The Lamar register., 1893-06-10
PLAYING WITH FIRE.

Women, rosy pink with the heat,
were leisurely crocheting and Cos
siping. emphasizing their remarks
with the movement of the white ivory
needles. Bright-eyed men. their
smiling listeners. idly traced hero
giyphics on the sand. Happy chill
dren, watched over by white-capped
nurses, made mud-pies to their
hearts content
Over one small group OF lonngors
presided young woman whose PEN
sively graceful, delicate featured
face was one of rare sweetness. Her
hair was blonde, her mouth fresh as
a child's, while in her black eyes
auivered 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 atten-
tion by some trivial little speech
Now and then she would quietly
drop a word and every one stopped
talking to hear and applaud her.
Marguerite Helm was Norwegian
She had married for love country
man of hers. painter, but he had
died soon after. Gifted with mar
velous voice, she had resolved to
make it her means of support
Going TO Paris, she had shut herself
up for year, with her grief and her
musical studies. Her stay at Luc-
su-Mer was the first dissipation of
her widowhood.
Just now the conversation had
turned on foreigners difficulty in
using French idioms. All her ad-
mirers seized the opportunity to COM
pIiment her on her proicience in the
Language.
-.Gentlemen." she said, suddenly,
~-you shall each tell me which word
in all your language you prefer.
After a moments hesitation the
contest began. To the men it was a
pretext for new gallantries.
Marguerite, sighed one.
Norway murmured another.
Glove, suddenly exclaimed a boys
undeveloped voice-a voice Just un-
dergoing a change.
The word was so impulsively ut
tered that everybody started Mar
guerite herself bent forward to see
the speaker. 1t was Jacques Lespar.
a mere boy of almost girlish
beauty. His white forehead, his
straight nose. with its sensitive nos
trils, his slender. refined hands-all
bctokened good blood. His pene-
trating eyes fixed themselves upon
those of Nine Helm; hers were filed
with sweet indulgent curiosity.
.-Well. there really are no more
children. Make way for the youngr'
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 little embarrassed at
being alone. and neither knew what
20 say. Finally they began to talk of
the weather, of the superb days and
warm evenings. Then the boy es-
corted Marguerite to her hotel, and
went home.
Ever since the beginning of the
season. he had silently admired Nine.
Helm. A subtle fascination ir-
resistibly attracted him. to her.
When she took her morning stroll,
he instinctively walked behind her,
like dog following his master.
When she sat down on the beach
amid her admirers, he furtively
slipped in among them. envying, with
1Al tut stTtNS III Vi 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 to speak to her!
But the great sadness rising in his
heart at his utter insignificance
would choke the words in his throat.
An orphan from his cradle, he was
entirely alone in the world. A dis
tant relative had become his guardian
and directed his education. He
grudgingly managed Jacques
finances and bestowed only a scant
affection upon his ward. The boy
generous nature was starved in this
atmosphere of Indifference. and he
at once loved Marguerite with all
the energy of long-suppressed feel
ing. 1t was his first passion, and,
like rich spendthrift, he laid at her
feet all the treasures of his heart.
As to being paid in return, he never
dared to think of that. He would
have been satisfied il. like priest at
Gods altar, he might be allowed to
worship Marguerite all his life.
After that August afternoon.
Jacques and Nine Helm were frequent
" together. 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