The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-02
CHRYsANTHEMUMS.
The Part They Played In the Life
Of Asal Grey.

OF Asal Grey.
Asal Grey was arranging them In the
vase on her writing-deslz.
Il wish you had brought me some
chrysanthemums," she said, slowly,
withdrawing a cluster Of the finest te
fasten at her corsage.
Melville Charming shrugged his
shoulders slightly as he watched heI
movements. His dark eyebrows drew
down, more dark and inscrutable.
''You are as sentimental as ever, Asal
What have you here?"
He turned to her desk with the qres.
ton, though his eyes rested ON the
flowers.
Polishing up my poor little story
said she; ''or, rather, trying to find in
what light to set the rough points SO
that they may give out all the bril-
liancy they possess
The eyebrows drew into a more de.
cided frown. He pushed back the pa
pers impatiently without further com
ment.
"Are the articles all written for the
Eagle?" she asked, trying not to feel
that she had noted the movement.
Nearly" he answered briefly. drum
ming an absent tattoo on the desk with
gaze still fixed upon her corsage bou.
quet.
Asal was used to her lovers moods,
but they strangely disauieted her to-
day. She made another attempt to
break his taciturnity and gloom.
You are not becoming discouraged?'
she ventured. plucking nervously at
the petals he seemed to find so fascinat.
ing.
NO" said he, shaking himself lit
tie wearily; but nowadays the man
who is trying to push forward needs
all the help he can get. You can hard
ly mount Fame's ladder without riches
that is-it is terrible bore plodding
as have to-"
''But you are going to mount, never.
theless, and compel fame and riches, -
said she, carelessly laying her hand on
his arm. You know l look for great
things from you. If could only help
you"
What would you do to help me,
Asal?" He turned sharply upon her
with the query and took her wrists in
his hands.
Anything" said she, fervently, re-
turning with an ardent, steadfast look
his gaze, which shifted, and he dropped
her hands.
Remember that when I test you,
Asal"
Il am ready for any test" said she.
"Am l not most interested? I shall
share your heights"
Il do not know when I shall see you
again. l have pressing engagement
tonight, and the down train goes in
fifteen minutes. l have just time to
take it. Good-by, Asal. my girl"
She felt a hurried kiss upon her lips,
light pressure of his arm about her,
and Melville Charming hastily left the
house Asal stood by the window with
a swelling at the throat. She knew
his abrupt ways SO well, but it seemed
as though he had never been so curt
beforehand three months had inter-
vened between this and their last meet
ing.
He had been so ever since she knew
him. When he placed the poor little
onyx engagement ring upon her finger
she remen bered that he had said he
lived only to make name and riches,
and then it should be diamond. But
hn ho1 <vr,0
years Of waiting. He was not a man
of great warmth of nature. She cher.
ished his words when he had told her
once that she had taught him how to
love. She had learned to excuse the
short letters and the lapse of many
lover attentions because she thought
he was fretted over his slow progress
in the literary career he had marked
out for himself A man must not be
weighted in any race by mere sentiment,
she told herself now, quoting what he
had often said as excuse for him. She
would not be unreasona BILE; she would
help him all that she could.
But neither argument nor excuse
could relieve her of an unacknowledged
heavinees of heart as Mrs. Saybrooks
merry chimes rang out the tea hour.
She stepped out into the hall as the
outer door opened. and slowly descend
ed the stairs.
Good evening, Miss Grey. No let
ters tonight Alb! SO it's chryssn-
themums this time?"
There was tinse OF something in
the tone OF the man laying aside his
outer coat in the hall below as he
greeted her. with his eyes upon her Or
nament - something that made Ter
raise her head little and reply spirit
edly to DR.. Saysrook:
why not?"
"Why not?" he merely echoed. and
passed on into the dining-room, while
Asal gave en- Involuntary, impetuous
pull at the stems, which loosened and
fell on the foor-as she entered behind
him.
DR.. Sayhrool1 watched her silently
through the meal When he left the
table Id stepped into the hall to don
his overcoat his scowl;ng glance fell
on the crushed flowers on the foar
"Confound him! Yellow chrySanthe-
NUNS. indeed" he muttered, between
his teeth, as he viciously wrenched
himself into the garment and passed
out TO his Office.
The days passed on With Asal they
dragged She never glanced a. the un-
withered beauties on her desk without
q growing sluggishness az heart A
week had passed and no letter from
Melville Claiming had made its appear
ance. Another and stiil another wen.
by. He was sick or busy. she said, as
she pc ned short messages that should
com fort and not worry him in either