The Yale expositor., 1895-11-15

face. And into hers crept a look, IN
which bafiied vanity and spite were
uppermost. She changed her mood. as
one changes much worn dress which
has ceased to be becoming.
"And so you are madly in love, Ron
ald?"
He stared violently.
I'm lover"
Report says so. And with baby,
fresh from her nursery bread and
milk"
What on earth do you mean?
"You know quite well. But it's hope
less, my dear boy. quite hopeless"
He said nothing. but he hated her
from that moment, as he had never
hated any woman. Perhaps she in
tended that he should. Sometimes,
when a woman fails to charm, she is
glad to wound. Both deeds give sense
of power.
you see, know all about It," she
continued. you met in the country;
she told the whole story to my aunt,
Mrs. Marker"
"She told. What do you mean?"
1--WE are talking about Miss Barnes"
He showed he was hit, as man will
never do to another man. The woman,
being low in his respect. did not matter.
He spoke very quietly. Eyes, l am
awfully devoted to Miss Barnes, but
what do you know about herr"
The you hurt, as he may have
meant 1t should.
ooh, only know that she confides in
Aunt Betty, and Aunt Betty confides In
me-
And you"
II confide in you"
He grew clever, as a dull man may,
when he feels the need of arms against
someone il would be cowardly to strike.
you may as we'll tell me what you
intend to tell me" he said.
"Only, that you are making a fool OF
yourself, my dear boy. An old friend
has surely the right"
COR takes it,"
Eyes, or takes 1t, to say these frank
things. The girl doesn't care a chip
about you"
"She said sou
Not exactly. But she confessed to
being dreadfully in love with someone
else"
"Ah, we'll, that's possible"
"You will discover that l am speak
ing the truth when she marries him.
IF she does"
''If he proposes, you mean. He seems
to be rather slow about it. She de-
clares he is shy, too doubtful of his own
merits. A woman always wants to
think that, when a man doesn't come
to the point"
II wish you would remember that
you are talking about a girl
"Who is in love with someone else.
Yes, do. You see, Ronald, know the
world, and you are woefully old-fash-
toned in some ways"
You have told me so before"
Yes, in the old days. But you i'm
proved a little under my tuition. You
have gone back since"
He rose to go, but chance caused him
to overturn a vase OF flowers as he
pushed his chair back, and he stopped.
with many apologies, to pick 1t up.
She continued softly, as If there had
been no interruptions:
you may know the man she Is in
love with, and it adds conviction to my
story. You were in the house at the
time. She is very romantic over him,
and she did not tell my aunt his real
name. She called him Prince Charm
ing"
The vase fell and smashed into many
pieces at his feet. He burst out laugh
ing as a school boy laughs, and he ig-
nored the breaking and seized Mrs.
| Jacks hands.
Thank you, thousand times.
knew you were a good sort at the bot
tom" He spoke as if he meant it, but
she knew better, and WINGED. I'VE
acted in some beastly pantomime on
Christmas eve. and / was Prince Carm-
ing in a fairy-tale thing when she was
the princess. You've done me good
service by mistake, Mrs. Jack. and
you'll know that the man loves her
when she marries him."
She smiled, said good-by and rang
the bell with composure, but her face
was curiously out of keeping with her
voice.
He went downstairs with a brisk
step, and out into the street. The
whole world had suddenly grown very
wonderful, and. to prove it, he hailed