Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1920-08-07
CHAPTER lV-continued.

They were not far away, but too
taken up with each other to see me.
She was>> walking slowly, with the
little petulant cock of her dainty head
which knew so well, casting her eyes
away from him, and shooting out a
word from time to time. He paced
along beside her, looking down at her
and bending his head in the eagerness
Of his talk. Then, as he said some
thing, she placed her hand with a ca
ress, upon his arm, and he, carried off
his feet, plucked her up and kissed
her again and again. At the sight !
could neither cry out nor move, but
stood with q heart Of lead and the
face Of a dead man staring down at
them. I saw her hand passed over his
shoulder. and that his kisses were as
welcome to her as ever mine had been.
Then he set her down again, and I
found that this had been their part
ing, for indeed in another hundred
PAGES they would have come in view
of the upper windows of the house.
She walked slowly away, with a wave
back once or twice, and he stood look
ing after her. I waited until she was
some way of, and then down I came,
but so taken up was he that I was
within a hands touch of him before
he whisked round upon me. He tried
tH ryvvN{1A h{e
II saw y0u," gasped, and my
throat had turned SO dry that I spoke
like a man with quinsy.
did you so?" said he, and he gave
a little whistle. swell, on my life,
Jock, I'm not sorry. I was thinking
Of coming up to West Inch this very
day and having It out with you. May
be its better as 1t is"
"You've been a fine friend" said l.
swell, now. be reasonable, Jock"
said he, sticking his hands into his
pockets and rocking to and fro as he
stood. 'Let me show you how it
stands. Look me in the eye and you'll
see that don't lie. It's this way.
had met Edie-Miss Calder, that is
before came that morning, and there
were things which made me look upon
her as free, and, thinking that, let
my mind dwell on her. Then you said
she wasn't free but was promised to
you, and that was the worst knock
I've had for a time. It clean put me
off, and made fool Of myself for
some days, and it's mercy I'm not
in Berwick Jail. Then by chance !
met her again-0n my soul, Jock, 1t
was chance for me-and when I spoke
Of you she laughed at the thought. It
was cousin and cousin, she said, but
as for her not being free. or you being
more to her than friend. it was FOOLS
talk. So you see. Jock, was not SO
much to blame after all, the more so
as she promised that she would let you
see by her conduct that you were mis-
taken in thinking that you had any
claim upon her. You must have no
ticed that she has hardly had a word
for you. for these last two weeks"
laughed bitterly. 1T was only last
night" said I, that she told me that
I was the only man in all this earth
that she could ever bring herself to
love-"
Jim Horscroft put out a shaking
hand and laid it on my shoulder, while
he pushed his face forward to look
into my eyes.
"Jock Calder" said he, II never
knew you tell lie. You are not try
ing to score trick against trick, are
you? Honest, now, between man and
man."
TITS Gods TRUTH" said 1.
He stood looking at me, and his face
had set like that of man who is hav-
ing a hard fight with himself. It was
q long two minutes before he spoke.
"See here. jock said he. "this
woman Is fooling US both. D'you hear.
man?-she's fooling us both. She loves
you at West Inch, and she loves me
on the brae-side, and in her devils
heart she cares a whin blossom for
neither Of us. Let's join hands, man.
and send the hell-fire, hussy to the
right-about."
But this was too much. could not
curse her in my Own heart, and still
less could stand Ivy and hear another
man do 1t, not though it was my old
est friend.
. Don't you call names" cried.
Zach! you sicken me with your soft
talk. I'll call her what she should be
called"
"Will you. thought" said l, Juggling
ed my coat Look you here. Jim
a