I looked down into the sweet, pale face.
" Well ?" I said.
"I do not know," she replied. " I wish you had not asked
me," and I noticed a pearly dimness in her eyes.
" Oh, Dorothy, darling, are you blind ?" I whispered. " I
love you—l love you," and I held out my arms. She wavered
for a moment, and then crept into them with a great sigh of con
tent, raising her lips to mine in a mute appeal which I had
neither the power nor the desire to resist. But a moment later
her face clouded, and she slipped away from me.
".I forgot "—she said—" the other girl."
•
" Don't, dear," I begged, " I have forgotten her."
" A man can truly love but once," she said, quickly.
" Then," I replied, triumphantly, " one of the two is real,—
either this, or the other."
She came close to me and looked me squarely in the eyes.
" It was the other," said she.
That was too much. I turned away to hide •the tears which
would come to my eyes. And I wondered why, with happiness
within her grasp; she yet held it at arm's length. And I confess
that in my weakness I sobbed aloud. And then a pair of soft
arms stole 'round my neck, and two warm, red lips were laid on
mine, and I heard Dorothy whisper,
" Kenneth, Kenneth, I believe you."
" At last," I said, " I was afraid you would do—as the other."
Some time later, as we were on our way back to camp, Dorothy
"'I know you never before met such a wilful person as I am,
did you ?"
" No, nor do I ever care to, again;" I replied, thinking only of
her. She drew away coldly.
" No, you do not • understand," I cried. • "It is because if I
met another like you, I should love that other just as well as you,
While the truth is, I want to loVe just you, and you. alone." • ; •
And • as'l trod sloWly hoinevvat'd ; my thoughts were far above
the earth and I walked on air. 'ln the excess of tiny. , jay' I sang'
my lOve to the stars, and they twinkled knowingly in , response..
And I felt that it was good .to live,, and, that in .spite , of its sorrows
and 'adversities; this is a jolly good old 'world after all.;
HER BROTHER'S SISTER