The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-16
DEVOTED TO DAVID.
BY KATE M. CLEARY.

DENUlED lU DAVID.
 The first act of the play was over
 when Clifford Taylor came down the
 aisle of the crowded theater and took his seat. He listened dreamily to the music. thankful that his wheat dea
 had been finally satisfactorily con- | Suddenly he sat straight up in his
 chatr-rigid. alert. Indifference had
 vanished. He was gripping the arms of his chair. He was hearing voice. | the once voice in the world that could
 make his heart beat faster.
 Yes. papa wants me to give him up | But-I can't"
 | Those two girls in the seats directly | ahead-girls. graceful tailor-made. ex- quisitely groomed-why had he not no- | ticed them at once? Why, at least, 1 had he not noticed Miss Darrow? We'll" returned the other, the faint est touch of scorn in her voice. II knew , you cared a lot for him. but I didn't 1 think you cared enough to give up a European trip for him! Of course l remember when he saved your life. But I can't fancy you being so devoted l to David!"
 The girl addressed turned to the | other until he could see her profile | the pretty, pure, aristocratic face that l had come between him and his busi-
 ness contracts many time of late. Cant you? We'll. perhaps not. You see. you don't know David as l know him."
 Mo-" laughed the other, T dare say that is true. I'm not favorite Of his. | Indeed. l may say he treats me with | distinct superciliousness. Hush! There goes the curtain
 The gay gossiping ceased. Clifford Taylor stood up. took his hat from the rack and passed out into the aisle. Oblivious of the soubrette's opening lines. several turned to look at him. He went blindly across the foyer - through the deserted rotunda into the street-towards his club One or two men spoke to him. To his own aston ishment he answered them rationaliy- even humorously. How could he con- verse on subjects of popular moment when he was going to find David? But when he did find him he said never a word of that which was in his heart Instead he ciasped with the old cordilality the hand of him whom he had considered his best friend. You're looking badly. Cliff" Whats l wrong?"
 Am IT" He laughed mirthlessly.
 Nothing wrong. got what my grandmother used to call a turn | believe that's all"
 Its enough" He was past youth | David Ainslee. He had a square jaw l and a dogged look about his brows. 'Is it anything in which l can help
 you?"
 "You!" He measured him with his glance. and laughed again. Not you! 1 He pushed past him and was gone David looked after him with eyes of
 kind perplexity.
 | Whats got into that fellow? He en- 1 gineered that deal in stocks all right
 I read the ticker an hour ago. Well | hell explain tonight | But when the two met in their at- tractive batchelor apartments. young | Taylor offered no explanation. Instead | he roved around the handsome rooms l like an unrestful spirit. He regarded
 his companion furtiveiy.
 Are you going out tonight?" he
 asked.
 "Yes. am to take Miss Darrow tc the closing cotillion of the Hathaw1y
 club. Are you not going? You have 8
 card?"
 l Yes: but I'm not going" l He stood looking with unseeing eyes
 
 thinking of many things-of how good | the elder man had been to him since he came to the city a callow t1edgling l He had shown him how to try his l wings. He had kept those pinions out of the mire of youthful indiscretion. 1 It was he-yes. he-who had intro
 duced him to the Darrows. But never
 a thought of David as his rival had
 crossed the mind of Clifford Taylor un-
 til this very day. What accursed fate | had led him into that very playhouse
 into that very aisle, into that espe- cial seat? Was it an accursed fate after all? Rather a friendly one. per
 haps. For now he was forewarned - consequently forearmed. Now, he
 would not make the humiliating blun-
 der of offering heart and hand to a
 woman whose preference for another
 was profound and absolute. But -
 ought he not find out from David him.
 self He looked up. caught his friend E eye.
 Out with it!" Ainslie cried. | Tt seems to me that-that you are good deal with Miss Darrrow. l won- | der if yoa know that There he stopped. It isn't easy to tell a rival the thing that he was try ing to tell David Ainslie. w ell |! 1OunS 1dyiol MIC" "llCh David spoke like that he was listening intently and critically. That she has an immense prefer ence for your society. Dave. That's all"
 "No. don't know that" Dave re- turned in his gentle way. "I think you're mistaken. She likes me - yes. I've known her since she was a child. But as to what you infer-thats non sense!"
 Young Taylor wheeled around his hands behind his back. his shoulders squared against the mantel. He loooked pale and aged.
 "It hasn't been an easy thing for me to tell you this" he said in smoth- cred voice. but it's true! I have the best of reasons for knowing"
 Ainslie regarded him gravely. Dear bow" he said you've slippAd cog somewherei She's the dearest girl. But she doesn't care for me - that way!"
 "1 happen to know differently Once plunged in the pillows of self an- negation, Taylor foundered therein with a certain sense of satisfaction. "She does, David-and- Here ne turned put his head down on the man tel. T wish I were dead" was the rash conclusion. one which being ln- audible. did not reach Ainslie.
 It was a bewildered individual who took Dorothy Darrow to the fnal O. A,it,z- aS 4hn EJathaWav cluh A glOrt-