Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-02

beating suffocatingly. He ought not to
have looked at me like that" she
thought, troubled. but strangely happy.
That evening Edgerton unwilhngy
dressed for the Rogers dance. given in
honor Of his guests. She. the daughter
Of a tobacco tenant, would not be there!
But at 10 o'clock. when he led Fran
ces Gale-a dazzling thing in pale blue
silk. her pale gold hair piled high on her
head-to the dining room. he saw his
new-found goddess in simple white
dress, red rose pinned upon her bodice.
and with her shining hair low on her
white neck. moving deftly about. serving
the cakes and ices
Later he saw her in the ballroom,
modestly watching the dancers. Her
delicate color forsook her at his glance.
her eyes dropped. and presently she slip
ped out of the room.
Before the next dance Edgerton left
the dancers and made hasty survey
of the dining room, the long porches and
the grounds. In a little hollow in the
hillside yard. quite hidden from the drive
way, was rustic bench. Edgerton'
eager eyes saw a Whitehead figure fit
ting like a moth toward this seat.
Sweetheart" he said. softly, when he
stood beside her.
please go away she faltered. You
no right to follow me out here
He took the protesting hand she raised.
She could feel that he was shaking and
that his heart was beating like one that
had been running.
Il love you. Lizzie" he breathed II
love you,'
The blood left her face. you can't
mean that" she gasped. You can't
mean that. my people are poor work
And you-you never saw me before to-
day! You soil your soul and you insult
me saying those things
His eyes flashed. God forbid!' His
voice was hoarse with earnestness.
When 1 first saw you this afternoon,
beautiful and unself1sh and good. loved
you! ] love you! Believe me- Lizzie,
Give me little time and I will make
you
But the girl had fed and Edgerton saw
her no more that evening.
Late the next afternoon Lizzie, sit
ting. pale and troubled. in the long grass
at the edge OF her fathers tobacco
white fiannels coming toward her. With
out invitation Edgerton threw himself
down beside her and looked at her with
clear. honest eyes.
"Oh. Lizzie. my dear" he said. softly
tell me you believe I love you!'
The girl picked uneasily at a wild
purple cookie in the grass. oh she
murmured. reproachfully. you know
your people don't minge with tobacco
people! What would your grandfather
say If he heard your
Edgerton's head went up. Grandfather
married the woman he loved. and so shall
i, II l can make her love met"
You are asking me to marry your"
she breathed. a starry light in her eyes
that died instantly when she caught sight
of dusty figure in the next field stolid-
ly hoeing its unobserved way toward
them.
ooh. go away" she cried. before old
Nathan Russell sees you. I can't have
people thinking and saying wrong things
about you. Please CO.
Edgerton's pulses quckened. He want
ed to stay. to tell her a thousand things
but fear trembled in her voice. He step
ped quickly over the low fence and was
gone.
At home a telegram awaited him. A
brother physician required his immediate
presence in another town.
A week later he boarded &. homeward-
bound train. '1'll stop on the way home
and see her and make her answer me-
he thought. But twenty-five miles from
home the train was wrecked. Edgerton,
unhurt, worked for hours over the in
jured before he remembered to send his