Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-05-14

cfullnd When she had pushed the gold
tbnarp into its corner she threw herself
= upon a broad sofa In a feathery drift
Of chintz cushions and dropped her
!, forehead in her laced fingers. A gilt
framed mirror hung on the opposite
sSwall, out Of which her sorrowful brood
q eyes looked with an expression OF
NIB and weary suffering.
~, Her confused thoughts raced hither
Z and thither. What would be the end?
uueyould Valiant forget after time?
useVould he marry-Miss Fargo, per-
qubaps? The thought caused her a stab
thof anguish. Yet she herself could not
silmarry him. The barrier was impas-
Ap' sable!
She was still lying listlessly among
isxne cushions when step sounded on
cltthe porch and she heard Chilly Lusk's
r. voice in the hall. With heavy hands
D. Shirley put into place her disheveled
anhair and rose to meet him.
ev; I'm awfully selfish to come to-
I;c,1ight," he said awkwardly; mo doubt
you are tired out"
l; She disclaimed the WEAKNESS that
= dragged upon her spirits like leaden
weights, and made him welcome with
Ser Usual cordiality. She was, in fact,
=, relieved at his coming. At Damory
-, court, the night of the ball. when she
.Anhad come from the garden with her
orlips thrilling from Valiant's kiss, she
CT had suddenly met his look. 1t had
th seemed to hold startled realization
anqnat she had remembered with re-
sllsmorseful conjunction. Since that
might he had not been at Rosewood.
Ranston had lighted a pine-knot in
A the, fireplace, and the walls were shud-
in orring with crimson shadows. Her
almosnd was shielding her eyes, and as
cynicse stroye to fill the gaps in their
W M5mewhat spasmodic conversation
hss With the trivial impersonal things that
le, belonged to their old intimacy. the
no tiny pickering flames seemed to be
i daTting unfriendly fingers plucking at
4, her secret. Leaning from her nest of
!. cushions she thrust the poker into
!, the glowing resinous mass till sparks
~hizzed up the chimneys black NAV
, torrent.
How they fy!" she said. hickey
yder calls 1t raising a blizzard IN
Witdes. / used to think they flew up
W. the sky and became the littlest
n stars. What a pity we have to grow
-, up and learn so muchi I'd rather
! have kept on believing that when the
red leaves in the woods whirled about
In a circle the fairies were dancing
and that il was the gnomes who put
the cockle-burs in the hounds ears.
- She had been talking at random
y gradually becoming shrinkingly con
ecious of his constrained and STUN
bling manner. She had. however. but
half defined his errand when he came
to II all in burst.
4 Tt can't get to 1t, somehow, Shir
81 lev" he said with sudden desperation
n but here Il is. I've come to ask you
to marry me. Don't stop me-" he
went on hurriedly. lifting his hand
=. ~whatever you say. l must tell you
, I've been trying TO for months anC
monthsl" Now that he had started
Il came with a boyish vehemence thai
4 both chilled and thrilled her. Ever
I'm her own desolation, and shrinking
almost unbearably from the avowal
the hope and brightness In his voice
touched her with pity. II seemed L
her that life was a strange tumble o
n unacceptable and incomprehensibl'
N pain. And all the while. in the youn,
voice vibrant with feeling, her cring
Co ing ear was catching imagined echoei
cre2of that other voice, graver and more
M self-contained. but shaken by the same
4 passion, in that iteration of Il love
n you'll love you'll"
His answer came to him finally n
her silence, and he released her handl