The morning call., 1890-11-11
ASSISTING FATE.
BY BURNEsTON LANE.
CONCLUDED.

seat
One must divine TO live" L said, taking
the other chair.
1t is woman's gift as rule, )" she said.
and her armor."
"Yes, that and" paused unconsciously,
her profile was turned toward me soft, RANT
in the mingled light and darkness, with
that wonderful charm | first noticed.
THAT and what?" smiling.
She lifted her eyes, and their deep mag
netc power startled me. l felt strange
sense of recognition never before known to
ME until [ met this girl.
II beg PARDON" said L; ''the remark could
not have been worth finishing. There are
few people,. Miss May. that one can be
silent with"
"Silence is the best speech sometimes, and
l always feel silent when in the presence of
that" with a gesture toward the ocean
that rolled black and moon-crested IN the
distance.
This woman" thought, can say more
by talking less than any one l ever met.
In the short time in which talked to her
that night strange fancies flashed through
my mind. Surely l had not seen her else
where. yet our spirits had met.
Tell me-" l said, alter a while, forgetting
all but the wonderful charm of her face that
held me in sway, have we met beforeY'
Her eyes looked for an instant into mine,
then they fell.
Il scarcely know" she said softly..adding
in different tone as she arose, ''Of course
not! How silly am! The music is play
ing and l am engaged for this"
We entered the ballroom and her partner
claimed her. Suddenly | espied black OBJ
ject waving and reckoning to me from
distance. 1t was my godmother's plumed
fan. l had forgotten her existence. L
threaded my WY through the dancers to-
ward the waving signal.
mo, haven't gone yeti" she said when
l reached her. Pm here and l intend to
Stay until you bring that black woman over
here. l want to see her.
"The-black- ?" 1 repeated blunt
ly. Il don't know any,"
"You do-go get her"
"Whom do you mean, godmother?"
"What a noodle he is, was, and ever shall
be! / mean the monkey-faeed body with
the green girl you had dancing"
Mrs. Maguanda, of course! l dashed after
the little woman, whom l captured and
brought TO the august presence.
''Sit down here" said my. godmother.
"Now, Philip, you 20 tell Starch to come for
me in ten minutes"
No pity for her latest victim! l told
Starch that my godmother wanted to retire
at once. L saw no more OF my relative that
night.
The band struck up waltz, my waltz. l
hurried to where Miss May stood. She
smiled up at me without a word, and we
ioined the dancers. How lovely she was,
how delicate and perfect in her sweet young
womanhoOd. When 1t was ever | saw her
no more. Others claimed her, and l went
down to the beach and thought it over with
the salt breeze in my face. barred my head
to the stars and made TO them and myself q
plain assertion of facts.
|, Philip Courtney Blake, who only day
before had been fighting and scheming
afrip, m
knew it. l recognized it as lrretrievable. In
love with u woman | had known but forty
eight hours; of whom | knew not thing
but this. that when my eyes first fell upon
her something said: That is the woman
you could live or die fort' aad l was ready
to do it. | gave no thought to the end. [
had a strange, eXulting sense of boldneSs in
the realization which was new to ME.
By the time two days had passed, had
seen sufficient of Gertrude May, and had
been with her often enough to work my
godmother up to very wrathy pitch.
The daughter Of poor soldier, for
soothl' she exclaimed.
Hes dead, ma'am; better let him be"
Starch said, mournfully.
mot a cent to her namer'
mot a cent? At least that is the latest
news of her," | put in.
ION, blessed assgrancei What would it
And no dash at ALL Not even good look
ing, at times"
Oh, these women, how much they know
about one anotherl
Not good looking? No, not just on Au-
rora's style"
"Ughl Give me the salts, Starch. You've
got to stop it, Philip, do you hear? l know
you are not serious. You are not quite fool
enough for that. But you shan't let people
think you're being taken in by an adven-
turess because she has yellow hair and long
eyelashes. That mOnkey-faced companion
of hers is a dose. l couldn't get ay or nay
out of her. Now you stop it Do you hear,
Philip Courtney?'
stop what, ma'am?"
stop going with that girl Stop at once,
now, mind your
Wouldn't that appear stranger" l ven
tured. IF l am going to do it had better
do it well, you know"
81 don't care how you do it, but it must be
done now"
went down to the breakers and laughed
exultingly as | dashed among them.
! would find way to stop their tongues
before long. or else give them something to
wag aboutl had now reached the stage
known to all lovers when seasons of morbid
doubt would make me miserable; then few
words or smile from Gertrude would raise
me to The highest pinnacle of joy. All this
sounds strange and strained, l admit; but it
was clear case of love at first sight
l had not cared to ask question about
her; my godmother's money, East Indian,
all gone to the winds before the know ledge
that l had found the one woman in the
world for me, and that was going towel.
what was going to do came about sooner
than l expected.
Mrs. Wayup proved troublesome on find
ing that l remained obdurate to Aurora's
charms and said to Mrs. Slapper that it was
pity one couldn't know more of the
people one had to meet in summer. There
was that Miss May, such a quiet sort of
girl, etc.
Mrs. Slapper remarked to Miss Tellem
hat there was certainly something odd
about Miss Mays manner.foreign, per-
haps, or offsh, you know. She had not
thought of it before, but there was man
named May who forged note on the Caro-
way Bank the year before-not her father,
perhaps, but a-er-near relative. That
might account for her being SO reticent
about Ter family.
BY the next day it was circulated through
forger and serving fifteen years sentence
in prison, and the girl herself a mere adj
ventures.
l was driving with her in the morning,
and ascertained beyond doubt that she
had heard not word Of this.
She had grown much more confidential
and free with me, and at times with sly,
sweet brightness which was more charming
because so rare, and L hoped belonged to me
alone. Then again l would discover sort
of constraint and GOODNESS that l could not
understand. 1t was plain to see why the
women dlsliked her, because the men did
not.
But although little Alleyn had completely
seeded and left Aurora in the lurch, and
although Baby Snapper and half dozen other
dudes, together with a well-bruised naval
officer were ready to fly al word or sign
from her, she had taken it with dainty lit
tie air of thus far-and- no-farther that made
them more desperate; while l asked myself
time and time again whether it could be that
she had met and recognized me in the same
way on that first night, when my heart flew
to her never to return?
We were driving, as / said, but while my
godmother was having the papers read to
her by poor Starch.
Gertrude had swiftly OWNED my god
mothers antagonism and had tried once or
twice to win her, but in vain. We were
bowling up the smooth sand at sunset. Ger
trude had taken off her hat and the long
rays Of red light touched her hair. She had
been unusually gracious, and more than
once had nearly uttered words which, said
too soon, might have brought me misery.
Shall you dance tonight" asked.
No, l think not" she said, laughing q
little, lat any rate not with you. l danced
with you last night, and l am afraid Mrs.
Courtney would shut you up Tomorrow on