The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-11-30
least. she would not spot, che kindness

with your fingers, She aughed; as he
~redoubled his efforts to capture a tiny
disc of pearl and set it into it's small
velvet socket. Here! I have a button
hook In my handbag. Try this"
n produced a small silver instru-
ment from a gold-link bag on her arm
n landed it to him. He took it help
lessly, trying first one 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, and
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 she 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
ne was, and let her laugh ring out mer-
rily; and SO with shy audacity he as
sayed to TAX off the other shoe.
Ihey really felt quite well acquainted
and as if they were going on a days
picnic. when they finally gathered up
road. Gordon summoned 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 nave 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 once if she
chose. He was bound to look after her
until he could place her in good hands,
or at least where she could look after
herself, and it was better to carry it out
leaving her to hin what she pleased
until he could tell her everything. If all
went we'll, they might be able to catch
a Pittsburgh train that night. and be in
Washington he next day. Then, his
message delivered, he would tell her
the whole story. Until the 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, n her
faint the night before had been the
result Of a series Of heavy strains on
a heart burdened with terrible fear.
made her forget for the time that she
was supposed to be walking into a
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 a
hill flashed back a thousand lights from
its jeweled grass-blades thickly set.
"The lark's on the wing;
The snaiIs on the thorn"
went on Celia suddenly catching his
spirit, and pointing to a lark that dart
ed up into the blue with a trill of the
morning in his throat.
Gordon turned ap~preciative eyes upon
her. 1t was good to nav her take 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 evaS ssThat caaooa
very true, today, doesn't it?"
The blue eyes wayered with q hint of
shadow in them as they looked back
into the brown ones.
wistfully.
The young man wished he dared go
behind that "almost-perhaps" and find
out what she meant, but concluded it
were better to bring back the smile and
help her to forget for a little while at
least.
Down by the brook they paused to
rest, under a weeping willow, whose
green-tinged plumes were dabbling in
the brook. Gordon arranged the suit
down to the brookside and gathered a
bunch of forget-me-nots, blue as her
eyes, and brought them to her.
h looked at them in wonder, to
think they grew out here, wild, intend
ed. She had never seen them before, ex-
cept in pots in the florists windows.
She touched them d%elicately with the
tips of her fingers, as if they were too
ethereal for earth; then fastened them
in the breast of her gown.
"They exactly match you eyes!" he
exclaimed i~nvoluntarily, 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 habit of saying
protfu thipoa RI GIRLS hl,t this .Sr1 ~
called it from him. 1t IVES
genuine. He sat q momen abashed,
not knowing to say next, as if he
were a shy boy, n she did not help
him, for her ~eyelashes dropped in a
long becoming sweep over her cheeks,
and she seemed for the momen not to
be able to carry off the situation. He
was not sure if she were diIspleased or
not.
Her heart had thrilled strangely as
he spoke, and she was vexed, with her
self that it should be SO. A man who
had bullied and threatened her for three
terrible months and forced her to mar
ry him had no right to a thrill Of her
heart nor a look from her eyes, be he
ever so kind for the moment He GER
chose to be; she must watch herself, for
never, never, must she yield weakly to
his smooth overtures. Well did she
him. He had some reason for all
pledSaIlIlieSS II WOuId surely De
revealed soon
She stiffened her lips nds tried to
look away from him to the purply green
hills; but the echo of his words came
her again, n again her heart
at them. What if-oh what If
were all right, and she might accept
the admiration in his%voice2 And yet
how could that be possible? M sweet
color came into her cheeks again, and
h tears flew quickly to her eyes,, till
they looked all sky and dew, and she
not turn back to him.
The silence remained unbroken, I'M
til a lark in the willow copse behind
them burst forth into song and broke
spell that was upon them.
Are o offended at what 4 said? %
he asked earnestly. 81 am sorry if you
did not like it. The words said them
selves without my stopping to think
whether you might not k it. viii
you forgive me?"
"Oh," she said, lifting her forget-me-