Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-13
A DANGEROUS LOVE.
THE PERIL A LOVER RAN AND THE LOVE
HE LOST.
SCENE I.

SCENEI
A winter day; a cold sky full Of snow dancing
down in joyous vivacity,. to cover, with negli-
gent charity. the ugly little town and hide it's
curious air of incompetion. The walls of adobe
and stone incongruities OF design, the irregular,
uneven streets full of rock in the rough, together
with bill-setting OF numerous abandoned prospect
holes and rudmentary tunnels, gave whimsi-
cal suggestion that Titans had left unfinished a
town they had been cutting out from the earth's
raw material.
This was the ontside aspect "a seen through a
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 home-like cheer within. The warm red
of carpet and casual fittings comforted the eve
At the windows broad shelves full of plants. that
90 We the sole suggestion of luxury, barring the
arUm attic brilliancy of fragrant cedar fire. A
room of whose possibilities the most had been
made. full of the personality Gifts tenants; DOM
where man was very apt TO get sense OF re-
pose and ministratiOn-chief requirements of
tile masculine nature.
Edward Lamb found its effect like that. lean
ing at ease in a homely big chair that had the
knack. like all the chairs at this house. of fitting
the human frame. large fair man, slightly
inclined to stOutness, he was of that type of
Irish beauty that involves wholesome clear skin
flushed with delicate rosiness, abundant blonde
hair and Geep blue eyes, with more sleepy ten
dcrness than was strictly essential behind their
long. thick lashes.
I'm very fearful I'm in for another fortnight"
he said; - not much chance of the roads opening
while this sort of thing goes on
Miss SOuSlby left the window and came back to
her low seat on the hearth laughing. The i'm
patience of his words was so completely at yari-
ance with the deliberatOn and contentment of
his tone
SOIL tn
at is only question of days for you and
then" she made an expressive little gesture
of farewell and departure.
day?" 'O-'''
"Oh yes" she answered. with certain bltbe
skeptiCism. ''when we sell mine,'
Mr.. Lamb smiled at her satirical touch mon
the san@uine creed of the camp. '.Ledyard was
wondering what could keep me here" he said,
inconsequently; "a Bohemian born for whOmthe
noise and hurry of cities is as the breath of lite
M3dei0n Soulsby looked at him intently
well she said. a little sharply, s'what has
kept you?''
And yet he knew that she was perfectly aware
what had kept him. Idlers both. they could hardly
have counted the long. companionabe AFTER
moons they had spent together that winter
The little town was agOg with the Ir.shman' .
matuation. 1t would have needed more than
their joint asseyeratiOn to have convinced the
Cossips that between these two no iove-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
The household cat had leaped upon her lap
vicious big beast whose claws had a wicked
way of unsheating themselves upon fondiing
fingers. Mr. Lamb found himself dwelling on
the fact that he never had seen Dick so reQuite
Miss SOulsbys careless endearments. The lazy
creature laid himself luxuriously across her
knees, like great gray muf as the girl nest
led her hands on his warm tur-delicate hands
those, always cold; not cammy. hut cold with a
firm and retcent force OF their own.
Some day-who knows?-it may be made a
penal Offense-their exercise of this CAPACITY
some women have for indirect challenge; this
tacit wooin: that perhaps overweighs a mans
prerogatiye of outspeaking
Edward Lamb was phegmatic man enough
ordinarily, and little given to impulses; but lust
now he would have bartered his souls salvation
for the right to displace Dick's parted fur with
his Own handsome fair head, to feel that caress-
ing touch press down his throbbing eye!ids
To his dying d6v he would not forget thu pic
ture that instant photographed on the retina of
his heart. For him. hereafter, no wonder OF art
nor revelation of living beauty could dispel
the memory of the graceful. girlsh shape whose
quietude told OF repression. not inerta the air
OF absolute self-confidence and cool, impartial
self-disdain: the bright face. with that mock inc
phase of mingled wOoing and warning; the
grave. childish usefulness on that rounded
brow; the sweet lips just now curved in scorn;
the intent amber ewes.
Mr.; Lamb averted his gaze, and took up a
novel from couch in the ingle nook. By the
malignity of that perverse Fate who misreyu-
lates to inoppOrtunity these crucial moments
it was a novel treating Of the domestic adyen-
lures OF young journalist and the pathetic
small economies OF his wife. Both had read the
tale: inevitably their comments must partake of
sentimental coloring.
us it the manler way" said Mr.. Lamb. with
line air OF uncOncern and Indifference, ito
offer woman such life as that:-orwOuld one
better protect her from self-sacrifce by keeping
silence?"
That man is most fatuous who fancies that a
woman Will not make instant personal applica-
ton of such a speech. An exasperating smile of
discernment bent Miss Soulsby's lip.
Men have the perogative of committing any
madness, she said; with women rests the veto
power of self-protection against such insanity. :"
Are you 80 worldly"
II may well be-" said the girl, bitterly; 81
nave known privation all my life lOng-that
teaches the true value Of this worlds goods"
Involuntarily his gaze fell straight upon her
garb-sOft, rich gray. its outlines defined here
and there by broad bands Of gay Roman stripe
in some velvety-loOking wOOllen fabric
i cannot conceive your having known the
need of money" he said; "few women are
dressed like tlrat-" He stopped. becoming
SOHSCiOus IOW pOiuttu WAS HIS speech.
Few are" she asserted. laughing, happily
for themselves and the peace of their house
holds. l see. You like my frock-men are so
short-sighted- blind BATS You like it, and why?
Because it is nicely proporrioned, and it is
true to its purpose. Do you seeI" She held
her drapery forward na;vely. This is frock
for the house-not the sort of costume one would
wear on the street. Harmony. adaptatity;
that Is it, not elegance. The whole thing cost
me-three dollars"
What
1T is quite true. I paid that for the gray
flannel. The bright stripe was the best portion
OF WORKOUT shawl and had the buttons, -
with an air OF tri umphant conclusion.
Mr. Lamb found something very brave and
very pathetic in the simplicity and detail OF this
confession. This endurance of vanity's mortih-
cation appeared heroic as contrasted with the
lavish expenditure OF other women far less
lovely and worthy. But then, men usually are
willing TO concede great virtue to the practical
ity that achieves slightly results. If Miss Souls
bys attire had been unbecoming OF if Miss
Soulsby's self had been less pleasant to the eye,
no doubt her exposition of ways and means
might have seemed sordd and reyoltin. in the
extreme Also, some allowance must be made
tor the attitude OF delightful intimacy implied
in confidence on topic SO nearly personal as
. this Of toilet matters. Altogether many things
20 TO modify the trvaity in value OF discus
sions-betweeH woman and man--on puerile
themes.
II thank you," said Edward Lamb, almost