The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-11-22
Two Lovers Of Lila

AAbaeo tol
IT WAS hard to decide between them
i -atleast Lila thoughtso. She found
both charming in such opposite, such
contrasting ways. 1t was Max Claren-
don, her fathers private secretary,
who had been sem to bring her home
the day she graduated. Like a true
woman the opinion of other women
influenced her.
HE isn't really handsome" her
companion had declared. HE is too
angular-and just a little awkward"
Then there's his hair. He ought to
wear that long-or at least as long as
Irving wears his-if he is really a
poet"
For Max Clarendon had published
some really remarkable verse in the
leading magazines. 20, he isn't to be
compared to your fathers partner
Burton Dildine!" decided Lila's bosom
friend. HE is so big and broad-he
has such a look of bravery. And it's
plain to be seen he adores you, Lila!'
But Lila only laughed, and said that
all this talk was nonsense. She de-
clared she was a girl who was wise
only in the knowledge of how ignor-
ant she really was. And that she was
going home to keep house for her ia
Their, and that it would be many a
year before she left him for-anyone.
Nevertheless, in the year that fol-
lowed, and the next, she found her
self forced to consider the assiduites
of her ardent If repressed suitors. For
she could not conceal from herself
and perhaps would mot if she could
the fact that both men loved her.
Though, indeed, they showed it in
vastly different ways. One might
have fancied that it was only her
feminine intuition which made plain
to her the fact that Max Clarendon
loved her at all. He was occupied
with her fathers interests. He was
consumed by the unwavering passion
of his own enhancing literary labors.
And he did not pay her the pro-
nounced and open homage of Dildine,
who besieged her with invitations and
bombardeu her with flowers.
But when they met by cnanc there
was a sudden lightning flash in his
dreamy eyes, a swift compression of
the sensitive, bea1dless lips, a quick
irradiation of c~ountenance which be-
trayed the ecstatic thrill the mere
sight Of her had given him. "'That
secretary Of your father's is a queer
chap" remarked Dildine one day.
Some late verses of Clarendon's had
been hugely praised by the critics and
he was absurdly irritated thereat. 81
don't believe he has the nerve of a
cat. We happened to meet the other
day just as an accident occurred on
Washington street. A ragged little
devil of a newsboy slipped, fell under
the wheels of a cable car, and was
horribly injured. Pom my word.
Clarendon went white as a ghost. I
thought he would have tainted. He's
a good bit of a coward, I take it,"
A coward! The term ranked in the
girls mind. 1t unconsciously inf1u-
enced her, as had the remark of her
nearest friend. She had all a wom-
ans admiration of bravery. The great
man was to her the man of heroism-
of daring.
When that evening Max Clarendon
brought her q little gift she was per-
haps less pleased by the offering than
she would have been before her IA
theirs partner had reflected upon his
courage. The gift was a slim volume
of verse, written by a brilliant and un-
happy poet of the Pacific coast-a
man whose self-inf1icted death was
only less sad than his life. She had
expressed a desire to read the poems.
Max was quite e%xhilarated at having
secured such an exquisite edition.
"You will find many lines as delight
full as those I quoted" he assured her.
81 know you will appreciate the
pathos-the beauty of his work."
THANK you," she said, a trife coldly,
"you are good. Pray do not exert your
self again to humor my fancies."
The glow and light went out of his
face. He staid but a short time, muir
INJURED a few p%erfunctory words of
leave-taking, and went away with a
manner which seemed sullen, but was
merely the cloak of despair.
And Lila-sitting with slim, idle
hands clasped behind her head-remem-
bering the remorse she strove to stffe,
the panied look upon his countenance,
saw before her as plainly as though in
the flesh those two lovers of hers. One
SO slender, grave, reticent, unassertive
other so strong, massive, ford,
powerful. What a man to have for a
life defender-for a pillar of granite
upon which to lean-Burton Dildine.
No wonder he had spoken of this timid
STRIPPING with disdain. Her thoughts
required to her the next day, asst
ting beside Dildine, in his high rig, be-
hind spirited horses-they whirled
southwark on Michigan avenue.
"Aren't we going rather fast?" she
asked.
He looked down upon her with eyes of
tender reproach.
"You," significantly, "are not afraid
with me?"
II am never afraid" she returned,
"but I don't like the thought of taking
unnecessary risks. Surprising some
thing should break!"
Even so-you could trust me-" lie
declared, confidently.