Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-02
with mans easy indi.. ference toaught

but utility.
And as to the encompassing ca.
pacity of the Ilatter there could be ma
odubt. Swallowed up therein, all that
was visible of Sylvia was a pair of
wonderful blue eyes and fluff Of
golden hair at one emu and two tiny
white satin slippers at the other.
| To Sylvia the hanson was n chariot
sent direct from fairyland for her con-
| veyance to some enchanted world.
The gayety and glitter of the London
night delighted and amazed her At
llccadllly Circus Sylvia was entranc-
ed, In Leicester Square she was IN
ecstasles. and when, having reached
the snug scclusion of curtained box.
she could gaze across valley of dim.
smoke-wreathed figures. which the
moving marvel of form and color de-
fined as ballet, she acted and moved
as though in Il dream-world.
What they witnessed need not be de.
tailed. Is it not written in the daily
papers" Suffice it to tell that Sylvia
remained obvious to all Brunton's
hlnts as to the lapse of time until he
murmured that the hour neared II.
Safely in the hanson speeding home
ward. Sylvia returned to earth again.
and sighed at that she felt like Cinder,
ella in having to leave the ball at it's
height. And Brunton tentatively sug.
gested that there mad been no prince at
her ball; whereupon Sylvia avowed
hastily that of course he was tho
prince-then faltered and blushed
After that it must be confessed that
the trees fringing Regents Park wit.
messed some callow love making.
Yes, Sylvia was sorry, very, very
sorry he was going, and perhaps when
he returned in three years he would
have forgotten her? And Brunton was
equally convinced of his own faithful,
ness, but feared the strain of time and
absence on hers.
Brunton thought he would like their
next meeting ID take place, as this one
had in a garden; and Sylvia remem.
bered that a certain green door in tho
high wall encircling her grandmothers
grounds opened on a quiet side road.
1t was quite near; they could drive
round that way and she would point
ii out.
Thereafter the stars witnessed SOL
emn compact that, that day three
years, at the same hour, Sylvia would
unlock the green door to give Bruntoa
entrance.
They We're very much in earnest.
Two real tears glistened in Sylvias
eyes as she spoke of the years that the
green door must remain closed. And
Brunton's voice got husky, and he had
difficulty in rendering his farewella
as many as he would have wished.
Re-entering Mrs. Derrick's garden
cautiously, the culprits had scarce
gained the safe vantage of the shrub
h,f nil
in search of Sylvia. Lady Martingalo
was going, had been going for quite
ten minutes, and both her cloak and
her granddaughter we 'e to seek.
Athwart the little green door the
moonlight glinted softly, and Brunton,
standing in the near shadow of an lex.
would willingly have dropped the COM
ing hour out of his life.
Since his return to England a few
days before. the memory of this ap-
preaching assignation had persistently
sIecurred TO him. AS n man of honor,
lie knew he dare not shirk it, And yet
how painful to be forced to see Sylvia.
10 look into those innocent, trustful
cyes-for of her constancy he had no
doubt-and confess how he had chang
ed, and to tell boldly that their meet.
ing had proved but an incident, of no
moment in the ordering of his life.
He must undeceive her as tenderly as
possible speak of Eleanor regretfully,
at least not let Sylvia guess how en-.
tirely happy their union was, or that
She Sylvia, had long ceased to DE
aught but pretty, sentimental re-
membrance to him.
Even as he schooled himself Il distant
clock struck the hour, and with tho
first faint chime came the steady sound
of an opening lock. She was there!
Gently turning the handle, he passed
through thfe green door and entered
Lady Martingale's garden. Beside tho
great stone basin of the old fountain
stood Sylvia, the moonlight sparkling
on her hair, and adding an ethereal
glamour to the sheen of her robe.
A swift pang smote him as he saw
that as when they first met, she wore
white forgetting that he, too. had
sought to recapture his former aspect
for her view.
Her eyes met his in questioning ap-
peal and for moment mad rush
| of pity, romance. affection, call 1t what
you will, overcame him, and. spring
ing forward, he caught her hands.
"Sylvia!"
YES"
"You had not forgotten?"
mo. And youY
Il am here
After the greeting there fell sense
of constraint, which Brunton realized
was not all of his own making. She
was lovely, even more lovely than of
yore-taller, too, with the lapse of
years-and with an added something
in her expression that was new Ia
! him.
Behind them the fountain splashed
and murmured. Then Sylvia broke thu
sile!ce speaking as If in answer to his
thoughts.
"You-you have changed-are not tho
same. OF course, you look older and
bronzed Il don't mean that. But there
Is something else-your manner"
Bruntou felt there was no escape