The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-26

IA AAaA All Edlu LAY AAAAAAAAA
That's all. al least. that concerns you
That IS the romance OF this poor young
man"
But not the only one" she said. for the
sake OF 1ayins something.
Perhaps not" answered Clay. but the
only one that counts. I always knew I
was going 60 meet you some day. And now
I have met you"
We'll. ard now that you have met me"
said Miss Laugham. looking At him In some
amusement, are you sorryg'
No said Clay. but 50 slowly and with
such consideration that Miss Langham
laughed and held her head a little higher
Not sorry 20 meet you. but TO meet you
In such surroundings"
What fault 90 you ind with my sur
roundingsT'
We'll. these people, severed Clay.
they are so foolish. 50 futile. You shouldn't
be here There must be something else
better than this. You can't make me be
hove that YOU choose IT, In Europe you
could have A salon. or you could influence
statesmen. There surely must be something
here for you 10 turn TO as we'll. Something
better than Eoif-sticks and sailed almonds"
What DO you know Of me- said Miss
Lansham. steadily only what you have
read OF me IN impairment paragraphs. How
Do YOU know / am fitted for anything else
but just this2 You never spoke with M be-
fore tonight"
That has nothing 70 do with it, said
Clay. quickly. Time Is made Tor ordinary
/ people. When people who amount 20 any
thing MEET they don't have 10 waste months
I'm finding each other out. q T. only the
doubtful ones who have 10 h. tested again
and again. When I was a Kid fn the dia-
mond mines in Kimberley. l have seen the
experts pick out n perfect diamond fro:u
the heap at the FIRST glance. and without q
moments hesitation. II vas tire cheap
stones they spent most OF the afternoon
over Suppose ! have only seen YOU to-
night for the first time; suppose I shall not
see you again. which Is quite likely. for !
sail tomorrow for South AmeHca-what Of
thats 7 am just - sure OF what You are
{ - though ! had known you for years"
Mifs I-inEram looked AZ him Tor a mo-
mont Ga Silence Her beauty was 30 great
that -" cnGit take her time 20 speak. She
wEs not airsid Of losing any ones atten-
tion.
And have you come ont OF the West.
knowing rir so vel. Just to tell ne that I
am wasting UyselfZ' she said. is that
uu@'
THAT IL all" answered Clay. You Know
the THUGS ! would like 20 tell YOU" he
added. looking at her closely.
\ think I like 10 be told the other
things best" she said. They are the
easier TO believe"
You have 10 believe whatever I tell
: you.s' said Clay. smiling. The giri pressed
3 her hands together In her lap, and looked
Al him curiousiy The peop'e about them
we're moving and making their fareweils.
aud they brought her back To the present
with a start
I'm sorry you're golng away she said.
1T has been 50 odd. You come suddenly
I'D out Of the wilderness ard set me to
thinking and t-y 70 trouble ne with lques-
tons about myself, and then steal away
: again without stopping TO help me To set
I tie them. Is Il fair-i she rose and put out
her hand. and he took i and held q Tor a
uoment. while they stood looking At one
another.
Il am coming back" he said. and 1
will find that you have settled them for
yourself"
'Good-by.. she said. in 80 low a tone tina;
the people standing near them could not
hear. You haven't asked me for II. you
know. bu,-I think I shall let you keep
srhsnk you,r said Clay. smiling. 4
meant to"
You can keep t." she continued. turn
ing back. because IL is not my picture. II
f. Il picture OF a girl Who ceased TO exist
four years aEo. and whom you have never
met. Goodnight
Mr.. Langham and Hope. his Younger
daughter had been TO the thcater. The per-
Torrance had been one which delighted
Miss Hope. and which satisfied her father
because he loved TO hear her laugh. Mr-
Langhsm was the slave Of his own good
fortune. BY instinct and education. he was
a man OF leisure and culture. hut the
wealth he had inherited was Ike an unruly
child that needed his constant watching.
and in keeping Il well In hand ne had he
come a man OF business. with time for
nothing else.
Alice Langham. on her return from Mrs.
Porter's dinner. found him in his study en-
gagged with a game OF solitaire. while Hone
WIS kuceiiug on a chair beside him. with
her elbows on the table Mr.. Langham had
been troubled with Insomnia OF late. and 50
Il often happened that when Alice returned
from a hall she would find him sitting with
a novel. or his game OF solitaire. and Hope.
who had crept downstairs from her bed.
doing in front OF the open fire and keep
ing him silent company. The father ana
the younger daughter were very close TO one
another. and had grown especially - since
his wife had died and his son and heir had
gone 70 college. This fourth member 81 the
family was a great bond Of sympathy and
interest between them, and rs I'M
and escapades at Yale were the chief SUD
jects OF their conversation II was told BY
the directors CT a great western railroad,
who had come 10 New York 70 discuss an
important question with Mr.. Langham, that
they had been ushercd downstairs one night
INTO his basement. where they found the
president OF the board and his daughter
Hope working out a game OF football on the
billiard table. They had chalked II on into
what corresponded TO hve-yard lines and
they were hurting twenty-five cheSmeu
across IL in flying wedges" and pract!cing
the several tricks which young Langham
mad ~intrUsted 10 his sister under oath OF
secrecy. The sight filled the directors with
the horrible fear that business troubles had
turned he Presidents mind. but after they
had sat for half an hour perched on the
high chairs around the table. while Hope
excitedly explained the game to them. they
decided that he was wiser than they knew.
and each left the house regretting he had
no sen worthy enough to bring that young
girI' into the Far West
You are home early" said Mr.. Lang
ham. as Alice stood above him pulling at
her gloves. I thought you said you were
going on 70 seine dance.
Il was tired. his daughter answered.
Well. when Pm out" commented Hope,
Il won't come home at II o'clock. Alice al
ways was a gutter"
a WHAT? asked the older sister.
Tell US what you had FOR dinner said
Hops. i know II isn't nice to- ask she
added, hastily. but ! always like to know
Il don't remember" Miss Langham an
swe-ed. smiling a: her father. except that
ne vas very much suuhuTnedI and had most
perplexing eyes
Oh. u ccu-sa" asssnted Hope. Il sup
pose you mean by that that you talked with
some man all through dinner. Well. I think
there j. a time for everything.
Father" interrupted Miss Langham, ID
you know many engineers-l mean do you
Gene in contact with them through the rail-
roads and mines YOU have an Interest in7 I
am rather curious about them she said.
lightly. They seem 10 be a most picturesque
lot q young men"
EnrfneersT OF course" said Mr.. Ianrhem