FullReads

“Not to change my mind nor my residence at present,” replied North, coolly.

“Do you mean to continue this folly all your life?”

“And have a coroner’s inquest, and advertisements and all the facts in the papers?”

“And have HER read the melancholy details, and know that you were faithful and she was not?”

This last shot was from the gentle Maria, who bit her lips as it glanced from the immovable man.

“I believe there is nothing more to say,” continued North, quietly. “I am willing to believe your intentions are as worthy as your zeal. Let us say no more,” he added, with grave weariness; “the tide is rising, and your coachman is signaling you from the bank.”

There was no mistaking the unshaken positiveness of the man, which was all the more noticeable from its gentle but utter indifference to the wishes of the party. He turned his back upon them as they gathered hurriedly around the elder gentleman, while the words, “He cannot be in his right mind,” “It’s your duty to do it,” “It’s sheer insanity,” “Look at his eye!” all fell unconsciously upon his ear.

“One word more, Mr. North,” said the elder gentleman, a little portentously, to conceal an evident embarrassment. “It may be that your conduct might suggest to minds more practical than your own the existence of some aberration of the intellect–some temporary mania–that might force your best friends into a quasi-legal attitude of–“

“Declaring me insane,” interrupted James North, with the slight impatience of a man more anxious to end a prolix interview than to combat an argument. “I think differently. As my aunt’s lawyer, you know that within the last year I have deeded most of my property to her and her family. I cannot believe that so shrewd an adviser as Mr. Edmund Carter would ever permit proceedings that would invalidate that conveyance.”

Maria burst into a laugh of such wicked gratification that James North, for the first time, raised his eyes with something of interest to her face. She colored under them, but returned his glance with another like a bayonet flash. The party slowly moved toward the door, James North following.

“Then this is your final answer?” asked Mrs. North, stopping imperiously on the threshold.

“I beg your pardon?” queried North, half abstractedly.

“Your final answer?”

“Oh, certainly.”

Mrs. North flounced away a dozen rods in rage. This was unfortunate for North. It gave them the final attack in detail. Dick began: “Come along! You know you can advertise for her with a personal down there and the old woman wouldn’t object as long as you were careful and put in an appearance now and then!”

As Dick limped away, Mr. Carter thought, in confidence, that the whole matter–even to suit Mr. North’s sensitive nature–might be settled there. “SHE evidently expects you to return. My opinion is that she never left San Francisco. You can’t tell anything about these women.”

With this last sentence on his indifferent ear, James North seemed to be left free. Maria had rejoined her mother; but as they crossed the ford, and an intervening sand-hill hid the others from sight, that piquant young lady suddenly appeared on the hill and stood before him.

“And you’re not coming back?” she said directly.

“No.”

“Never?”

“I cannot say.”

“Tell me! what is there about some women to make men love them so?”

“Love,” replied North, quietly.

“No, it cannot be–it is not THAT!”

North looked over the hill and round the hill, and looked bored.

“Oh, I’m going now. But one moment, Jem! I didn’t want to come. They dragged me here. Good-by.”

She raised a burning face and eyes to his. He leaned forward and imprinted the perfunctory cousinly kiss of the period upon her cheek.

“Not that way,” she said angrily, clutching his wrists with her long, thin fingers; “you shan’t kiss me in that way, James North.”

With the faintest, ghost-like passing of a twinkle in the corners of his sad eyes, he touched his lips to hers. With the contact, she caught him round the neck, pressed her burning lips and face to his forehead, his cheeks, the very curves of his chin and throat, and–with a laugh was gone.