The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-04

tell YOU" she said to him. She set
down her tea-cup and leaned toward
him, with her elbows upon her knees
and her chin between her soft, pink
palms. Her eyes were locking straight
into his. and they filled his heart with
anticipation. DO you think that this
is risky game we are playing, and
that we have been playing it for all it
is worth this last fortnight or sop
Lancaster knit his brows.
1T is not worth while to pretend YOU
don't understand. We both know
exactly what 1 mean. But I want to
be sure we both know that it is Onlv
a game. l am not in earnest. and Won
must not be-"
He gazed at her, speechless.
suppose you are thinking that the
suggestion of serious intentions might
come flrst from you," she said; that
may be your way of looking at it. but
II IS not mine. l don't care to let you
nave anything to reproach me with. 7
nave had enough of that in the past.
! am a hopeless flirt, you know. I go
into the thing for the fun there is in
II, and 1t is only fair to warn Won"
0he leaned back in her chair and fell
70 Watching the passers-by upon the
street and to biting at cube of sugar
meditatiVely
If you will accept matters that wav
we can nave very good time: if Won
uo!l T. nave warned you; and the con-
sequences-if there are any-naust h.
on your own head"
Lancaster laughed rather weakly "T
accept the TERMS" he said. ct is Nh
defStood that this is only a firtat ion
Whlch he explained to Dorothy at
much length, but which she would NOT
understand and was so unreasonable
ABOUT as to break her engagement
Lancaster was deeply aggrieved and
Iather more deeply relieved. But If
made one fact plain to him; that he
was seriously in love with g. girl who
frankly told him that he was no more
TO her than score had been before.
imam scores might be thereafter. And
1t was all in vain that he tried to
change her.
warned you quite fairly" she re-
minded him, bending forward to stroke
the glossy neck Of his black mare. II
was the mare that, Of old, Dorothy had
considered almost her own property
and on which she had lavished the
overflow Of her affection for Lancas-
ter. Il warned YOU" Miss Leeds re-
peateo, and nobody has suffered but
yourself, unless"-she glanced AFT HIM
with quizzical little smile-"unIess
there was another grip"
mere was announcer girl" he answer
ed.
she shrugged her shoulders tolera nt-
~. THAT was to have been expected
Most problems of the heart are In the
rule Of three"
He froWned angrlly and his lips curv-
ed in contempt. Are you absolutely
heartless? Have you no pity for herr"
mot a great deal. If you were the
sort to desert her in a fortnight for a
girl who made not the slightest effort
to win you, and who told you that she
didn't love you, think, upon the
whole, that she is rather well rid Of
you"
Lancaster was biting his lips, and he
was very angry. 'she is a better
woman than YOU" he said.
That may be. But STILL" she laugh
ed, good naturally, do you think I
am bad enough for you to be passing
judgment upon m0?"
Il do; for you IRE doing the thing
enthusiastically, anA IL" he said. de-
spondently, 'have ost my head"
She smiled into his eyes you don't
want to do that 1t Is such a hand
worth nearly so much"
He turned in his saddle and faced
her. II am likely to lose more than
that" he burst out, suddenly; At am
likely to lose my life"
"Ohi come" she said. you are NOT
contemplating falling on the point of
your saber or drowning yourself in the
bay, or superinducing galloping con-
sumption, are you? L have had men
do number of things for me, but
never quite that"
81 am not contemplating doing any
OF those. 1 may be q good deal of O.