Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-06

OF me and wishing that you weren't en-
gagged TO such bore
she turned her head away from him
but he still held her tightly. What nom
senseT she exclaimed.
isn't il true?" he insisted. look me
in the face II you can. and tell me that
Il isn't"
She fixed her eyes upon him. Look
outr' she cried.
Go onr
I'm not used to being treated like
this"
His mouth hardened.
"Tell mer
"Well. since you insist. that was what
I was thinking OF. But when l saw Won
standing there so helplessly a minute ago.
I suppose | had n revulsion OF feeIfner Z"
"Ah" He released her. and she SAT On
the divan behind him, apparently out OF
breath
For n moment neither spoke. He was
looking at her, but she kept her eyes
from him.
AT last she said softly: 80 YOU want
to break the engagement"
After silence Don't you think a,
would be better for both OF us?" she re-
piled.
"As you say"
mo; it isn't as say. It's as we both
feel"
Then, seeing that he was about to
make a 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.
Were-we're disappointed in each other
What did We get engaged for. anyway"
Il got engaged because 1 fell in love
with you." he said, simply.
but you aren't in love with ma now7"
I'm In love with you as you used TO be.
You've changed since you left Marble
head"
mo; It's you who've changed.
perhaps, we've both changed" he ac-
knowledged.
For a moment she sat without speaking.
Then a curious light came into her face;
IL made her look as If she were smiling,
but she was really serious.
1.-THE very thing that has happened TO
you has happened TO me-" she said. 81
suppose Il must be a common experience:
only those who have II are so ashamed
they don't tell That's why so many sum-
mer engagements are broken"
He looked as IL he did not understand.
and she went on: when you came 10
Marblehead I was very lonely. Mrs.
Wilder was dull and the other people
bored me. l hated the place. But as
soon as I met you everything changed,
and loved Marblehead better than any
place / had ever been i'm. You supplied
the missing element-the human element.
Don't you know how desolate strange
places are when you haven't any one
congenial with you? So. when you were
going away, II made me miserable to
think that / should be left there alone,
and when you told me you were In love
with me. why l thought 1 was in love
with you. It's perfectly simple, isn't it?'
But that doesn't explain the-the
change"
ooh. YES. Il does. Don't you remember
how surprised we were with each other
the first time you came TO see me hereE
Taken away from Marblehead and drop
ned I'm New York. with our winter clothes
in place OF our summer things, and with
our winter manners in place OF the free
and-easy summer ways-why, OF course
we were different. We were strangers.
Then, besides, we didn't mean the same
10 each other any more. Way Off there
you'd been everything to me and I'd been
everything 10 you. But here We had n
thousand other interests and distractions,
and we had TO share each other with
them"
"But that isn't ALL" he groaned. THAT
may be part OF IL, but there Is something
else"
THAT explains IT ALL" she insisted.
"You will realize It by and by when you
think Il over. In Marbehead my looks
and my ways seemed 10 fit into the place,
and they pleased you. But here they
shock you"
II suppose have offended you" he said
humbly, bending forward with his chin
In his hand and staring at the carpet.
Eyes, 1 acknowledge that you have. You
seem 20 me here Just the conventional
New York man, with the conventional
ideas about women Then your quietness.
your way OF hanging round and saying
nothing, that was so delightful down
there, seemed-well. It didn't seem so
nice here"
Il know I'm stupid in society. he ac-
knowledged.
mo, you're too serious for II. It's your
seriousness that makes 1t impossible for
you 10 understand me here"
Her talk seemed suddenly to have ex-
hausted itself During the silence that
followed he kept his eyes on the carpet.
IT suppose there's only one way out
of It," he said. AS sho did not reply, he
went on: "You want TO give me up,
don't your"
81 think we'd better give each other
up"
lie rose from MS seat anu OHtIeu uio
hand. When she took 1t, he saw there
were tears in her eyes.
do you really care?' he asked, with
rush OF regret and sympathy.
Two tears dropped over on her cheeks.
"a woman always cares when-'when love
IS done as the song says" she replied,
trying TO smile.
For a moment he looked at her help
lessly. Then he turned and walked slow
ly out OF the room.