The Yale expositor., 1916-12-21

ing, Sne laugheu.
But ne paid no heed to her. ''Toi-
nette, there is no one in the world,
there will never be anyone"
"Oh, please don't go ont shall
never marry. I do not believe / was
meant for marringe. Aren't some girls
born TO be splnsters?
"No, no! Not you!"
"Yes, / shall be an old maid. There
is no one In the world that shall ever
marry. 1 shall be happy with my fa-
ther all my life-and have only good
friends, faithful friends" she added
in whisper so low that it seemed
thought, not speech.
"Your father is young no longer. He
must wish you TO marry-he will be
happier If you do. You must not sac
rifice yourself TO hint is unjust"
"While ne lives I shall not leave
him; and oh, do not make me think
that there Will ever come q time
when :"
"Forgive me; I am sorry. But
can't you marry and still be with him?
Wouldn't he rather gain a son? oh,
TOinette, if could only tell you what
l feel! You nust marry me-I love
you sop
IL can never marry yOu."
"Why not? Is it because you love
someone elSe|
she was silent.
ais it someone in your old home?
Surely not-you would never have left
him 10 come here! Besides, you were
too young. Tell me-is il any man in
Corydon? Answer, Toinette! Is it
Toinette, is it this newcomer, this fell
low LarrenceW
She did not answer.
Laurence or no onel Well, he's out
Of nay way. Tou1l see little Of him
nOw-oh. 1 know, I've heard of you
both He's happy enough elsewhere"
"Stop! Don't speak of Mr.. Lar
rencew
"You think I don't know? I've
never met him, but news travels far
1 tell you! There's q pretty English
girl that he spends his time with
now"
II am rot concerned in Mr.. Lar
rence's actions" she answered coldly.
Believe me or not, as you choose.
The whole village knows It. But
know more-you think your heroic Mr..
Laurence is an honest American now?
Bah What is Ee what is be doing
here? Who knows anything about
Laurence? 1 tell you, ne and Gran
mcr's daughter are a pretty pair!"
Doctor Elliott! Take care Of your
words You dare not slander Lydia -
"Oh, she's honest enough, no doubt I;
but-there's bound to be war with
England-and soon. Suppose you
were English, wouldn't you DO what
you could for your country? There's
our forts and this frontier that the
English would like to have, remem-
| ber."
81 will not listen to this! You can
ot mean what you are saying"
IF you are a loyal American you
will lsten.'
"I will hear nothing more from you
about Lydia and Mr.. Laurence. And
now let me 90. 1 should not have let
you say what you have. Forgive me-
let us both forget it,"
She turned away and Elliott has
tened to repair his hasty speech.
II have said nothing Of this TO any
one aud have only told you, Toinette,
because love you so. 1 don't want
you TO. be misled by appearances. !
shall say nothing more about this
but time will show you 1 am right.
You are not angry with me, Toinette?
I would die rather than displease
your
The girl was evidently aroused, and
only ElliOtt's good sense I'm dropping
the subject saved the walk homeward
from embarrassing silence. With ready
tact he began to speak of other things,
and before they had reached the village
had succeeded ia drawing q smile
from his companion. He told her
good night as If nothing untoward had
happened.
Returning to the tavern, he sat q
while in his room in moody silence
and then began gloomily TO pound
!
"The fat nearly fell in the fire that
time" he muttered, and cursed him.
self under his breath. "YoI're toe
devilish hasty," he told himself. "Slow
aad careful is the word. She loves
him! But I'll spoil his fine game yet
The girls rlch-rich, why, that wiz
ened old father of hers must be worth
a fortunel And he can't live forever
He fell to grinding his drugs as though
tie simple remedies were poisons that
should encompass O'Bannon's death
He had been right in one respect
David had spent more than one pleas
ant evening at the Cranmers'. Under
his friendllness the girl glowed into
rosy reincarnation of the audacious
ly sympathetic Lydia Of their first
meeting. 1t was sweet to hear the
broad vowels Of Nottinghamsllire or
her lips and to hear the names Of