Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-01-03

from what she said. | saw you, and
liked your face, and said something
about liking TO paint 1t, If wero an
artist, and Iasked if your eyes were
not blue. You are not offended at
that, are your" asked, holding out
my hand.
| "No,'' she said, after looking at me
for 4 moment, with frank, clear eyes.
as if to make sure of my sincerity. II
am not offended at that, but was Of
Tended at what Miss Grayle said, and
tho way she said it. However, that
need not hinder our being friends, if
| you wish it, she added, and put her
hand in mino, with all the confidence
of child.
81 do wish it." / answered.
| ! had good opportunity to study
her face that afternoon, as we walked
and talked together. 1t was not a face
that many would call beautiful, and
yet it was lovely one. The checks
had, now and then, a wild-rose color
in them, and the pretty lips had a
charming way OF curving over the white
teeth behind them, half hiding, half
disclosing them. Her pale brown hair
was as changeful in color as her eyes,
bright gold in sunshine, and full of
bronze tints in tho shade. A rarer,
for many day. More beautiful women
might have seen, thought, as walk
| ed back to the house, but none moro
| charming.
After that | saw q great deal of
Faith Farley | learned something of
her past life from her own lips, but
that little learned without her being
aware of the fact. She evidently
meant to letno hint fall about the life
she was living, but now and then a
stray word would find ntterancc, that
gave me some insight into it. found
| out that she was not happy. Mr..
Graylo was her friend. She loved
and trusted him. But there was no
friendship between her and Miss
Grayle.
81 would like to teach" she said.
"But Mr.. Grayle will not listen to me
when talk OF it. l would like to go
away from this place. am in the
way-an intruder" Then she re-
membered, | suppose, that l was al
most a stranger, and she said no moro
about her plans OF wishes.
1t was not long before l learned to
love Faith Farley.
Alice Grayle saw the truth before l
did. knew that | had offended her
in some way, because she was distant,
and cold, and made little taunting
speeches, for which cared nothing.
One morning some of the visitors sat
on the yeranda, and tho conversation
ran on, for q time, about some mar
velous faith cure that had been re-
ported in the newspapers. All at once
Miss Grayle turned to me and asked
me, with u smile that seemed to- have
an angry flame behind, as the cloud
which is ominous of storm gives a
lurid look to the sky at sunset, what |
had to say about faith. | knew then,
all in a moment, by her look and tone,
that she was angry with me, on
Faiths account. She was jealous of
the girls influence. And knew, too,
all III moment, that the interest |
felt in Faith Farley was because |
loved her.
That afternoon was summoned to
the city. was gone !. week. On my
return I was told that Faith Farley
had gone away. They did not know
where. She had said that she could
not tell them where she was going,
because she did not know what she
was going to do, and till she found out
what to do she could not tell where
she would stop.
.'She had some queer notions of in
dependence in her head Miss Grayle
said. "Wc could not find out much
about her plans. Probably she hadn't
any. She will doubtless be glad to
come back before long
Miss Grayle tried her Establishments
on me in vain, and finally gave up in
disgust. Ihad no love to give her OF any
other woman. l had given it all to
Faith.
believed that she had driven Faith
away. But she was careful 10 let no
hint fall that would convict her of so
cowardly an act. But ! could SEQ that
she was glad to know that | felt her
loss more than ever confessed to her
or anyone else. She considered it a
proper punishment for me, for caring
more for the poor girl than ! did for
the proud heiress.
At first, was sure that should soon
find some trace of Faith. She had
gone to the city. That was all knew
about her flight into the world. Be-
You'd this | was in entire ignorance OF
her movements. Inquiry and search
revealed nothing. She seemed, all at
once, to have disappeared utterly from
our knowledge. BY aud by ! began
to get discouraged, After year had
gone by, and not word of tidings had
come from her, l felt that she must be
dead. My heart made grave for its
sweet, persisted hope; and set up a
white stone there, and on it was the
az, ~