The record-union., 1896-09-06

had difficulty in seeing her, and he sell
dom saw her alone. He had never known
a girl who had SO many duties, so many
engagements. Moreover, when she did
give him time, it seemed like concession,
and this deepened the sense of his own
smallness into fear of being in the
way. After few weeks, when he asked
her to make appointments with him, his
tone was almost apologetic.
AT the dances which they attended
together he felt particularly ill at ease.
He had always been sensitive about his
dancing. and, though he liked to dance,
this had kept him from appearing often
on the floor. At their first ball she had
toto him frankly that he waltzed bad
~ and she must take him in hand.
Then she had waltzed through the rest
OF the evening with other men, good
dancers, and he had lowered at the
DOORS AT parties he always had the
erect OF lowering; sometimes she sent
men to him and urged him to dance
with other girls. On these occasions he
felt particularly small.
On the other hand, they had some de-
Nclous moments together, when she
seemed to him as she had been in Marble
head. These were when they talked of
serious things, chiefly Of his work, and
when they visited art galleries together.
Her taste in pictures impressed him as
particularly fine; she often converted
him to her views. Yet, at moments in
their most intimate talks, he would sud-
denly lose her; she would become some
one else, some one he had never known,
some one wholly alien to the girl he had
loved in Marblehead.
One afternoon late in the winter
Edlth Grant gave a large tea, and
Ihomas left his office early in order to
attend it. When he arrived he found
the drawing-room crowded with peo-
pie, most of them young girls in won
derful combinations of cloth and fur,
He felt miserably awkward, but he tried
TO rise to the occasion. Inevitably how
ever, he found himself drifting into cor
ners and busily examining pictures.
Several times he saw Edith glance at
him. and in her glance he thought he
dlscerned more than disapproval kind
OF shame. He resolved to wait until the
others had gone and speak to her alone.
when the last caller had departed,
she turned and walked toward him; ;
ne tried to smile, but in spite of himself
Ills race looked gloomy. Suddenly the
expression In her eyes changed; she
hesitated, then she walked quickly to-
ward him, and putting both hands on
his shoulders, she kissed him on the
mouth.
You poor DEAR" she said.
He seized her by both arms and
looked into her face
i know why you did that!''
her face flushed. Il did it because I
wanted to-" she laughed.
No; you did it because you were
sorry
Sorry? Sorry for what?"
Sorry for me; for what you'd been
thinking of about me while 1 was
standing over in that corner
Her face was pale now What was
thinking OFF," she asked quietly.
You were thinking that you were
tired of me and wishing that you
weren't engaged to such bore"
She turned her head away from him;
but he still held her tightly What
nonsense!" she exclaimed.
Isn't it true?" he insisted. Look
me In the face if you can, and tell me
that it isn't
She fixed her eyes upon him. Look
out!" she cried.
go on
I'm not used to being treated like
this!"
His mouth hardened.
Tell me-"
We'll, since you insist, that was
what / was thinking Of But when I
saw you standing there so helplessly a
minute ago. I suppose 1 had a revul-
sion of feeling"
"Ah!" He released her. and she sat
on the divan behind him, apparently
out Of breath
For a moment neither spoke He was
looking at her, but she kept her eyes
from him.
At last he said, softly: $50 you want
to break the engagement"
After silence: Don't you think it
| would be better for both of us?" she
replied
LAS you say"
mo, it isn't as say It's as we both
feel''
Then, seeing that he was about to
make protesting reply, she went on
| rapidly: "Oh, don't be chivalrous.
please. You know that what | say is
true. You know that we're tired of
each other We're-were disappointed
in each other. What did we get en-
gagged for, anyway"
Il got engaged because 1 fell in love
with you," he said, simply
But you aren't in love with me
now?"
I'm in love with you as you used to
be. You've changed since you left
| Marblehead'
No, it's you who've changed"
| Perhaps we've both changed" he ac-
knowledged.
For a moment she sat without speak
ing. Then curious light came into
her face; 1T made her look as if she
| were smiling, but she was really seri-
Gus.
The very thing that has happened
to you has happened to me- she said
Il suppose it must be a common expe-
rience; only those who have it are so
| ashamed they don't tell. That's why
so many summer engagements are
| broken
He looked as if he did not understand,
and she went on: When you came to
| Marblehead I was very lonely. Mrs.
| Wilder was dull and the other people
| bored me. hated the place But as
soon as l met you, everything changed
and l loved Marblehead better than any
place had ever been in. You supplied
the missing element, the human ele-