The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-11-30

least, she would not spoil the kindness
while 1t lasted. 1t was surely better
than what she had feared.
You never can button those shoes
with your fingers" she laughed, as he
redoubled his efforts to capture O tiny
disc OF pearl n set 1t into its small
velvet socket. "Here! l have q button
hook in my hand bag. Try this"
She produced a small silver instru-
ment from a gold-link bag on her arm
and handed 1t to him. He took it help
lessly, trying first n end and then
the other. and succeeding with neither.
Here, let me show you" she laughed,
pulling off one glove. Her white fingers
grasped the silver button hook. ana
flashed in and out of the velvet holes,
knitting the little shoe to the foot in no
time. He watched the process in humble
wonder, and h would not have been a
human girl not to have been flattered
with his interest and admiration. For
the minute she forgot who and what
he was, and let her laugh ring out mer-
rily; and so with shy audacity he as
sayed to take off the other shoe.
They really felt quite well acquainted
and as IL they were going on a days
IsRicnic. when they finally gathered up
Mheir belongings and started down the
road. Gordon all his ready
wit and intellect to brighten the walk
for her, though he found himself again
and again on the brink OF referring to
his Washington life, or some other per-
sonal matter that would have brought
a wondering question to her lips. He
had decided that he must not tell her
who he was until he could put her in an
Independent position, where she could
get away from him at nce IL h
chose. He was bound to look after her
until he could place her in good hands,
or at least where h could look after
herself, and it was better to carry 1t out
4 - d. 49,. A. -. -uL-A H. -1~a-AI
until he could tell her everything. liz all
went well, they might be able to catch
a Pittsburgh train that night and be in
Washington the next day. Then, his
message delivered, he would tell her
the whole story. Until hen he must
hold his peace.
They went gaily down the road, the
girls pale cheeks beginning to flush
with the morning and the exercise. She
was not naturally delicate, and her
faint the night before had been the
result of a series of heavy strains ON
The morning and his kindness had
made her forget for the time that she
was supposed to be walking into Q
world of dread and sacrifice.
The years at the spring, .
The days at the MORN"
quoted Gordon gaily,
Mornings at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearled-
He waved an umbrella off to where q
hill flashed back q thousand lights from
it's jeweled grass-blades thickly set.
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn"
went on Celia suddenly catching his
spirit, and pointing to a lark that dart
ed up into the blue with q trill Of h
morning In his throat.
Gordon turned a~ppreciative eyes upon
her. 1t was good to have her TAX up his
favorite poet in hat tone Of voice-a
tone that showed she too knew and
loved Browning.
God in His heaven,
ALPS right with the world"
finished Gordon in a quieter voice, look
ing straight into her eyes. That seems
very true, today, doesn't It'll" :
The blue eyes wayered with a hint or
shadow in them as they looked back
into h brown ones.
"Almost-perhaps," h faltered
wistfully.
The young man wished he dared go
behind that 'almost-perhaps" and find
out what she meant, but concluded IL
were better to bring back the smile and
help her to forget for a little while at
least. ..H
Down by the brook they paused to
rest, under a weeping willow, whose
green-tinged plumes were dabbling l n
the brook. Gordon arranged the suit
cases for her to sit upon, then climbed
down to the b~rookside and gathered a
bunch of forget-me-nots, blue as her
eyes, and brought them to her.
She looked at them in wonder, to
think they grew out here, wild, untend-
ed. She had never seen them before, ex-
cept in pots in the florists windows.
She touched them delicately with the
tins of her fingers, as If they were too
ethereal for earth: then fastened them
in the breast of her gown.
"They exactly match your eyes," ne
exclaimed involuntariiy, and then
wished he had not spoken, for she flush
ed and paled under his glance, until
he felt he had been unduly bold. He
wondered why he had said that. He
never had been in the hab or saying
pretty things to girls, but this girl
somehow called 1t from him. 1t was
genuine. He sat q moment abashed,
not knowing what to say next, as IL he
were a shy boy, and she did not help
him, for her eyelashes dropped In q
Hong becoming sweep over her cheeks,
and she seemed for the moment not to
be able to carry off h situation. He
was not sure II she We're ulspleaseo or
not.
Her heart had thrilled strangely a.
he spoke, and she vas vexed with her
self that 1t should be so. A man who
had bullied and threatened her for three
terrible months and forced her to mar
ry MIN ndu ITO TlBul " u VA hvt
heart nor a look from her ayes, be he
ever SO kind for the moment. He GER
tainly was nice n pleasant when he
chose to be: she must watch herself, for
never, never, must she yield weakly to
his smooth overtures. Well did she
know him He had some reason for all
this pleasantness. It would surely be
revealed Dor
She stiffened her lips and tried to
look away from him to h purply green
hills; but the echo Of his words came
upon her again, and again her heart
thrilled at them. What if--oA What X
he were all right, and she might accept
the admiration iH\his voice? And yet
how could that be possible? The sweet
color came into her cheeks again, n
the tears flew quickly to her eyes, till
they looked all sky and dew, and she
dared not turn back to him.
The silence remained unbroken, un-
til a lark in the willow copse behind
them burst forth into song and broke
the spell nat was upon them. Z
Are you offended at what I said?"