Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-12-03

room while the men smoked and the,
Mr.. Verrall, with many apologies
settled in big armchair for his nsua
after-dinner nap. II was nearly dusk
aud Jack asked her to play TO him In
the twilight, 30 they went up stairs 10
the drawing room. Doris seated her.
sell at piano, while he went over Ia
the fireplace and sank deep into n big
chair piled with cushions. Doris PLAYED
divinely, and the music went deep into
his soul. IL wove subtle spells as II
Uttered through the shadowy room
and made him sink deeper into the
chair and guard the silence of death
lest he should lose a single note of the
harmony that spoke To him ont of the
dimness, out of the heecy haze that
wrapt all things. A whole world of
spirits whispered in his ears thew told
him of Jack Halliday-mtlch about
Jack Halliday. IL was too dark for
Doris to see his face, sohe let his feel
ings have full play. Every note raked
mp some long-forgotten dustheap in
his heart recalled thought after
thought Of past hopes, ambitions and
love-chieny love.
Suddenly the music ceased. Doris
closed the piano with bang, and
turning tap in the wall above her
mead, iilled the room with a great blaze
OF light. Halliday sprang hastily
from his chair; then, regaining some
oi ms old composure, "By jove, YOU
might give fellow some warninpr'
he said. She smiled, diyining the CAUSE
OF his nervous face and the softnessin
his eyes with a womans ready intui.
ton. Then they both rubbed their
eyes because of the sudden glare of
the electric light till she laughinplv
said, Caught You mapping, MIR. Hal.
liday. | really didn't know that Won
ever took anything seriously" and n
picture of the invariably hippant and
surerclllous Jack Halliday rose up
before her. She saw half-reproach.
iui, half-pained look in his ewes. so
she added, 81 mustn't be personal or
youl hate me-" then taking n chair
on the other side of the fireplace she
went on tentatively, Lets talk sober
sense for an hour or two, and keep up
he illusion"
Intoxicated nonsense is nicer. isn't
tP' he answered weakly.
Mr.. Halliday, do you want me TO
rown?"
"No, but" the smile that was on
lis lips died away as the pain in his I
yes deepened. ''Do you know what I
'ou are risking? Are you in earnestP !
'hall we really take each other seri. 7
usiy Tor changer He paused here. u
whether single men and c
'omen ever did take each other seri. c
usly-in his world, at least. In the a
Their world, wherepeople had to work a
Or living, IL was different. They p
nd to pc serious or go under. Then y
cn1611 ee ai w. aInran, aag,R, Z
'arveling ut the kindness and good .
ill in her face. II
"Why not?" she said slowly, II
Doesn't the small talk sometimes L
ore you more than the big words? a
Weren't you serious when / turned d
ne light on? Tell me what you were @
linking about, if I'm not too curl d
US. p
A world OF invisible poetry had d
Drung up between Halliday and Miss u
errall during the last hour or two. o
ach one felt that there was something v
in the other, something "
nat made them more akin, more 81
ustful and less afraid--a strange new Il
'eling that made them throw off their IA
age trappings now and become b
nman, with all the strength aud W
eakness of ordinary human beings. W
Doris was silent now. She was IN
aiting for him to speak. Her heart
as too full for words, filed by that d.
range, new sensation that made her pr
ish to help him, to comfort him and dc
We him happiness, even at the risk cl
her life-a feeling unselfish, self re
crifcing and purely womanly that b'
creased with every word he uttered. pc
Jack began nervously, gaining force A
he went along. "The music rather ia
Tired me up and set me thinking of dc
o nothing, the empty nothing that
presents my pasta thing thought
rs gone and done with-quite gone.
s different with you" he went on. m
You've got some one at home you can to
Tx sense to. / haven't. | sit alone tn
my room sometimes and think of he
other life than the feeble imitation tn
one l lead--something real, some br
ing like the people who say Time is We
oney' lead. We say, Time is made mi
be killed. suppose it's because fai
I've got the money. It's not the he
'rk l want, butts something differ re,
t to the aimless vanity Of our life" tin
She look al nj him-kin1lv IL aeamad | an