The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-12

surprising and trying clrcum-
stances) gave a sudden start and ex-
clamation. She rubbed her eyes and
gave herself little pinch to see if
she could be dreaming. No, she was
wide awake, and in the easy chair
near her sat man, a stranger to
her. Strange to say, she felt neither
alarmed nor embarrassed, and after
the moment of surprise at this sud-
der visitation she stole another look
at her unexpected companion, who
was gazing intently into the fire.
He was rather tall and slender,
and his regular features and dark,
dreamy eyes were pleasant to look
upon
She had vague impression of ia
miliarity as she watched him, and
haunting resemblance to some
one, perhaps a mere brain image,
puzzled her.
Just then he turned toward her
and smiled slightly.
81 do not wonder that you like to
sit here" he said in courteous ac-
cents. t'It is a pleasant room and
gratifes ones aesthetic sense. You
love to watch the freight glimmer
through the room, now playing up
on the gilt of the picture frames, or
suddenly lighting for a moment
some dusky corner; but, best Of all,
you like to watch the warm glow
leap over that marble Psyche. You
have passion for COLOR
eyes" she said wonderingly,
"but how did you knowa Who are
you9"
"There is no thought of yours
that do not know" he said, land
1 came here in response to your
wish. I am your longed for kindred
soul-your realized ideal"
Miss Rossiter was silent for mo-
ment and sat vainly trying to recall
the theories that Herr Gundlach
had advanced before the German
club concerning kindred souls and
af6nities. IF she remembered right
", he had said that each soul had a
kindred soul, but that sometimes
there were limitations OF time and
space which in another world-but
just here the stranger interrupted
her thoughts by saying:
Eyes, that is true. But sometimes,
under peculiar conditions, as to-
night, time and space are as moth
ing. And SO it is that ] arm with you
now"
He ceased speaking. Surely it was
the opportunity of Miss Rossiter's
life for unbounded soul revelations;
but, odd to relate, she felt strange
ly silent.
A number of naturally curious
questions fitted through her brain,
but she checked her thoughts lit
tie guiltily, as it occurred to her
that IN all probability the stranger
was cognizant of her thoughts and
might consider her inquisitive.
sNo," he remarked politely, ~
am not permitted to reveal the laws
which govern me, nor can tell how
long I may be able to remain with
you"
Then he really did know what she
was thinking.
She had never imagined how very
perplexing it would be to constant
ly control ones thoughts-to put
check rein on them, to quote TOMS
language.
She turned a little uneasily in her
chair, and in doing so inadvertently
revealed one of her daintily slipper
ed feet.
Now, Tom had a special weakness
for a dainty slipper, as she well
knew, and, forgetting for a moment
that it was not Tom who sat there,
she looked up in apparent uncon-
sciousness of any little feminine art,
only to meet an amused smile in the
strangers eyes.
Eyes, most men like to SEQ pref
ty slipper" he commented benevo-
lently. ga coquettishly placed rib
bon, a flower in the hair, are so
many arrows to the masculine
heart. Little men dream of the time
and thought that have been given
to what seems to them some uncon-
scious little arrangement. -
Miss Rossiter flushed angrily and
drew her foot back with a jerk.
Really, this thing of laying bare
ones every little thought was too
much, and yet was it not exactly
what she had wished for-to be per-
fectly understood7
She ought to be above such little
anyhow.
Perhaps if she tried books the
conversation might become more
animated.
The stranger followed her glance
as it rested on o small table near
her, where several books were lying.
"You have been reading" he re-
marked. "Ah, yes, I see-Ibsen,
Tolstoi." He smiled a
li+t1a woari1v