Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-12


with very evident effort. The divinity
smiled and gave short answers She was evi
IDENTIFY amused Very CALLING to a man of
Traverss social experience.
Then he tried the climate, the fashions, and
At last, going out Of himself into his CONVEX
.ation-he was good talker-he began upon
current art and literary topics, Here, TO his
surprise. he found that his l6-year-old school
girl met him on equal ground And yet she
was no blue stocking There was no show
of pedantry. She was only an ingenious
girl, whose interest was in these things.
The mischief was completed. viii Travers
returned from the Mussel beds the same man
and yet new life had been born in him.
For the first time in his life he had encoun-
tered the power which masters all men, and
he was in love with Kate Trenton.
AS for the woman, it did not come so soon.
Woman's love is plant Of slow growth, re-
quiring careful nurture. She only realized
that she had met Il man whom she could re-
spect-a man who impressed her as being
different from the others. 1t did not occur to
her to stop and annlyze the difference. With
n delicious Inconsistencies of n power she
did not understand she diifted to her fate
Travers did not leave San Diego at the ex-
piration of five days. He fingered month;
and then business refused to be neglected any
longer. The senior partner in his firm wrote
sarcastically that IF Mr.. Travers would be
good enough to bring his vacation to an end,
the firm would take pleasure in sending a
business man down to complete that San
Diego business
After that, you know, he must go. When
old Mr.. Wall was in that mood the smaller
fry of the firm of Wall, Travers & Co. were
wont to stand around"
He left San Diego, but he left it the be-
trothed of Kate Trenton.
Returning to San Francisco, he settled
down to hard work, determining to avoid so
ciety--of women especally-and to live in his
letters. Such loving, trusting letters Of
fresh young girl, who is yet a woman in her
finer thoughts and feelings. There came a
time when every trusting word in them
pierced him like knife-thrust
| have said that he determined to avoid So
ciety How little he knew the power of the
tyrant in whose service he had passed the
better part of his life. He was fairly drawn
In at last
1t was at a Thursday night reception of
the Skeletons that he met Emma Mayhem.
Come, Mr. Travers," the motherly Mrs.
Shelton had said, "you must meet my new
Boston beauty, Emma Mayhem, cousin of
my husbands She is a stranger, and you
must be good to her."
Now may heaven deliver me from a Bos-
ton girl, " he breathed, but went along obedi
emily enough
"Mr. viii Travers, Emma my cousin,
Miss Mayhem, Mr.. Travers"
Then the hostess hustled away, and Will
found himself bowling before tab pale girl,
who stood alone in the embrasure of the
window. There was nothing remarkable
about her-a plain, white dress, a slender
form, wealth of glossy black hair coiled
low above Il broad brow, straight features and
dropping lashes, which had not even raised
to return his salutation-and yet Travers
found himself unconsciously comparing her
in thousand ways to Kate Trenton. He
stood talking to her-a conversation of COM
monplaces easily sustained.
LET us get away from these people, she
said at last flashing the light Of a pair of
wonderful eyes upon him. She took the
measure of the man in that one glance.
She led him into the conservatory-and he
followed easily enough Sinking upon a
rustic seat beneath a shadow of tree-fern,
she motioned him to stool at her feet From
without there came from the band the music
OF the waltz Within the gas-burned dimly,
and from the plant-shadows arose the silver
ripple of running water.
"Will you close that door, Mr.. Traversl I
hate that waltz
Certainly" and he arose to obey her But
will you tell me the reason of your preju-
dice"
"Why should l have reasoni Must one
have reason for everythingM
Not if one be a fair woman" and he
laughed. But l am sure you have a reason
for this.
why are you surer
"Well, saw it in your eyes, perhaps"
"What else do you see in my eyes, Mr.
Travers" turning their blue glory full upon
him.
"A great many things Some things that
would not like to interpret to YOU
Come, this grows interesting again--if
anything can ever be interesting again You
are a seer. You shall tell my fortune"
There can be but one fortune for YOU"
"And that is!'
"All of the best and fairest that the world
can give"
Bah! You are only an ordinary fatterer
after all-and thought that l was going to
be amused"
lTdNeIS bllu. - nat shall
do to ainuSe youp
"Oh, nothing" and she smiled down in his
face smile of the utmost audacity. "Only,
if you would be good enough to send Mr.
Herndon to me-
He started up, with an exclamation half
suppressed, and strobe from her
Mr., Traveis," a soft voice foated after
him He turned and went back to her. For
the second time in his life the self possessed
VIII Travers felt himself worsted by a
woman.
"You are not angrym There was a caress
in her voice, now. That's a good boy
Good night" extending one soft hand to him
"Don't forget about Mr.. Herndon"
Win Travers found great battle with him
self awaiting in his comfortable bachelor
apartments that night. He felt that he was
conquered before the conflict. How glowing,
after all, was schoolgirl sweetness as COM
pared with the high flavor, the DASH the
esprit Of a woman like Emma MAYHEM. But
he struck truce, as 50 many of us do, with
his conscience, and he wrote long and tender
letter TO Kate that night.