The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-28

| las lodging. The significance Of this action
was unmistakabie; it was the first step to-
ward a home of their own.
leila was very happy in those days. and
her happiness lit new light in her eyes
and seemed, somehow. to make her pref
| tier than ever. Any who noticed this
thought 1t but natural. Bella was lucky;
Bella was envied; Bella was hated; and all
| because CTS loved her
Nevertheless. there was no lack Of unbe
levers who wagged their heads and said
| darky:
ITS all nothing. Ell soon ave 'ad
enough Of it. You wait an see.'
And presently those who waited saw Gus
| IN attendance upon Alice Bates, the belle
| of DENLY Lane, hard by.
Bella was duly Informed OF this, but
forfeited the sympathy she might have
gained by the evasive brevity of her re-
sponses. She could not disguise her suffer
inss, but she would not talk o. them. To
and FRO she trudged every other day carry
Ing her big parcel of work as usual, but
her face grew thinner. and her eyes lost
their light. and her prettiness began to
fada.
Stlll Gus kept away, and still she never
wrote to him or attempted to waylay him,
as others ne had Tilted used to; on the con-
trary. being proud in her poor way, she
rather avoided him. and 1t may be that
Gus resented this and was piqued By her
apparent unconcern.
Howbeit. as she sat pensively sewing one
evening in the doorway Il shadow fell
across her. and she knew without looking
up that Gus was there.
| Cheer Beliai" Said bo aoon,yp, .,,<ou
he was shamefaced and uncomfortable.
She shook her head, and would not trust
herself to speak.
why not?'
! but she went on sewing in silence
well. yer needn't make yerself so narsty
with tloke." he protested II was only
iarkin,-never meant nothin' No arm done
Is there? Look ere. 'ows that?,
he tossed silver bangle into her Ian
What was she to do? The triumph was
hers' 1or ne had returned unsought. and
since he was penitent It was not in her to
be memorable.
he went on mumbling apologetlcally TIL
~ troubled her to see SO magnificent a crea-
lure so abased. and by and by he asked:
Ca"n't yer drop that st:tchin' an come
an ave walk rhand?'
She smiled a forgiving Yes" and slim.
ping the bangle over her wrist. went in
for her hat
mat same evening. by way of clnchinp
tnelr reconciliation. he bought a cream i,,p
with picture on it. and intrusted II tn
Bella for storage with the stuffed owl. and
mus placed the seriousness of his fnten-
lions beyond suspicion
And the jaded look passed from Re,,.,.
race and she could sing over her sewing
again. and happily invest Gus. IN be,
thoughts, with a variety of ideal virtue.
he never aspired to possess. There were
naWs In his character: she recognized that
Inc police had recognized 1t at times but
mat did not fnjure his social stand,ns T.,
oo"erset street. and his prediction for
backing winners. seeing that they rener
any were winners, was accounted to him
ior righteousness. His -fckleness was hi.
only material fault in Bella's eyes, and for
'nat there were excuses; he was more run
after, and therefore had to resist NOR.
temptations than most men, and she herself
was so lacking In the dash and brillfanc.
he had right to expect in any one who
hoped to call him hers.
Withal, the shock was not less terrible
when. after a month or so Of revived faith
fulness. he relapsed again. and was ru-
mored to be the slave of another beauty Of
another street, and neglected Bella as be-
fore.
AS before. she bore her sorrow in secret
and shrank from seeming to pursue him:
but though she could not dust the stuffed
owl and the cream jug, or so much as
glance from her work at the shelf on which
they were enshrined without a pang, she
| could not bring herself to return them to
him. and so. as 1t were. renounce him alto
gether.
The weeks dragged by. and then one even
ing as she passed into the street from the
city. carrying great parcel Of work. she
saw him lounging with few boon COM
! panions at the corner. She trembled and
her face blanched, but she evaded his gaze
and hurried on. Just as she passed, one
OF his cronies laughed and called after her
mockingly. The words stung her like a
lash. but they were scarcely uttered when
curious scufling sound arose and roar
Of rage. and, turning her head quickly she
saw the man who had laughed sprawling
on the pavement, and Gus rampant above
him.
She cried that night at home, yet It was
more from pleasure tndn from SADNESS, ana
when Gus lounged UP on the following
evening she received him without agitation.
Somehow she had expected him.
II give i'm what for last night-that
bloke." remarked Gus "'E won't be so
clever agen. I'll bet"
She did not reply Immediately. but the re-
membrance OF his gallantry really left her
no alternative.
Eyes. I saw him." she said
LES got too much sauce. e as: e wants
a little of it takin' out of 'im an done 1t
treat" He Dragged for minute in this
strain, and switched off suddenly: II say.
what's the matter with a walk?'
Bella reflected.
There's rppn' piece on at the Stand
ard. Comin'?''
And that night they witnessed the play
together from the front of the gallery; and
Haggerston marveled more than ever, and
did not know what to make of it. Either
Gus was fool or Bella was uncommonly
artful. they argued: anyhow she had ac-
CURED such an influence over him that,
though he might desert her on an impulse,
he could not shake himself free Of her, and
was sooner or later drawn back to her ire
slstibly.
| T4o did {pdoo6 ,,eeor< bor oDoin 1,,,+t,;. .