The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-20

another girl sometimes, yet are not jealous,
and that you not ashamed Of my career
so far, yet want me to feel thar somehow /
ought to be ashamed of it,"
He left his chair and began stridlng about
the room uneasily.
Dick Malvern, don't be absurdv Leila
cried, with more of challenge than of coun-
sci. She did not resent his rude speech so
decidedly as she would have done if he had
meant it more and, besides. the main thing
now was to gain her point as to his career
To this point she advanced with an unfor-
tunate beginning, Remember. you are go
ing to change your position greatly when
we marry!'
Her father was rich and Malvern, though
full of energy, ability and promise, still held
only the post of an assistant superintendent
in Grays mills. What she had just said,
therefore, seemed to him an allusion to this
fact and hint that his marriage with her
was to be sort of social promotion, though
she had not the least idea of implying any
thing of the sort.
And so his pique went on increasing.
"Oh." he exclaimed, I'm absurd, you think!
Well, hasn't a man as well as a woman the
right to be absurd now and then? And
am going to change my position greatly!
suppose L have right to do that, too
when it's by your consent! You needn't
taunt me, though, with exercising that
right!''
"a right?' retorted Leila, with flash,
and the gold circlet g1ittered, trembling, as
though it shared her anger "A right-and
over me and with my consent?" She
laughed defiantly, her cheeks glowing al
though tears were yelling to her eyes.
Very well, sir! Oh, you are terrible! say
very well. If you are going to fling my con-
sent back at me that way, it is quite easy
to relieve myself and you by Withdrawing
it altogether
''Leilav' Dick Malvern looked frightened
now, and his breath seemed to come short
as he started toward her. 'You won't do
that! You won't! What are you talking
about Leila? What are you thinking
Just this" she said, becoming matter OF
fact and at the same time pleading: You
should in some way change your old rela-
tons with other people if you are to marry
and to build a great life of your own. 1
don't know quite how to explain it, and
you mustn't think 1 am cold or heartless
about them. Not at all. But in a town Like
ours, you know, the old associations with
people who are all right in themselves.
whom we all have to know and want to be
kind towel, they don't understand you.
They do not realize your capabilities and
how YOU need a sphere different from theirs
and must make one. l don't want you to
drop them exactly or be cold. Oh, how can
1 make it clear? But if you go on with
them now, keeping UP the old boy and girl
affections and the rest of it, why, by and
by, when they see you expanding growing
and unable to be just the same with them.
they will think your friendliness was all
pretense. Don't you see? And you'll never
be able to make your own place"
AS to this Malvern had his own conceD-
ton, and it was a point Of pride with him
to make his greater career in the very spot
where he had made his small beginnings,
to do this also harmoniously and keep all
the old relations intact But instead Of ex-
planning his view calmly-curious fatality Of
human nature-he grew angrier and ex-
pressed only his anger and his vanity, al
though just then he thought that he was
defending not his vanity, but his dignity.
Not able to make my placer" he said.
with sarcasm. Il fancy L have made it al
ready, and that wherever am or whatever
L do, am able to keep it,
mo! nor persisted Leila. You should
go TO another city-to New York, best of
all-and carve out a career great enough
for US and your abilities; go into large bust
ness, be public man. statesman-every-
thing
80 that's what you want?" he said mood
lily. But your father-would he agree?"
The storm seemed to be blowing over, but
at Leila's next words it closed in and set
tied down darkly upon them, little though
she meant it to do so. MY father?" she
answered. 1T isn't he who is going to live
our lives This is a question for U.s.
You mean," he interrupted, for you,
since am allowed no voice You wish me
to go, to shake off Windbury and the past,
all the past, to start for myself" he ended
with emphasis on the last word WELL
then, will do as you wish, Miss Grey. A
proposition has come to me for new and
profitable business connection which was
going to tell you about. The place is far
from here" He paused a moment in dread
of what he knew he going to say, but
concluded firmly, Il shall leave tomorrow"
It was Leila who was startled now.
what, so soon? On Thanksgiving day.
too?" She looked as though she might lean
to him with entreaty and beg him to stay,
but she added only, And going alone. Mr.
Malvern"
But she did not wait for him to answer
The thought of his leaving her so easily
IndQe neT HUSH TSu3 anu, 6ippAhS O1 ACk
tiny sparkling engagement ring, she handed
it to him.
There" she said, II release you. CO.!
He took it in silence, haughtily, but with
grief and rage and with sensation as
though all the life within him had broken
to pieces. He did not dare to say "Goodby."
He did not dare to speak. One glance only
they exchanged, and in the eyes of each the
fire of war and the light of peace mingled,
contending. Then he withdrew toward the
door and paused there moment with
involuntary gesture, half despair, half strug
Cling hope but Leila had turned partly
away. with her hand resting unsteadily on
the chair nearest her, and If she felt his
hesitation or his gesture she did not show
it. The sunlight beyond her still slanted
across the pale garden, but there was no
responding bird song in the house. He
closed the door noiselessly as he passed out
Where does this climate of the mind come
from that holds us in its grasp as firmly.
that sways and overcomes US as unpity-
ingly. as the elements without. with fierce
changes of heat and cold. flood and drought
or storm that rends our tenderest senti-
ments and deals misery on those we love
best? The strangest thing about this mental
meteoroIogy OF ours is that we ourselves