156
After the Fire.
[Feb
ly, then more fondly, in a curious imi- tation of her voice.
Mason turned around with a look of triumph. " Oh, you need n't think he means you ; it was my question he an- swered," she said quickly.
" I wish I could ask you a question that you would answer that way, you dear little girl ! "
" Sweetheart ! " exclaimed Peter with emphasis.
The four young eyes met over Peter's cage, and as the color went down from Mason's brown cheek it seemed to rise in hers, as if the same heart had sent it. She could not avoid his look, nor speak, though her lips moved in the effort.
Humphrey suddenly seemed to realize some unspeakably precious thing whose existence was before unknown. " Bessie, Bessie, I love you," came the words, before he had thought them even.
Still she did not speak, and Mr. Rior- dan came around the house, and seeing Humphrey came to greet him, and be- gin a talk that promised to last indefi- nitely.
Bessie slipped away, but came back after a time with her mother, who as- sisted actively in the conversation, while Bessie sat on the low step, where Hum- phrey could see only the curve of her cheek. She did not look at him until, after getting all the small gossip that Mason had to give, the elder woman said suddenly.
" Well, I hear that you are going to housekeeping before long ? "
" Yes ? " he answered in surprise. "Well, I hope to some day. I don't know how soon, though."
He met Bessie's eyes, and they were full of scorn and anger. What did it mean ?
"I haven't seen Annie Drew for some years, but she was a very pretty little girl then," continued Mrs. Riordan. " I suppose we won't see much more of you, when you arrange to spend your Sundays in Ellensb'urg."
" What has Annie Drew and Ellens! burg to do with "the matter ? "
" Why, we have heard from several people lately that you were to marrjl Annie Drew and live with the Drew;[ in Ellensburg."
"Nonsense. I am going to do nothl ing of the kind ! I am looking forward; to something quite different. I will tell you about it the first thing, if it goes) as I hope it will."
Bessie got up and went away with a| cold, hard look on her face, and he did! not see her again until he was ready tc go. Then he found her at the back ol| the house, and would have taken hands, but she drew back.
" Bessie, do you care for me ? Yc certainly did not believe that story about Annie Drew."
" I don't know why I should not be-| lieve it. I suppose it amuses you to| make love to different girls."
" I don't do it. I never made lovej to but one, and not much of that yet."|
" You are mistaken, Mr. Mason, if you think I will accept your love-mak- ing after you have been saying the same things and far more to others."
" Bessie, who told you all this stuff ? "
" I have heard it from different ones as coming from Annie Drew herself."
"No!"
" She did not deny that she was en- gaged, when Auntie Brown asked her about it after she saw you kiss her one night while in Ellensburg. Joe Austin said that she told him that she was go- ing to marry you."
" O, he lied," cried Humphrey, in a great rage. " I will make him swallow it tomorrow ! "
" I know Auntie did n't, for she saw you," retorted Bessie, ominously quiet.
" Bessie, I swear I am not going to marry Annie. I never dreamed of fall- ing in love with her."
" What did you mean, then, by what Auntie saw in the hotel hall in Ellens- burg?"
