Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-07-29

Where have you been all this time, and
what have you been doingf"
"Didn't you know where l was." she
asked quietly.
.Ye es, I heard at the time, but
But you thought it best not to go and
see for yourself, " she put in, with ringe
Of mockery in her clear sweet voice.
She lifted her eyes to his and met his
gaze In silence-a silence that made him
vaguely uncomfortable.
II vas young and foolish" she said
presently, speaking in calm, matter Of
tact tone, "and At the time did not un-
derstand what was perfectly plain to me
afterward II WAS extremely dense OF me,
! admit.
You are speaking In enigmas, " he re
Joined a trihe brusquely ard awkwardiy.
''I wish you'd DO a little more explicit ="
There was pause, during which the
thoughts of each had flown back TO that
past he had conjured up.
Five years ago-how long 1t seems. J..
Much can happen in that time, and much
has happened. You are changed, for In
stance. You have grown visibly older by
those five years"
This was not the Stephanie he had
known In "those old days, and yet how
sweet and altogether desirable she seemed !!
Yes" she went on, you were different
then, or else a glamour lay over you that
was too infatuated TO see through. Re
member how l worshiped your beauty,
how believed you to be all that was grand
and noble''-the laughing mockery in her
tones mnde him wince-"so painfully
Youthful and foolish of me, was 1t notl
You told me fortune lay in my voice
do you recollectg-and you were inclined
to rave over my little sketches of charac-
ter, but still. when was left alone in the
world to sink or swim as best / might,
you refrained from holding out a helping
hand to me, when word from you, who
had already won your way IN the literary
world, might have saved me many for
lorn, heartbroken hour, and
'I didn't know - broke in Stacey eager
ly. "Belieye nc, ! knew nothing, or
would have helped you. l would have
done anything for you, Stephnnle.
You didn't knowr' she echoed. But
you yourself pointed out my capabilities,
Of which was ignorant"
eyes, yes, know " he protested. lone
says what one can to encourage, OF course,
but saw nothing to make me suppose you
would do more than others are trying to
do. There is no royal road TO success
either in writing or singing, Stephanie.
"You spoke differently then, but | sup
pose your words had no meaning, any
more than the other things you said. "
"Stepbanie, you are hard on me, but
hear me before you condemn. Justice at
least should compel that much. did care
for you in those old days. | don't think
you have ever been long absent from my
thoughts, but was a struggling author,
and had no right to ask you to share so
vague a future, so I took the wisest course
In going away and leaving you free- y
"Still, - she persisted in the same cold,
sweet voice, "you might have shown me
how to use the literary or musical powers
you told me possessed, might you not?"
my dear Stephanie, he expostulated,
what would you have done? You had n
certain aptitude for saying clever things,
and you had u pretty, fresh voice Of the
average quality, but countless other people
have both too. Where would hove been
the use of putting out your poor littlo eff
forts against some Of our literary and
musical giaptsl Did you aspire 10 be Il
brilliant suthoress Alike tho celebrated
Mrs. Vavasour, for instance?i
"Perhaps [ did, " she allowed, with en
odd snliIo. "I was rerv ambitious in those
days. / am still I should Ike TO be
greater even than Mrs. Vayasour.
The group Ut the end Of the room had
been broken up and Mrs. Calender came
toward them. StephaDte rose and followed
Mrs. Calender into the music room.
Stacey watched her disappear through
the door. What n fool he hed been TO let
Stephanie Craven pass ont of his life In
those past days! He had not realized 1t
before Flo had 'been-n miserable fool, but
he would do better now. And then across
his musings cam, the sound of voice so
rich and full and sweet that he started to
his feet.
"a pretty. fresh voice of average quail
ity!" 60 mitch for the keen penetration
on which he had prided himself.
An eager crowd surrounded her when
she ended her song, and Randall Stacey
could not reach her just then.
a tall, fair man was bending over her
with open admiration, and Stacey felt
vaguely annoyed with him.
Mrs. Calender was standing near. He
turned TO her.
'Who is that fellow talking to Miss
Craven?"
Miss Cravens" she inquired "Wheres"
There be returned, "by the plano
Don't you see?"
'Shel That isn't Miss Craven. She
was {, year ago, but now she Is Mrs. Vava
sour, the authoress, and that is her hus-
band, Archie Vayasour. He brought her
out and gave her genius to the world. =
Home Notes.