The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-10-02
A DANGEROUS LOVE.
SCENE l..

A DANGEROUS LOVE.
SCENE l.
A winter day;a cold sky full of snow,
dancing down in joyous vivacity, to
cover. with negligent charity, the ugly
little town and hide its curious air of
incompletion. The walls OF adobe and
stone. the incongruities of design. the
Irregular uneven streets full of rock
in the rough, together with hill-settino
of numerous abandoned prospect holes
and rudimentary tunnels. gave whim-
steal suggestion that Titians had left
unfinished a town they had been cut
ting out from the earth's raw material.
This was the outside aspect rs seen
through pair of tall windows, with
curtains stretched back TO gather every
ray of light from the dim, dull sky.
That light, scant as it was, brought
out the homelike cheer within. The
warm red of carpet and casual fittings
comforted the eye. At the windows
broad shelves full of plants that gave
the sole suggestion of luxury, barring
tho aromatic brilliance of a fragrant
cedar fire. A room of whose possibil-
tiles the most had been made. full of
the personality of its tenants-a room
where q man was very apt 10 get
sense of repose and ministration-
chief requirements of the masculine
nature.
Edward Lamb found its effect like
that, leaning ut ease i'll homeiy big
chair that had the knack like all the
chairs ut this house, of fitting the hu-
man frame. A large, fair man, slight
ly inclined to stOutness, he was of that
tyne of Irish beauty that involves
wholesome. clear skin. flushed with
delicate rosiness, abundant blonde
hair. and deep blue eyes. with more
sleepy tenderness than was strictly es-
sential behind their long. thick lashes.
Pm very fearful Im in for another
fortnight" he said, mot much chance
of the roads opening while this sort Of
thing goes on"
Miss Soulsby left the window and
came back TO her low easy seat on the
hearth, laughing. The impatience OF
his words was SO completely ut variance
with the Leliberatiun and contentment
of his tone.
Possess your soul in patience" she
said, lit is only question of days for
you, and thcn-" She made an eN-
pressive little gesture of farewell and
departure.
'And youP-are you coming east
some day?"
'Oh, yes," she answered, with GER
tain blilhe skepticism, when we sell Il
miner'
MIR. Lamb smiled at her satirical
touch upon the sanguinc creed of the
camp. 'Ledyard was wondering what
could keep me here" he said. incon-
sequently; "a Bohemian born, for
whom the noise and hurry of cities is
as the breath OF life"
Madelon Soulshy looked ut him in
tently. Well" she said, Il little sharp
ly. what has kept you?"
And yet he knew that she was per-
fectly aware what had kept him. ldlers
both, they could hardly have counted
The long, companionable afternoons
they had spent together that winter.
The little town was agog with the Irish
mans infatuation. 1t would have
needed more than their joint assertion
to have convinced the gossips that be-
tween those two no loye-making had
| been.
Yes, 1 ought to have gone last
week." he said, ignoring her audacity,
"when Ledyard went"
.Why did you not go?" she persisted.
| Theshousehold cat had leaped upon
her lap-a vicious big beast, whose
claws had a wicked way of unsheath-
ing themselves upon fondling fingers.
Mr. Lamb found himself dwelling on
the fact that he had never seen Dick sc
requite Miss SOulsby's careless endear'
ments. The lazy creature laid himself
luxuriously across her knees like 4
great, gray muff, as the girl nestled
her hands on his warm fur-delicate
hands those, always cold; not clammy,
but cold with a firm and reticent force
of their own.
Some day-who knows?-it may bC
made penal offense-their exercise o.
this capacity some women have for in
direct challenge; this taeit woOing tina
perhaps Overweighs mans preroga
tive of out speaking.
Edward Lamb was a phlegmati(
man enough ordinarily, and little givel
to impulses; but just now he wouiC
have bartercd his souls salvation 70
the right to displace Dicks parted fu
with his own handsome fair head t.
feel that careSsing touch press dowl
his throbbing eyelids. To his dyin;
day he would not forget the pictur
that instant photographed on the re
tina of his heart, For him, hereafter
no wonder of art nor revelation of liv
ing beauty could dispel the memory o
the graceful, girlish shape who's
quietude told of repression, not liner
tia; the air of absolute self-coniidenc
and cool, impartial self-disdain; th
bright face, with that mocking phas
of mingled wooin@ and warning; tn
grave, childish wiStfulness on tina
rounded brow; the sweet lips just nov
curved in scorn; the intent, amber eyes
Mr. Lamb averted his gaze and too
up Il novel from couch in the inglC
nook. BY the malignity of that pei
verse fate who misregulates TO inOr
porlunity these crucial moments, it wa
novel treating of the domestic al
ventures of II young journalist and III
pathetic small economies of his wife
Both had read the tale; inevitably thei
comments must partake of sentiments
colorlng.
.Is it the manlier way" said MI
Lamb, with II line air of unconcern an
Indifference. Ito offer a woman such
life as that?-or would one better pro
; tect her from self-sacritice by keepin
silence"
That man is most fatuous who far
cies that woman will not make il
stant personal application of such
speech. An exasperating smile of di
cernment bent Miss SDulsby's lip.
"Men have the prerogatiye of con
mitting any madness, She said; ''wit
womA rests the veto power of Sc
protection against such insanity"
"Are you So worldly?"
IL may well be-" said the girl. hi
! terly; Il have known privation all III
life long-that teaches the true Valu
of this worlds goods"
10 Involuntarily his gaze fell straigl
Z upon her garD--soft, rich gray. its on
9; line defined here and there by broa
d bands of gray Roman stripe in son
=. velvety looking woOlen fabric.
]. 81 cannot conceive your havin
~ known the need of money" he SAT-
- "few women are dressed like that
He stopped. becoming conscious no
. pointed was his speech.