The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-06-16
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

1t was 8 o'clock of a hot August after
noon at Luc-sur-Mer. The bathers were
roaming over the beach or ensconced in
cozy, sheltered spots. Women, rosy pink
with the heat, were leisurely %crocheting
and gossiping. emphasizing their remarks
with the movement of the white ivory
needles. Bright eyed men, their smiling
listeners. idly traced hieroglyphics on
the sand. Happy children, watched over
by white capped nurses, made mud pies
to their hearts content.
Over one small group of loungers pre-
sided a young woman, whose pensively
graceful, delicate featured face was one
of rare sweetness. Her hair was blond,
her mouth fresh as a child's, while in her
black eyes quivered lights and shadows
as on a placid lake. A crowd of young
men were gathered about her, each one
anxious to claim part of her attention
by some trivial little speech. Now and
then she would quietly drop a word, and
every one stopped talking to hear and APP
plaud her.
Marguerite Helm was a Norwegian.
0IO udd uld " lOfC Il COuIlUl 1lldll
of hers, a painter, but he had died soon
after. Gifted with a marvellous voice,
she had resolved to make it her means of
support. Going to Paris, she had shut
herself up for a year with her grief and
her musical studies. Her stay at LUG
sur-Mer was the first dissipation of her
w%idowhood.
just now the conversation had turned
on a foreigners difficulty in using French
idioms. All her admirers seized the op-
portunity to compliment her on her pro-
~fcience in the language.
Gentlemen" she said suddenly. you
shall each tell M which word in all
your language you prefer"
After a moments hesitation the con-
test began. To the men it was a pretext
for new g~allantries.
marguerite" sighed one.
Norway" murmured another.
Lover suddenly exclaimed a boys
undeveloped voice-a voice just under
going a change.
The word was so impulsively uttered
that everybody started. Marguerite her
self bent forward to see the speaker. It
was Jacques Lespar, a mere boy of al
most girlish beauty. His white fore
head, his straight nose, with its sensitive
nostrils, his slender, refined hands-all
betokened good blood. His penetrating
eyes fixed themselves upon those of Nine.
Helm. Hers were filled with a sweet.
indulgent curiosity.
well, there really are no more chill
dren. Make way for the young" were
the remarks heard from the men.
Happily the dinner hour was near, and
the group dispersed. Jacques and Nine.
Helm remained together. They both
felt a little embarrassed at being alone,
and neither knew what to say. Finally
they began to talk of the weather, of the
superb days and warm evenings. Then
the boy escorted Marguerite to her hotel
and went home.
Ever since the beginning of the season
he had silently admired Nine. Helm. A
subtle fascination irresistibly attracted
him to her. When she took her morning
stroll, he instinctively walked behind
her, like a dog following his master.
When she sat down on the beach amid
her admirers. he furtively slipped in
among them, envying, with all the
strength of his ingenious youth, the
young men who could laugh with her or
the old gentleman who called her "Dear
child" How often he had tried tospeak
to her! But the great sadness rising in
his heart at his utter insignificance would
choke the words in his throat.
A. oroho- eror, h;e oroIIo h ~
tirely alone in the world. A distant rel
alive had become his guardian and di-
rected his education. He grudgingly
managed Jacques finances and bestowed
only a scant affection upon his ward.
The boys generous nature was starved
in this atmosphere of Indifference, and
he at once loved Marguerite with all the
energy of long suppressed feeling. It
was his first passion, and like a rich
spendthrift he laid at her feet all the
treasures of his heart. AS to being paid
in return, he never dared think of that.
He would have been satisfied if, like a
priest at Gods altar, he might be al
lowed to worship Marguerite all his life.
After that August afternoon Jacques
and Nine. Helm were frequently to-
gether. They talked over their plans,
and being mutually attracted learned to
know each other well. Every day after
breakfast they walked on the quay, and
the boy made the young woman his con-
fdant. Marguerite heard his grave
speeches with a smile and reciprocated
by giving good advice with almost moth
| erly tenderness.
Time passed on. and often when re-
turning from their walk the day died
with the setting sun. The ONE com
ing home would greet them with some
half audible, TESTING remark; the raga-
mullins would giggle at them on the
road, and the men bow, with a sort of
pleased, boorish politeness.
It was the first time since her depar-
ture, from Norway that Nine. Helm for
| got her sorrow. She liked her role of
tender m and put an unconscious
| coquetry into her conduct. She would
| often Erelude her remarks with, II, M.