Gilpin observer., 1902-06-12

smiled as Burney passed through. She
carried one of the letters on which the
conversation had been turning. Be-
hind trotted the mountainous figure
of dear old Lefaire, whose rosy. brown,
written with a consciousness Of his
lowly position as her satellite.
Miss Lozenby of third floor, back.
had been recounting the story Of her
little seance the evening before when
happening upon him alone by the fire.
= light. She took the ottoman by his
side, explained she wanted to go over.
confidentially, with him, some curious
facts which had been noted in con-
nection with Burney's recent cores
pondence, pointing out the number Of
envelopes addressed to her in GER
tain fine, vertical handwriting which
had been observed on the hall stand.
and recalling the stranger of the after
noon Maude Hughes went away.
From behind the palm tree between
the two front windows Miss Lozenby
spied a tall. graceful, blonde walking
0t Burney's side as she returned from
her farewell to Maude. And he had
prattled on like schoolboy until the
early autumn nightfall. With the next
morning the daily letters began to ap-
pear. one by the early eight o'clock
mail, another every evening. although
once she had seen note when coming
up from luncheon. which must have
been an extra third, since Burney al
ways took the morning arrival with
her as she left the house after break
fasting.
II told him to be man." cried Miss
Lozenby with martial spirit, "and
quoted that from Othello about rather
loving as toad in a dungeon than
keeping corner of the thing one loves
for others use. He ought not let gid
dy young woman that's ready to work
with his mans affections-all for
another tickle fiirtation.'
AS the lady went on a pair of lively
eyes representing third floor hall.
front, agitated her audience by fash
ing the dispatch that the characters of
her narrative were present realities.
In unobservant ignorance Burney.
with Lefaire. ran the gossipers' gaunt-
let, but the little hall-boy. always pry-
ing into affairs on the other side of the
portieres, found his countenance all
too narrow for his smiles. as the pair
stepped out of the vestibule for their
twilight stroll.
why. Peter. Peter" exclaimed the
girl. softly laying hold of the large
arm by her side how amusing that
all OF sudden you should care to
know all about my correspondents.
Aren't you getting too inquisitive?"
Burney was gently and very seduc-
lively sportive. You don't want to
become effeminate. do you? Do you
think it's your style. dear. burly
thing like you? Oh. we'll, an Amazon.
perhaps you could do that Only per-
ing. believe. II in your native role
of wise-acre bachelor you would go on
with that very enlivening dissertation
Of few moments ago on the Nature
and Destiny of Flirting; a Plea for
Eternal Afiinities. That is what you
were talking about. isn't it?"
"Do you know. Peter. 1t convinced
me that you're born orator-on that
topic. mean. of course: a most worthy
cause to champion. fairly thrilled
at your exordium on the high calling
of adorable woman. Ones whole body
feels different (as. of course. you un-
derstand) when one Is thrilled by an
orators impassioned use of the
queens English. The blood runs rae
lily and travels such unbeaten tracks
of ones anatomy. Well. that's the way
I felt. Peter. when you were descanting
upon Natures angels of loveliness-
glorious eyes-'cheeks like pearls and
rubies-'hearts and sympathies d.
vine. etcetera, etcetera.'
"And you said the attraction be-
tween people was like the chemical
affinities Of atom to atom. didn't you?
Which was an exceedingly apt figure.
Some Of us. for instance. are so like
nitrogen, aren't We? We can combine
with SO many different atoms and can
break away from them again SO light.
ly Now, do go on, Peter, and tell me