THE EFFECTS OF A DAYDREAM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3380, 7 February 1879, Page 3

THE EFFECTS OF A DAYDREAM.

<By Tkkc)

Part T. (Continued.) It is (oo dark for Norman to detect the alteration in her face, but he can hear the agitation in her voice and says laughingly : " Ah, young ladies should' be careful not to leave their secrets about ! "

"Give it tomci Where did you find it? Have you looked at it ? " Ruby asks in a breath.

He little thinks of how much import his answer is to her, and says quizzically, as he allows her fco take possession of the book — "Itis a treasure, after all, it appears ! It was given me by Joe, fche under-gardener, fchis morning, who said he found it near the coppice. Of course I was obliged to look into it iv order to discover the owner."

It all recurs to her now — she must have left the book on the grass, when she hurred j home to dinner a few days previously, and has never given one thought to it from that time until now. Oh, how could she have been so careless after writing such stupid words ! He lias no doubt read them and that is the reason he has taken such entire possession of her this evening. How he must laugh at her, and how she will hate him henceforth, and herself too ! '• Ruby Fortescue " indeed ! She can never be that now — not if he swears again and again that he loves her ; and, without allowing herself ono moment for reflection, she determines to let Norman see she does not care for him, and at once obliterate the idea that must have taken possession of him, So by a strong effort she recovers her self-possession, and commences a heedless conversation with Norman, who again wonders what has come over her. They have no* turned in their walk, but havo wandered so far from tho house that Ruby thinks the-, will never reach it again. She drowns thought however by incessant chatter, and at last, when an opportunity ocours, asks a little defiantly. " Did you ever write anything you don't memr"

"Nofc intentionally," Norman answers "Do you?"

she returns

"Oh, yes; often aud offcon!" flippanfcly.

" Whafc— nVthis book, for instance ?" Norman inquires; the spirit of mischief urging him fco fcease again. " Yes, in this book especially," she answers. "Ifc is so common-place to write jusfc whafc you think or feel always. Whafc a long way we have come !*'' she adds presently. " And we have never found Mr Earnscliffe and Edith, after all our trouble."

••What will- yoif say jf i t e u j OU that; T had no intention of finding them— that I wanted you all to- myself?" asks Norman, bending his head -until ib nearly touches the soft brown hair, irs his auxiefcy to get a glimpse of Ruby's- face in order to read his answer there.

j'l should say that you very much surprise me," Ruby cines, averting her face, determined he shall get no advantage over

"Bu I do tell you so, my dirling," he urges, trying fco take Her hand. " I wanted you all to myself. 1 wanted fco tell you of my great love for you and ask you to love me a little in return."

" Oh, stop, stop!" Ruby implores, striving to release her hand from his grasp. Though her heart may break-i n fche struggle, she will never give him an -opportunity of taunting her wifch having made- fche unmaidenly confession of her love before Sfc had been asked of her. ne is very likely doing ifc out of compassion now, she fclunks 5 . and, piqued afc the thought, she- continues— '*- You must nofc talk so to me — you- do nofc know how it pains me." " Pains you ?" he echoes- ruefully. " Far be ifc from me to give you anything but; happiness — to make your- life any tiling bufc sunshine. Do you not believe in my love, and will yon not give me some little hope in return ?"

Ruby had to muster all her strength before she can answer. Her heart is brimming over with love, and she longs- to be able to throw herself into his arms <md Sell him so ; bufc how can she believe in • his- love now — how know fchat he is in earnest ?• Bufc one thought fills her mind, the conviction thafc lie has read those luckless words, which she would have given worlds he had never- seen — and, wifch a strong effort to speak -firmly, she says — " I am very sorry, Mr-Forfcescne, but I can give you no hope."

" You do notj cannot love me ?" Norman urges wildly.

" I don't, .and can't," site answers coldly. They walk on silently until- fchey reach fche house, both feeling ;iuteosely miserable — he pained and perplexed at the capricious conduct so unusual with.Ruby, and she congratulating herself somewhat bitterly on fche success of her endeavours to blot out; any ideas of her love for him ■ in Norman's breast.

As Ruby would pass him to go up-sfcairs, Norman detains -her, saying — " You allowed -jusfc now thafc you wrote tilings you did not incan — perhaps you also say them."

" Not in fchis case," she-answers defiantly.

Is jour answer unalterable then ?"

"Quite," she- uttei-3 sharply, and then turns again. It is too chink .foi- Norman to see the tears that persist in stealing down her cheeks, but, before she is well upstairs, lie hears an unmistakeable sob, and, marvelling as to the cause of her strange behaviour, he walks into the drawing-room. He succeeds in disguising his feelings so well that no one suspects (lie conflicting emotions that are surging, in his heart. Ruby comes in presently with unusually bright eyes, and crimson spots on her cheeks. She lias a defiant expression on her face, and talks and laughs as if. her heart has never known a care. Edith Crrahame pauses in her conversation with Frank Earnseliffe, and gazes wonderingly. at. the bright, excited girl. She iittle guesses how Ruby is deceiving them •all with her merry laugh and ready repartee, and knows not until, long afterwards of the great sorrow that is-overvrhelming her friend's heart.