The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-29

June that promise was the most foolishr"
Because your objections are so nu.
merous?"
mo. because the formulation OF them
Is so hard"
Il DO not feel disposed to let you of
the contract" remarked Mr.. Amory.
smoothly, still examining the paper-cut-
ter.
Up to that point Miss winchester had
been leaning back In the big chair; now
she held her 1.-THE figure erect, crossed
her hands in her lap and lifted her
eyes fearlessly. An admirable gravity
settled down upon her face.
Please notice that | have not asked
you to- she said. II have decided to tell
you all about Il. You know / never have.
The other times we have talked about
this we have not done IL seriously and
calmly"
Il was serious enough!" murmured
Mr.. Armory, but she ignored the inter-
ruption.
you have be IN excited, and am afraid
have not been just
1T is not justice l want at your hands"
She waved the remark aside. That
first" she said.
eco on then, ana be just"
Apparently the task She had set her
self was rot an easy one.
impossible remarks" she began uncer-
tainly.
Don't get nervous" taid Amory, re-
assuringly, nothing that YOU say Is
going TO make any difference, YOU know"
''You told me once" she said slowly,
casting about for her words, that l was
consumed by the passion for perfection;
ana-everybody admits that all the world
wants love-"
"Wen?"
"Do you know-dont you think there
exists In every human heart an map
peasable thirst for perfect lover"
81 am not here to generalize about hui
manity. ! only know what l myself have
felt, and that | have told you already.
Miss Win hester passed her hand quick
iy across her forehead as II TO brush away
the little frown that had settled there.
"Other people have sometimes told me
that they had found IT," she went on
steadily. 81 may be unjust, but II has
seemed to me that usually they were very
easily satisfied; and yet there have been
some of them l have envied from the
bottom Of my heart. Is it my fault that
| have not been able to be satisfied, too!
You know / have been more or less adj
mired. but so far IT has always happened
that the admiration / have received has
seemed 20 me too light thing to be seri-
Gus about. Can you imagine what IL
means to Know-or think you dc-exactly
what you want, and to really wish LOT
Il. and never to have II come near you'
hut instead to have the cheapest taw-
lriest limitations of 1t thrust into your
hands7 Why, 1t seems TO me IL Is the IKE
OF Tantalus!'
Miss Winchester was breathing rather
hurriedly now, but she took courage from
the impressive, attentive race OIL her lbs
tener and went on bravery:
"After a few experiences stopped ex-
pecting anything different. But l couio
not change my ideals, you Know because
life and love did not prove WHAT H"u
thought them"
Amory's eyebrows went up line at
This statement but he said nothing, and
the girl went on ~,
"Then. pretty soon, I met you. You
struck me at first as such Phlhstlhe Oh
the Philistnes, with your irreproachapie
surroundings, and your air or having
seen and experienced everything, ana
found it all pretty good-yet or thinking
all the while there was really hothlns
worth putting yourself out for but COM
Portable life and your little Joke-that
never dreamed you were going 10 care
ANYTHING about anyone so different as
am. nor that you could care In the way
you have" ..,
'In the way / do" Amory corrected
her carelully. 49,. ..
II thought you were too satisfied even
10 be interesting. l admit that was
mistaken and that you are several Things
no one would ever dream you were-good
things / nean-and ! admit that ike you
very much, but-don't you see?-it is your
very excellences that are against you
You are worse than the others, because
you come so near, and yet do not attain
Ii is criminal in a man to approach SO
near a woman's ideal and then fail or IL!
The light that burned in Mr.. Amorys
ewes was not wholly amiable, but MS
voice was quiet, as he said;
at knew all this in a general way be-
fore; that is l suspected 1t. We are
not getting on. Those objections OF yours,
those deficiencies of mine-I beg you to
specify them"
III you were used to arguing with
women" observed Miss Winchester. ma
liciously, you would not expect to get
on"
You are not like other women" he
said simply, with a lovers conviction.
'You will not evade or put me off"
The girl flushed. Have l not said
enough" she demanded. did not tell