Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-12-23

find it, and moved off majestically, with
her impedimenta on her arm.
The falling fire sent a red blaze through
the room that had emptied itself at last,
of nearly everyone but Mrs Beardsley.
a spare dark woman, whose eyes, when
they were open, were now a shadow
and now flashes of green fire. Just now
they closed, as she nodded, dropping her
jeweled altar piece on which she had
said there was no time to lose. F'idelia
sat there, too. in a window seat, looking
out at the splendor of the Quickly-fallen
night, where the stars seemed to shake
in the wind. A hand lifted the curtain
that had shielded her. and a flame of
the freight Redeemed the pane and shut
out the night and overlay her white
gown till she was roster than the rose.
'makes man feel what a thing nome
would be with a woman he loved in it.
What color the fire gives you-or is it
l wish it were a blush.' he said.
eff you had ever blushed you would
know it is an unkind WISH" she replied.
81 daresay l have had plenty of rea-
sons to blush But | am not altogether
so shameless as you imply. l notice you
do not make room for me-"
DO you knoW-everyone is dressing
for dinner, and it is already late"
$50 much the better. nave not
had an hour with you-and l came down
here for nothing else. You were not
or the ice-and l had meant to have you
in my iceboat, and have the wind take
the sail before another could step aboard,
and know what it would be to be flying
off alone with you through space
cit would be very uncanny," said FL
della, looking up and wondering a little
where the charm had gone out of those
dark eyes, out of the smile, the smile that
had used to make the face radiant.
SIT would be heaven
81 fancy | was nearer heaven while
dressing the great Christmas tree for
the children
"And you can endure, can enjoy, that
slavery?'
Il do not find it slavery
81 suppose you fancy, too, that you
love the children"
1T does not require much fancy"
Love. don't believe you know
what it means!'
1T does not signify" said Fidelia,
rising. 1t occurred to her, just then, that
she had from time to time heard a great
deal of this sort of talk that never ar
rived anywhere.
Stay a moment, Why should you
say that? 1t may-signify-all the
world TO mer'
mo. indeed, nothing"
''Fidelia!' leaning lower 'Have you
any Iued HOW DeduIlIul you are
THAT also does not signify she said,
and she gently moved by him.
''Your heart is adamant"' he ex-
claimed. You tread mine under your
feetr'
1T has never been placed under my
feet" she said. little amazed at her
self as she paused. "Your words re-
mind me Of the flies that hover round
flame without ever ahghting."
''Fidelia.''
But she was gone The blaze had
dropped into bed of Goals: Mrs.
Beardsley's eyes were wide open, and
the servants were lighting the candles.
There was nothing to do but go and
dress. AS he met Vesalenyi on the
staircase he had half the mind to turn
about; but he heard him presently play
ing some hunting music of Schumann's,
and went on less unwillingly.
The hunting music, however, broke
off rather abruptly. The player saw
Fidelia looking at Mrs. Beardsley's
work, and Joined her. 1t was a wonder
full scarf of jewels, the strong white
silk net being embroidered in flourishes
and large designs of gold thread to
which some Hebrew characters gave an
oriental and cabalistic effect and the
jeWels-which were a tribute she had
levied on all the accumulation of old
and broken rings and pins and tneries
among her WOrld-Wlde frlendS-Were
fastened on the great petals, in the heart
of the wide blossoms, a high light on
the leaves, wandering in and out the in
tricacies of texts. topazes, aluamarines,
amethysts, garnets. sparks, yellow pearls,
the whole a sheet of splendor Mrs.
Beardsley left it in their hands. saying
she must have a breath of air, and
throwing on a cloak that lay in the hall
she stepped out upon the terrace, and
paused moment listening to the bells
that were ringing in the Christmas eve
from the village down the river. When
she presently passed the window she
looked in and saw the two still sitting
there Fidelia bent forward and gazing
into the fire, he bent forward and gazing
at her. She could only conjecture what
they were saying. II suppose" she
said to herself, IF [ put my mind on it
l should know. It's hardly worth the
effort But | like the man. He loves
humanity. AS for Archie BIeeckher, he
loves himself She saw Fidelia turn
quickly to her companion with a sweet
and long and searching look. And then
she passed on. When she again crossed
the window and glanced in, the two were
standing together, and there was such a
light on their faces as she could not re-
member to have seen before; and there
was q cluster of people coming in at
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