Evening star., 1902-09-13

awake, the usual resource of people in a
IKE sltua tion-Geraldine says that no one
ever was IN like situation before. 1 GER
SdIhly was awake for the pinch hurt me-
MarVellng more and more l decided to go
INTO the house. The old gentleman was
my most dangerous opponent and with him
@ ouL vi the way L felt 1 could brave the
rest OF the household. If I could get at
6eraiolne L hoped to persuade her to fly
with me- and did not doubt once we were
sateIy married her father would forgive
Us US, or II ne ne would not. should not greatly
care so long as could have Geraldine
thinking thus 1 walked I'D to the door
anu piaclhs my hand on the bell gave it
= o,5d COCO strong pull The little slver-pIated.
nahuIe dld not move an inch l rubbed
my eyes and tried it once moreno effectI
tnen sat down to consider Was all the
word beWitched? | racked nv brain mn
sn tne door opened and one of the children
!hh out' She came over to the chair 7 sat
IN and dropped into my Ian. | got ont of
Ihe chair IN a second, just how I cou1d
not say L am not over fond of children
| of that age. eiiN''i eli
why Jennie"' l cried somewhat indie-
hahtly' what do you mean by irImninU On
my zap IN this unceremonious man9er9
WI w mere Is Geraldine? Go tell her 1 want to
| was getting angry. b,,t ,,-o,,z -
tene Icy II, Jhat child went on playing with her
tl' toIl' anu completely ignored me, II was
80 1Uo hiueh- L wondered If the whole town
We're IN a conspiracy to drive me crozT. w "
despair, L resolved to see Geraldine at onca
ana at the risk of being shot for burglar
@ ! turned 70 the door the little girl had for
Iuildtely left open and walked in
AS L entered the hall nv foot sl;nned m,
sHe marble tlling, and 1 fell heavily against
an exquisite blsque head standing on the
ntmei nfn.tI post. When picked myself up, suffi-
tHdt II was real one. the bIsoue figI1ra
mead was standing safely and smiling ot
aIe-lt was laughing head-in a wav I
eu 10 De particularly exasperating
I lie
II furious blow with my fist. and still
Lhat internal head stood and grinned at
If l did not see Geraldine soon 7 felt that
l would go mad, so l marched unstairs
until l came to the door of her room
knocked gently on the door-there was NO
III STuila. Ii'aao 'Iled the handle with the same
lll-success as before. This was the last
straw: L confess that l stood at that door
ana shouted and screamed and kicked it
pounded on 1t until 1 sank exhausted on
the f1OOr-and still no thought of INV reai
condition entered my head
II happened in my present position that
my eyes were just on a level with the KEY
4oie. | peeped in. There was Geraldine.
c0uId see her plainly, and in another mo-
ffent saw her take a letter from her
pocket kiss it passionately and burst into
storm OF sobs and tears I was so wrought
up by this time that in spite of NV fatigiie
l Jumped to my feet and in another second
l found myself by her side
She was clad IN some soft white wrapper.
her halr all unbound, and was kneeiing
With her face In her arms on chair 7
was inexpressibly touched bv her heart
broken attitude. I had never been anythfng
put a very formal lover, as l said before:
however thought the circumstances
might warrant me in waving a little GER
enony-especially as she evidently needed a
comforter sadly, so l walked quickly over
10 N ner ana laid my hand on her shoulder.
Geraldine" 1 said. My darling, / am
here to help you. Geraldjpe, wont
You speak to me?''
There was no answer, and no intermit to
the sobS and tears she was pouring on my
letter. L thought this was pushing shyness
10 a distance, and 1 had never suspected
her OF being shy, However, as she made no
Correction to my hand being on her shoulder,
| thought that was a good sign and |
knelt down beside her and slipped my arm
around her neck and said:
Geraldine dearest, do not cry so :
courage it will be all right, ="
Pause Wont you speak to me? Please
please. just look at me- Longer pause.
'Geraldine! 1 shouted. savagely "looIk at
me at once, or I'll leave you forever"'
No movement! What did it mean? I
| rose and dropped into chair, remarking:
III sit here and look at you till you do
get, up and say something to me, If your
father comes in here and kills mer'
So l waited and watched her. Presently
she raised her beautiful eyes red with
weeping, fixed them straight on me with
| out the slightest sign of recognition, not
even the fear that would have filled them
ma .ter2
l rushed over to the long swinging mirror
| IN the corner, determined to look at myself
! ana see what was wrong. I stood directly
in front Of the glass and glanced at its
] prlght surface to make a last effort to
solve the mystery. Reader, I will solemnly
assert that when I looked in that mirror
expecting TO see myself. 1 was not therei
| There was nothing reflected there but the
room and contents and Geraldine beyond
| completely oblivious of me. She had taken
| small picture Of me she had, and was
alternately looking at 1t and pressing 1t to
| her heart. This evidence of an affection
| for me which 1 did not think she enter
| tained was certainly very gratifying, and
| at an% other moment would have filled me
| with happiness but in the light of the fact
| that l was not there, where felt myself 70
| be- | was too h0rror-struck for anything
| else.
| stood mechanically glarfng at Geraldine
| and the glass which did not reflect me, and
| at myself. / could see myself with my own
| eyes perfectly. hear my own voice distinct
| ". or touch myself with my own hands In
| fact, could sec and feel as we'll as ever I
| resolved to make one more effort
| Geraldine" I said. softly. Geraldine"
! louder. Geraldinel" in a perfect scream
| ''I am going to kiss you this momentr'
She was lying back In a large chair, her
| hands listlessly crossed in her lap and her
| eyes closed l walked firmly over to her
| hesitated a second, and then bent over and
| kissed her upon the lips. She says now it
was very uUSeHefOuS OF me TO nave taken
| advantage Of her. but I submit that [ had
| given every possible warning of my inten-
| tions, and besides. / was wrought up to
I such pitch by the events OF the afternoon
| l scarcely knew what did; so I kissed her
| again and again, and this did really have
| some effect upon her. At first she blushed
| warm, beautiful crimson and as l kissed
| Der second and third time she started,
J raised her head, opened her eyes with a lit
| tie scream, and said:
| "Oh, must have fallen asleep and draano-
| ed he was here. I suddenly felt
/ kiss, it seemed Oh. Harry
Harry, why do you not come and help your
/ girl+' And her head sank back in tho
chalr and tears came again into her eyes
| on, Harry. why are You not here?"
was nearly frantic by this time
| Geraldine" / said, II am here. T did
| KISS you, really and truly, a moment ago"
! But she paid no attention, and even while
! l was speaking kept up her little agonIzed
] appeal for me to come and help her 7
rushed to the. window, leaped out on the
/ porch, jumped recklessly to the ground
| dashed right into the arms of Mr.; Hola,
| bird, ran through the streets to my own
/ house, burst into the house. tore I'm the
( stairs to my room, and saw--what?