The representative., 1900-12-06
shrunk as he shrank that day from the ten.
ger pity IN the eyes Of the little maid WHIT

lOoked sup at him saa s-.s.s
For Gods sake" he broke of.
d.d: ene vsstss rs mas1ied said the girl. She ad-
This" she said few minutes later. when
sne had lightly vanished up the stairway.
ana had again found herself near him, "was
70 be given to you"
she placed packet beside him. 1t had
never occurred to her to ask him for his
name nor proof Of hts identity. There he'd
been no need
Everard Garden opened the package. The
uppermost note he opened, read. It was a
shallow-a brutal little note.
you've been gone so long," it ran. "And
everyone tells me that the climate of the
Philippines is ruinous to the complexion. +
Know your absurd idea of serving with YOUR
regiment In foreign felds-in any field. And
l can't bear the thought of exile-it would
be exile. wouldn't 1t? Then Rexford-the
coal man, you knows rich, so rich! Not
that 1 care about money, but It would he
norrld to have to turn ones dresses-or to
clean ones gloves with gasoline or what
ever stun they use. Demaris Glare has
pleaded well for you, but she is only a soft
hearted little simpleton. You must know
| will always care more for you than for
Dan Rexford, but it would not be wise to
marry you One has only one life. 1t is
better be wise. Then-you were always
such an easy y-going fellow you won't care
much-will you. So goodbye!'
For time-Demaris Glare never knew
how long-there was no sound in the room
save the ticking of the clock the little
restless, cracking gossip Of the danes.
Suddenly the girl at the window turned.
conscious of presence at her elbow-a
voice in her ear.
Who asked the voice. sis Demaris
Clare?"
There was a royal blaze in the fireplace
now Letters whirled up the chimney
fugitive scraps OF cindery blackness
Squares of cardboard were still to be con-
sumed There was the CLINT of gold on the
red bed in the CRATE.
Il am Demaris Clare"
Now she was aware OF the attire she wore
the duster she still carried.
will you marry me?"
Yes, she said
OF all the rash wooings surely that was
the rashest-of all the reckless proposals
that was by all odds the most reckless.
Their eyes met. In hers there was no
longer pity-ony a strange steadfastness.
In his there was only weary desperation.
Took his life,
Just capable Of one heroic aim,
And threw it in the thickest Of the fight
What matter, since Aurora failed him
first?
But was 1t an heroic aim? He did not
know then, nor when he left the house, nor
even when he tried to bring the small,
proud face of Demaris Clare before him,
What matter since Aurora failed him
frst?"
1t was sad wooing, that. Moreover, it
was grim WOOing. Garden did not find out
the position of the girl, who, in the guise
of servant. had opened to him the por-
tails of his false sweetheart's home on the
occasion of his home coming, at least, not
then. He came to her. He was as
f1A
chivalrous man could be- He recognized
the fact that while he. in one moment Of
Jealous insanity fancied he was asking a
servant to be his wife, had been guilty Of
an excusable but stupendous mistake, there
was now for him neither excuse nor with
drawal. For this girl with the wavy brown
hair, the clear. quiet eyes. the reserve of
manner which in itself implied distinction,
met him on his own ground social as well
as Intellectual. On consideration, the read
mess with which she had consented sur
prised him. But being what he was, an OH
and a gentleman, he dismissed from his
mind every thought save that of averting
from her possible regret-possible humilia-
ton.
He was profoundly punctiious He took
DemariS and her aunt who had charge OF
her cousins home in the absence of the
family, to the attractions the season pre-
sented. He found himself wondering few
times at the taste of the little maid who
had broken down for him all his gay STAR
way of happy hopes Her preferences were
not those of Mary Vance. She dsliked
grossness, vulgarity, and the jauntily idiotic
forms Of amusement, as she disliked over
whelming Odors and glaring cOlors. The
peony," he said to himself once in moment
of heretical reflection, 1.-The peony and the
woodland Violet
In Washington a rumor sprouted, flour
ished. Garden was recalled. He must re-
turn to active service. He took the letter
to Demaris Clare. She read it through.
Then she looked up at him.
Il have confession to make she said.
Mary Vance and l were friends. She
showed me your picture. She read to me
your letters. | know she did not love you
as-as-never mind about that The slow,
painful color flooding her face. When
Rexford came l did beseech her to be true
to you. l did urge her. | tried my best.
But she would not listen. She gave me
that packet for you. She did not dream,
nor did |, that you would return so soon.
The night after the wedding, when the
bride and groom had gone on their we'd
ding trip and the others elsewhere, the scr
wants had some trouble with the house.
keeper and left. I was helping when you
came. l was sorry for you--so--so sorry.
And when you asked me-O, there is no
excuse for my answering as l did. But
T.
With one stride he was beside her. She
''Demaris, Did you only say yes because
because you were sorry for me?'
She did not answer. The perfume OF the
mignonette at her bosom came to him. He
went close to her-closer.
''If you tell me- he urgd. "that you were
merely compassionate, l shall GO Hc
forced her to face him. Tell me that
now" he said.
But she would not look at him.
'Demaris," he said, you may not believe
me, but love you. You brave lady,
Tell me the whole, fair, and gallant TRUTH
There was no resisting that appeal.
Il did care for you," she answered, slow
ly. 4 loved your face. l wished 1t was
the face of my lover. l wished the let
ters you wrote Mary were written to me.
] could not let the bare possibility of hap
piness pass me by when you--when you
spoke to me as you did. Now you know
now you must know that there can be
nothing between us ever-ever again.
Now l know he said solemnly. reyer-
emily, that nothing can ever come De-
tween us again-so help me Cod"
And he took her In his arms.
Lightly won." she murmured, laughing
through tears.
Dearly heidi. he said. "Dearly-dear-
ly."--Exchange.