The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-11-19
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! THREE CALLS !
q In Which Former Lovers Meet =
and Compare Notes.
K 100
BY MABEL ROBINS.
BY MABEL ROBINS.


81 have been unfortunate" she said.
"All the men who wanted to marry me l
did not care for and all the men l cared
for did not want to marry me. What are
you going to do now you are home
againT
81 haven't decided about my future
except in one respect l hope to marry"
She turned to him in surprise. Are
you engaged, them" she asked.
He shook his head. g! want to know if
you will be my wife?"
A little color crept into her cheeks. 81
wish you wouldn't" she said You
should remember that you were always
one of the men did not want to marry"
"That was in the old days" quietly.
'FWhy should there be any difference
now? One could not change ones opin-
ion during an hours CALL
"No," he said. sit was not so much
any change in me that l thought would
make you give me different answer from
that of ten years ago as the change In
yourself and your circumstances.
"My circumstances are unaltered," she
said wonderingly, "and as to myself
"You are a good deal older than you
were ten years ago."
She flushed
"Then if you think have aged so
much" she cried sarcastically, why do
you want to marry me?''
st never said wanted to marry you"
eoolly But occasionally ones sympa-
thies become aroused and carry one away
with one in spite of oneself"
| Her dark eyes flashed fire.
"Sympathies 2" she cried. "Why should
l arouse your sympathies!
II don't know exactly but somehow l
always feel sorry for girls like you, who
have to give way to younger genera
/ ton"
Her hands fell to her sides. The enor-
nifty of his words seemed to stun her.
"You are very kind" she cried ironical-
", but will you please remember that
do not require your compassion, though
l can never properly express my gratitude
for your disinterestedness in asking me
to marry you to save me from such an
endY
mot at ALL" calmly.
II may be old and passee," she said as
he rose, "but l have not sunk quite so low
as to require your charity. There are at
least four men who would marry me to-
morrow tiff l consented-men who real
ly want to marry me-"
81 don't doubt it" he said gravely, land
1 hope you will forgive me if | have said
anything which wounded you. Ones
sympathies are often misplaced. You
will let me come again, won't your
81 shall be charmed to see you" with
frigid formality, and then she placed
listless hand in his.
But when he had gone she went and
peered in the mirror.
'Do / look so old 2" she cried with a
catch in her breath; but she looked for
wrinkles and gray hairs in vain.
"When l refused him before" she said
reflectively, che cried. Today-he laugh
ed,' and she sighed as she turned away.
ct is long while since you came to
see me-" she said as she sat down in her
chair after receiving him.
Eyes, a long Shile. But have had so
much to do that l really haven't had
time"
"No?" She smiled, but her fingers were
beating an impatient tattoo on the arm Of
her chair.
81 saw you at birmingham on Satur-
| day." she went on. You were walking
about with one girl the whole afternoon.
Who is she?'
ooh, you must mean little Milly Dan
vers. Did you notice her? Did you ever
see such pretty girl?
"Just up from the country, l suppose"
eyes Any one could tell that at once
with the fresh color in her face"
at was not her face that made me
think so'-scathingly. 1T was her hat"
"Her hat?" he repeated blankly.
sCVo, ao lIad mo old tho other daV and
now | have discovered that it is you who
have aged most 1t is only old men who
discover charms just out of the nursery"
"Milly has left school some months
trying to defend himself-but she only
tapped her foot on the ground with some
irritablity.
Don't you think we have talked
enough about Miss Danvers? she said.
| LET us start a topic of some interest"
"Then we will talk about you
promptly.
She smiled family. 81 don't think that
will be an absorbing subject, either she
said. Besides, it might tempt you to be
as uncomplimentary as you were last
| time. and you would not be so amusing
twice"
"Did l amuse you then?'
"You always amused me-even in the
old days when"-with unnecessary en-
phasis-''you and were young. Do you
remember how you cried thenF
"And did that amuse you? | will cry
now if it will give you any pleasure"
"No. l don't believe you could cry
now if you chose. l wonder
"And what do you wonder?' as she
paused.
81 wonder what you would have done
if l had accepted you the other day?'
"Perhaps | shouldn't have asked you
to marry me if l had not been quite GER
tain you would refuse"
Her eyes flashed darkly. 81 wish | had
said yes"
81 might have kept you to your word,
and what would you have done thenY'
He was watching her very closely, and
she wished her color were more under her
control.
She laughed as naturally as she could.
81 would have married you out Of re-
venge," she said.
"Wen"-in tone of relief-"all things
considered. it is much better that you an
swered as you did,"
Infinitely So" she replied, with per-
haps too much emphasis. And she watch
ed him afterward as he walked away
from the house. straight and tall.
'IIe is too good for Milly Danvers,"
she said with a little stransled sigh.
"Come out on the balcony" she said
! at is so stuffy inside"
you look tired" he said as she threw
herself into a chair.
81 am tiredw she cried. Tired Of eV'
1rything; of the eternal treadmill. Sure
ly''- passionately-"on was made for
something better than all this"
"Have yen only just found that out T-
slowly.
"Only just. and have had ten years Of
Il. ALI yet-and yeti expect l shall
come up again next season and DO the
scrnd just the same"
perhaps things will be changed then =
perhaps you will be married.
''Never" - restlessly. 81 shall never
marry"
what have become of the four who
wanted to marry your
''They have gone, thank heaven!
He looked at her intently.
81 wonder if ever during your life" he
said. you will regret any of the men you
have refused and wish-you had answer
ed differently"
She laughed mirthlessly.
'"That would be just retribution for
my sins, you think?" she said.
IL don't suppose that retribution would
follow. A man who loved you once would
probably love you always"
She laughed again.
81 am afraid you know little of human
nature" she said Men only too soon
| console themselves There is an instance
of that close at hand Look at yourself!'