St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-19

l won't saw so for the world. 1t would
seem so weak and silly. Just the sort OF
thing poor little Blanca Avery would do.
! Van V. (from the stOnes)-WOuld you
give me your hand? There. step carefully!
So
Miss II. turns white and d)-It's very
foolish (stopping i'm the middle Of the tor
remit. but l am afraid.
Van V. (quickly)-You are nervousl L
see you arel What brute 1 am not to
think of it before! Do let me carry you the
rest of the way.
Miss H. CLOSING her eyes)-No! no,
please.
Van Vlarcum seizes her strongly and
firmly in his arms and deposits her on the
further bank.
Miss H. (crimson with anger at HERSELF
l don't know what could have made me Sc
emotional! 1t is ridiculous.
Van V. (stooping)-Did you drop this?
Miss H.-Oh, thank you! It fell out OF
the pocket of my jacket. Van Vlarcom
has changed color. He walks few steps
in silence, and then speaks abruptly, stop
ping:
Van vi don't know why should not
be frank. 1 saw the superscriptiOn OF that
letter. Will you tell me. are you Blanca
Avery's friend, Katharine Howard?
Miss Fl. stopping alsO)-I am Katherine
Howard-yes. Do you-and YOU
Van vi am Henry Van Vlarcum.
They look at each other a moment and
then Miss Howard laughs.
Miss H.-ThS is certainly strange
chance that brings uS-the deserted ones
together.
Van V. (winciDg llttle)-I do not think
CHI
| Howard.
Miss H.-And pray. Mr.. Van Viarcum.
why should not? The man l am engaged
to jlts me and marries another grI-my
best friend. If that is not being deserted,
l don't know what it is. l believe young
women in my position usually fail to state
these things plainly. don't blame them.
They are not pleasant things to state. But
l have always called spade spade
Van V. Ito himseD-Jove! How hand
some she is with that color in he face.
(Aloud). Miss Howard. l cannot blame
Blanca Avery. for my part. was desper-
ately in love with her-or thought l was
but doubt if she ever cared much for me.
But how could she have been treacherous
to yOu-
Miss H.-Oh. don't call it treachely. If
Harold Beatham admired my best friend
more than he admired me, l don't know
that that is treachery on my friends part.
Van V. Ito himself)-Hanged if 1 can
see how he could do it though! The fellow
must have been blind. (Aloud with en-
phasis). fail totally to comprehend, Miss
Howard, how any man having your affec-
ton
Miss H. Laughing in derision) Gould
transfer it to the girl you yourself were
desperately in love" with! Upon my
word, Mr.. Van Vlarcum! Well, men are
extraordinary!
Van VI do not think said 1 was
desperately" in love with Miss Avery. l
said that thought l, was at the time.
Miss H. (slowly)-Mr. Van Vlarcum.
you are not tickle, are you. by any chance?
Van V. with sudden fire)-No, am not
tickle! | have discovered what it is we'll
for any man to know. namely: that my
love for any woman must perish where
there is no respect to stay it. 1t may seem
prggish thing to say, but it is so. My
love for Blanca Avery is dead. 1 seem to
see in this moment how completely so.
Even this morning, when l started out and
thought | was nursing a sentimental cync-
ism. Byronic bitterness. because that
pretty fiirt had broken faith with me, in
Tic UOttOui vi iIodIt IHiiih hHO"
that perhaps all was best; that perhaps we
two together would never have been happy.
Now. do not doubt this, know it! Does
it all seem verv base to you? 1 hope not.
| don't wish anything connected with this
affair ever to seem tragic again.
Miss H.-Certainly your wound heals
easily Mr.. Van Vlarcum.
Van V.-Don't make it reproach to me.
A week-a month-ago would have sworn
that Blanca Avery was type of all her
SeX
Miss H.-Ah, and now you no longer
think 50?
Van V.-No. And shall l tell you one
thing that has contributed to the change?
Perhaps you will not forgive me. but shall
risk 1t. l know of your attitude. OF your
generous. large-minded conduct through all
that matter [ know that when you dis
covered how things were tending you act
ually brought Beatham and Blanca Avery
together.
Miss H.---Oh, Mr.. Van Vlarcum Qaughs
a little) you knew what you choose to call
my generous conduct weeka month";
ago: -''''''- -.-'-'-'
Van Y. In low voice, impulsively)-
Yes. But l had not seen you then. Seeing
you has given significance to it all.
Miss II. (Feigning not to have under
stood)---IS that not glimpse of Kreuzbad
l see down below us?
Van V.--Uufortunately.
Miss H. Turning her eyes full upon
him)-Mr. Van Vlarcum, what are you
trying to do? Are you trying to irt with
me?
Van V. Ito himself)-She has superb
fearessness and frankneSs. And yet she
is thoroughly wOmanly. What differ
ence! | used to think all those little femi
nine airs and graces so delicious. (Aloud,
very earnestly)-No; l assure you | am
not trying to tlrt with you, Miss Howard.
Miss HIT is very unfortunate. Any
thing more absurd under the circumstances
l could not imagine.
They walk on in silence. Near Kreuz-
bad Van Vlarcum speaks. The rain has
ceased. and the sun is setting in red
glow.
Van V. (penitentlyl-Are you offended
Miss Howard?"
Miss H. (coloring and laughing a little)
Mo.
Van V. (eagerly)-Then will you let me
continue the acquaintance begun in this
chance way?
Miss II. (hesitating)-I leave Kreuzbad |
in few days to join some friends. And |
then l am going home.
Van V.-So am L. So am 1.
Miss H.-lndeed!
Van V.-Come, Miss Howard. don't be |
hard on me!
Miss II. Suddenly. in wholly different |
voice, with radiant smile of sweet friend |
liness)-No. will not be hard on you. as
you express it, Mr.. Van Vlarcum. /. too |
heard certain things at certain time, and |
L know that you released poor Blanche very |
honoraby, very obly. No! Please don't |
interrupt me! You know what you made |
me listen to. And so l hope, really, that |