Dorian | Page 4

they encouraged.
Carlia placed her foot on the pole as if testing it. The other girls
protested. She would fall in and drown.
"You dared us; now who's the coward," cried the boys.
Carlia took a step forward, balanced herself, and took another. The
children stood in spell-bound silence. The girl advanced slowly along
the frail bridge until she reached the middle where the pole swayed
dangerously.
"Balance yourself," suggested the second boy.
"Run," said the first.

But Carlia could neither balance nor run. She stood for a moment on
the oscillating span, then threw up her hands, and with a scream she
plunged into the waters of the canal.
No thought of danger had entered Dorian's mind as he stood watching
the capers of the children. If any of them fell in, he thought, they would
only get a good wetting. But as Carlia fell, he sprang forward. The
water at this point was quite deep and running swiftly. He saw that
Carlia fell on her side and went completely under. The children
screamed. Dorian, startled out of his apathy, suddenly ran to the canal
and jumped in. It was done so impulsively that he still held on to his
package of books. With one hand he lifted the girl out of the water, but
in her struggles, she knocked the bundle from his hand, and the
precious books splashed into the canal and floated down the stream.
Dorian made an effort to rescue them, but Carlia clung so to his arms
that he could do nothing but stand and see the package glide over the
falls at the headgate and then go dancing over the rapids, even as
Carlia's sticks had done. For a moment the young man's thoughts were
with his books, and it seemed that he stood there in the canal for quite a
while in a sort of daze, with the water rushing by his legs. Then
mechanically he carried the girl to the bank and would have set her
down again with her companions, but she clung to him so closely and
with such terror in her eyes that he lifted her into his arms and talked
reassuringly to her:
"There, now," he said, "you're only a bit wet. Don't cry."
"Take me home. I--I want to go home," sobbed the girl.
"Sure," said Dorian. "Come on everybody."
He led the way, and the rest of the children followed.
"I suppose the party's about over, anyway," suggested he.
"I--I guess so."
They walked on in silence for a time; then Carlia said:

"I guess I'm heavy."
"Not at all", lied the young man bravely, for she was heavier than he
had supposed; but she made no offer to walk. By the time they reached
the gate, Carlia was herself again, and inclined to look upon her wetting
and escape as quite an adventure.
"There," said Dorian as he seated the girl on the broad top of the gate
post; "I'll leave you there to dry. It won't take long."
He looked at his own wet clothes, and then at his ragged, mud-laden
shoes. He might as well carry the girl up the path to her home, but then,
that was not necessary. The day was warm, there was no danger of
colds, and she could run up the path in a few minutes.
"Well, I'll go now. Goodby," he said.
"Wait a minute--Say, I'm glad you saved me, but I'm sorry you lost
your package. What was in it?"
"Only books."
"I'll get you some more, when I get the money, yes I will. Come here
and lift me down before you go."
He obeyed. She put a wet arm about his neck and cuddled her dark,
damp curls against his russet mop. He lifted her lightly down, and then
he slipped a chocolate secretly into her hand.
"Oh girls," exclaimed one of the party, "I know now."
"Know what?" asked Carlia.
"I know who you are going to marry."
"Who?"
"You're going to marry Dorian."

CHAPTER TWO.
The disposition to lie or evade never remained long with Dorian Trent;
but that evening as he turned into the lane which led up to the house, he
was sorely-tempted. Once or twice only, as nearly as he could
remember, had he told an untruth to his mother with results which he
would never forget. He must tell her the truth now.
But he would put off the ordeal as long as possible. There could be no
harm in that. Everything was quiet about the house, as his mother was
away. He hurriedly divested himself of his best clothes and put on his
overalls. He took the milk pail and hung it on the fence until he brought
the cows from the pasture. After milking, he did his other