelie-she would throw
it into the customers face if she
fancied slight.
She read his thoughts you think I
couldn't. don't you? Oh, boy, l could
for you! You hold me from being
rebellious and ridiculous. | could just
do anything for you-run away with
you. or 20 to work-just anything"
He felt her trembling in his arms.
Sometimes, Aurelie. | think we ought
to go down to the house and make
clean breast of it. Tell them every
l love you, dear"
Her voice choked with gratefulness
.dimly she could feel what sacrifice
he was making. But now the prospect
frightened her. "Oh, no-not yet.
Your father-he'd hate me, now"
Hate you? Why, Aurelie, he'd help
you'll Maybe he'd get a place for you
at the bank-keeping books or some
thing. But you can't keep books
You're all lightness and temper and
lovableness-you'd have to have the
outdoors, or you'd not live But if
you did have place that would pave
the way for you"-he resitated, won
dering how to say it and not hurt her
absurd pride-"raise you, so that some
day people would sort OF forgetT'
Forget"
where you came from, dear. Down
the river with Old Michigan-and that
you haven't even a name except a bor-
rowed one from Lindstrom." He
laughed to smooth it over. "Oh, but
it's funny! You're a wild hawk,