The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-08
DARK BEFORE DA WIN.

Miss Collier looked up lnEo tne Aeu-
tenants face as he stood before her and
asked. ..Shall we dance or sit it out 2
Stanley said. "Your pleasure is mine.
and. guessing what her pleasure was,
he added. Twill we go on the steps or
stay here? 2.
She ross, and they went cut into the
warm spring night. II knew you did
not want to dance. I" said Miss Collier.
For reasons best known to himself
Stanley was in no gracious mood He
answered uncivilly enough. ..But per
haps did :
..Then. with the softest infection Of
her soft voice. 81 am more interested in
your welfare than you are yourself. IF
you are to start at reveille. you should
rest now Indeed you should really not
have come tonight .
She knew why he had come She
knew that it was because Mauricia
Meredith had told him that if be were
going to be too busy to take her she
would release him and go with Mr..
Kendall. which was tantamount to COM
pulsion. Stanley now contrasted her in
difference with Miss Golfers gentle.
solicitous tones OF a sudden he won-
dered If Miss Meredith were selfish.
which was what Miss Collier meant
him to wonder. A still. smooth voice
often flows over unsuspected depths
.sBut, Of course. " continued she. gaz-
ing off into the blue black sky and seem
ing to mediate aloud. hardly even
aloud .you had to bring Mauricia.
Stanley was up in arms. II beg your
pardon. Il was my wish to do SO. Miss
Meredith offered to excuse me.
Ibid she7 But. Of course. she didt
She is always considerate. fear I my
self ehould not have been so generous 1
am NOT Of a generous nature. But. then
the thought seemed just to occur to
her-..I suppose Mr. Kendall stood
ready to bring her. I think he is Move
with her Don't you p
She turned her head and locked into
his eyes with vague sort of specula-
tion They might have been discussing
an interesting but impersonal question.
.sIt would not surprise me- " He was
too obviously cool
..I hope 80. because she deserves to
be happy, and think she cares more
than little'for him.
..:What makes you think that?'
Stanley asked. with exceeding careless
ness
"a great many little things which a
man would never take into account.
but which girl knows from her own
experience, the impersonal eyes grew
very personal for one short instant. then
dropped in confusion-'.or from her
own observation. Have you seen it2 l
think you will if you watch It is either
that or a desperate Irritation But be-
ieve Mauricia to be above flirting /
have never thought that she deliberate
II went about breaking Will Hender~
sons heart or Lieutenant Cooks. Any
nan would naturally fall in love with
her. should If were man. Won
der that you can see so much OF her and
remain simply her friend. Your heart
must be Of stern stuff. She checked q
sigh and resumed her gaze at the stars
Then. as if following out train OF
thought. she recommended: THAT in
itself is proof that she is not flirt-
She has never Airted with you Of
course, though. it may be that she has
been engrossed with Mr.. Kendall "
Neither view was comforting to
Stanley. The little things which Miss
Collier had insinuated began to recur
to him. They were very small things
indeed. so he enlarged them, since love-
when it may not be as happy rs 1t
would like. prefers to be as miserable
as it may.
Miss Collie--'s gaze was not so fixed
upon the stars that she could not seq
into the hallway. She watched it. and
she watched Stanley, and almost lmme-
diately she was rewarded. She saw Miss
Meredith and Lieutenant Kendall COM
ing down the corridor, and she saw that
Stanley did not see. She turned and
faced the latter and caught his hands
in hers and leaned toward him The
soft voice had never been more sympa-
thetic, more low .'But perhaps. 1t
murmured. II have only just thought
of il when yon were SO silent. Perhaps
am hurting you. Are you mere
friend. or do you love her too :?
Woman cannot play at chess. they
say, because she cannot plan her moves
or determine those of her opponent fal
enough in advance It is not the case
when men are her pawns She works
on the Bupposition that fate will moi
play into her hands, but if it chooses sc
to DO it is all the better. and fate noto
riously favors the fair.
Miss Meredith's approach could no
have been better timed Stanley wa
worked to the requisite pitch of annoy
.ance with her and himself He was als'
irritated against Miss Collier for caus
ing his suspicious, even though they
might be Just. So he answered as she
had planned.
II am not 80 fortunate as to hav'
any right to love her." His voice raiset
itself in evaporation at having to ad
nit it. ssMiss Meredith and I are mer
friends
Miss Collier drew away her hands
The lieutenant looked up, and then b
knew that Miss Meredith was standln
on the steps above.
The soft voice picked up an imagl