The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-08

of the bench where his shoulders had
rested and she could not have resumed
her position except in his half embrace
He had not thought of it. He was LOST
I in greater abstraction. That infinite
tenderness, far above a wOmans. the ten
dernesS of strength and manlnesS that
looks down and not up. was already pos
SeSsing him. An instinct of protection
drew him nearer this bowed but charming,
figure, and il he then noticed that Jn-
shoulders were pretty and the curves of
the slim waist symmetrical. it was rather
Wctn feeling OF timidity and hall
consciousness of unchivalrOus thought
Yet why should he not try 10 keep the
brave and honest girl near him always"
Why should he not claim the right to pro-
tect her? Why should they not, they VINO
were alone in a strange land, join tnelr
two lonely lives for mutual help and hap
pineSs? A sudden perception OF delicacy.
the thought that he should have spoken
before her failure at the COnServatOirs-
had made her feel her helplessness.
brought slight color 20 his oaeek: Would
IL not seem TO her that ne was taking an
unfair advantage of her misfortune? Yer
il would be so easy now to slip loving
arm around her waist while he could
work for her and protect her with the
other. The other, His eye fell on his
empty sleeve. All he had forgotten thai
He had but one arm.
He rose up abruptly-so abruptly that
Helen, rising TOO, almost touched the arm
that was hurriedly Withdrawn. Yet IN
that accidental contact which sent
vague tremor through the young girls
frame there was still time for him 10 have
spoken. But ne only said
Perhaps we had better dine
She assented quickly-she knew not why
with a feeling of relief They walked
very quietly and slowly toward the res
taurant. Not word of love had been
spoken; not even a glance of understand
ing. had passed between them. Yet they
that a crisis of their lives had come and
gone and that they never again could be
10 each other as they were but a brief
moment ago. They talked VeIy SenSibly
and gravely during their frugal meal: the
previous spectator of their condolences
would have now thought them only sim
pie friends and have been as mistaken as
before. They talked freely of their hopes
and proSDecIS-aH save one. They even
spoke pleasantly of repeating their little
expedition after his return from the cOun-
try. while in theirsSecret hearts they had
both resolved never to see each other
again Yet by that sign each knew that
this was love and We're both proud of
each other 5 pride which kept II secret.
The train was late and it was past 10
o'clock when they at last appeared be-
fore the concierge of Helens home Dur
ing their journey and while passing
through the crowds at the station. ana
in che streets. Ostrander had exhibited a
new and grave guardianship over the
young girl, and on the nrst landing. az
ter a scrutiniDng and an almost fierce I
glance at one or two of Helen's odd fell
low dodgers. he had extended his nIOJec- I
ton so far as to accompany her Up the
four flights to the landing of her apart
ment.
here ne took leave of her with a grave
courtesy that half pained half pleased I
her. She watched mis- broad shoulders /
and dangling sleeve as he went down the
stairs and then hurriedV turned. entered |
her room and locked the door. The smils +
had faded from her lips Going to the
window she pressed her hot eyelids
against the cool glass and looked out upon
the stars nearly level with the black roofs (
around her. She stood there some mo- +
ments until another star appeared higher I
up against the roof ridge-the star she /
was looking for. But here the glass pane 4
before her eyes BECAME presently dim with
moisture. She was Obliged to rub it out
with her handkerchief-yet somehow il T
soon became again clouded. At which she
turned sharply away and went to bed