Arizona republican., 1894-09-23

Having carefully arranged it so that she should face the light, he seated himself opposite to her-the A. E. C. o1 diplomacy, but she did not appear to notice it. She was drawing rabesques on the carpet with the point of her ivory-handled umbrella. ] T should very much like to know 5 she said, ''what you think of me for , coming here!"
 Il think you are plueky-yes, and recklessly unconventional"
 Candid, at any rate! And I like that" She looked up. "Now for the first indictment on the list, MT. Ever dene! You accuse me of improbabil- ity. deny it."
 His manner bordered upon pre-occu- patton. In truth he was thinking what wonderful lashes she had, and l how becoming flush of excitement could be to clear, pale skin. You assert" she confirmed warm ly, ''that it is ridiculous to suppose that man and woman of the world could fall in love at first sight, as I make my hero and heorine do, and that such proceedings are limited to boys and girls in their teens, and the pages of penny fiction. Ishould have thought that Mir. Aubrey Everdene would have shown wider sympathies."
 "Then you really believe, Lady Hill yard, that adult, sensible people do conceive such abrupt attachments?"
 q am convinced that it happens ire quently."
 '.Oh, come, not frequently?" "Well-sometimes, she amended. 'T could give you dozen instances" her. It would have been like break ing butterfly on wheel. And after all there might be more sentiment in fn-de siecle humanity than he thought; women have wonderful intuition in these matters.
 "Well, suppose we let that slide for the moment and proceed to indictment number two. What other phrase of mine do you take exception to?"
 You said that had not the remot- est idea of construction, and that Fashion and Footlights' was evident ly specimen of that objectionable class of fiction which you regretted to see was growing so prevalent-the am ateur novel, born of vanity and lack of wholesome occupation"
 Her voice died away with tremor He had only stated the truth, but the fact did not prevent the speechless MT. Everdene from feeling as if he had committed a particularly brutal mur- der and the ghost of the victim had come to arraign him before all the people whose opinions he valued most.
 IT cried" she murmured, pathet- ically.
 Her lips quivered. Beads of perspira- tion rose to the mans forehead
 Good heavens, if had only guessed how much 1 should hurt you It was harsh, monstrous No doubt was in a bad temper, and your unfortunate book was the first thing that afforded me an opportunity to vent my spleen"
 Lady Hilyard applied six square inches of cambric and lace to the cor ner of an eyelid
 If you'll only believe me, my dear Lady Hilyard, when I tell you that I'm sorrier than can say"
 Then you acknowledge that you were needlessly cruel?"
 II was brutal" He would have com mitted blacker perjury as she wiped that tear away.
 And that had just cause for in- dignation?"
 You were perfectly right"
 A smile broke like April sunshine over her face.
 '1n that case suppose I must for give you"
 He was ridiculously grateful. He heaved sigh of relief and hesitated with his hand on the button of the electric bell.
 Lady Hilyard, you know the Arab custom of taking salt with ones friends? As token of goodwill, per init me to give you the prosaic English equivalent of 8 cup of tea"
 The offer was tempting, the weather was hot and she had talked a great deal. She yielded. When the refresh ment came, accompanied by wonder ful sweetmea ts from Bond street round the corner, she asked permission to pour it out for him, with winning graciousness which charmed him. It afforded him an odd sense of pleasure, too, to see her white fingers moving about the china He was unaccustomed to the presence of women in his home
 With the Japanese table between them they chatte for awhile, and then the clock on the mantelpiece struck six. She rose with pretty gesture of dismay, like second Cinderella.
 Do you know. MT. Everdene, that I have been here whole hour wasting