The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-09-24

your
The languid curiosity of his tone was
more contemptuous than his laugh.
Tom was troubled by strange feeling
as he listened. He did not like Delatole
III his usual genial, unreserved way.
Just to watch the slow movements of
his listless hands held an enigmatical
fascination. He felt strong desire to
emulate his ease and sagacity, but un-
derneath and through it all there Heated
an ill defined repulsion.
The man seemed the product of
forced, perverted life. Something about
his dark pallor and sneering lips dimly
reminded Tom of flower forced into
semblance of bloom by the aid of a nox-
ious gas, but with life and color and
strength missing.
"You see, my dear fellow" Delatole
continued, II know that you are fresh
from q religious environment-that you
are young: therefore don't accept your
views seriously. Perhaps they are but
natural. l won't label you 'prig' and
give You up. I'll only give you time.
Here comes my man with some brandy
and soda. Perhaps your saintship won't
have any,
"Of course will You don't suppose
meant to draw such fine distinctions.
Surely you understand" said Tom ear
nestly, and he looked away into the leap,
ing golden heart OF the fire. "Last
nightse events gave blow to my precon-
ceived ideas of life. 1 mean to hold to
them, you see."
Rubbish! A little laxity only makes
a mans nature wholesomely expand.
Now. look here, Murray" and Delatole
spoke impressively as he stroked his
pointed beard, I'm going to transplant
you, and to Il soil where you'll grow
mentally. If you don't astound us with
a play even more unforgettable than
The Worlds Way because more ma
ture, it won't be my fault"
A question darkened Toms ewes, and
he leaned eagerly forward.
You made a wonderfully good guess
at life's flavor i'll The Worlds Way
But I'm going to make you taste it in
truth, the brackish and the sweet. In
short, I'm going to ask you to pitch in
your fortunes with mine and share these
rooms with me. Since Glendenning dis
appointed NE l have preferred to live
and dream alone. But-frankly-I like
you. The suite is large. We would
not clash. Besides. just across the hall
is an atelier left vacant since De Courcey
ran away only recently to escape his
debts. You'll probably find the drapery
of "A departed model still upon the plat
form. You could furnish it as you
please and have it as your own particu-
lar den"
He watched Toms eyes travel half
wistfully around the odd, artistic place.
Charming" he said Mt length and
added slowly, "but impossible. You
see. I'm going to marry very soon."
Delatole stared at him as if incapable
of grasping the statement
Yes" said Tom, and now a blunt
tenderness rang i'll his voice, II am go
ing to marry Virginia Kent"
"Are you mad?" and the words were Q
slow exclamation.
Dclatulc rose us he spoke, lifted one OF
the fr@ailc GLASSES on the table and con
temptuously flung il from him. 1t lay
upon the hearth. u mass of opaline spin.
tiers.
"1n another year you will he as arts
tically ruined as that glass
Not dreaming of the selfish motive
prompting this violent objection and
listening to words that were passion
less prophecy, Tom could not resist the
shudder that ominously passed over him.
Gone would think l talked of commit
ting crime" And the words were
breathless.
o. I.,,ft -
throw away your chance? Life doesn't
offer too many of them. Let me tell
you, too, my dear fellow, that YOU do
not strike me as one who would cult
vate the virtues of patience and humility
under tho stress of failure and poverty.
Marry now, when you have just crossed
the line, before your strength has had a
fair test, and you'll not only fail, but
probably break your wife's heart in n
year. You remember what said to
you last night. l did not dream then
that you were thinking of the madness
of an early marriages; that you stood on
ruins of good beginnings"
AS Tom listened his face grew stern,
his eyes searching
why should fail because keep my
word to woman, better, truer, hum
dred times, than am--not woman to
retard any mans progress? She has
been my inspiration. You don't know
Virginia. She is more to me than any
thing in the world. need not fail. l
will not fail"
He looked very stalwart, very deter
mined aS no toyyarad olova Dalotola bis
blue eyes flashing in his intense face.
"What interest can I have but for
your good3" asked his new friend, and