The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-10

i'latt looked up. Her Draln was rdplu vi
action. She glanced from one man to the
other, fixing upon her imagination the
face and form OF each--the one short of
stature sandy haired, insignificant; the
other tall, we'll knit and keen eyed, and
swiftly, as she did all things, she made
up her mind. She raised her head quite
two inches and smiled. Her teeth were
brilliant and her eyes of that hazel
which catches and holds the light.
Both men were swiftly conscious of her
charm, but instinctively moved for
ward. She looked again at the two
faces-readng the words behind the
lips of each; then she, in her turn.
moved, laying her hand quite naturally
upon the tall mans arm.
II don't want to dance 81 Bit" she
said, "and l rather want to see the
palms. VIII you be guide?"
What the tall man said neither he
nor she ever wanted to remember.
There are some seconds, like some
hours that blot away mere words. In
dreamy way she saw the sandy
haired person drift into the line of men,
and the line itself dissolve dejectedly
into the whirl of the room. She was
conscious that the bright intelligent
eyes of her partner We're watching her
closely, and that she was alone with
him in that curious and exhlaratins
solitude that belongs so markedly to
crowd.
They threaded the ballroomin silence.
At the door he spoke.
Are you always as summary as
that" he asked. "'That poor little beg
gar with the sandy hair
She interrupted him with Il smile.
But he was one of SO many" she OBJ
jected. And people of title don't feel
these little things-their self-satisfac-
tion is too thick"
oh" he said ""indeed!' Then he
looked away. Presently he smiled, but
not quite as she had done. I'D like to
hear your views,' he said; II fancy
they are rather quaint"
IT'S my first time in Europe" she
said, land I'm not certain that I like
being called quaint--it has IL musty
sound"
They both laughed as they crossed
the hall, and a delightful thrill of nov
city raced through the man. He felt
that the staleness of life was after all
a myth. There We're waters still un-
fathomed--if one knew where to look.
The atmosphere of the palm house
was very green, the greenness of for
ests and pools and moss. He drew her
toward a low divan.
NO, musty is certainly the very
furthest word.' he said thoughtfully.
"a stream at its starting, perhaps. or
an ash tree in first leaf" He was in
no way poetic, but the personality of
the girl, her buoyancy and litheness
woke in him something new.
She sat down and arranged her
skirts. The slim point of her American
shoe started Il further run of thoughts.
What on earth have l DONE he
said suddenly. "to deserve my luck?"
Her head was bent. She GLANCED UP
at him, and there was Il glow Of daring
and of expectation in her face.
Il wonder" she said slowly ''wheth-
err you are just as straight and stead
fast as you look. L wonder" She
studied him attentively. "After all"
she said, nothing is worth While unless
it's shared"
Anything of yours would be more
interesting than-well, than many
things"
1T began with my cousin-with Enda
Van Adam" She paused. Edna al
ways says that ] must marry title
for everybodys sake Usually ] just
lcl E4tIiSt ull tilollS. IpuI ycoltiNtiS SiiC
told me that she'd found the man.
Who do you think it was?''
He shook his head.
She famed herself slowly. Lord
Maurice Pryce," she said, and she
laughed--a very low, amusing little
laugh
He moved with a jerk, but she laid
her hand upon his sleeve.
Nov you've made me lose my
place." she said. "And l don't believe
you see the joke a little bit"
We'll, II He leaned back. per |
haps the joke hasn't come--for me-"
"Oh, can't you see? Chance fixed it |
up in such IL perfectly delicious way. 1
can picture it in my mind. Billie in
PRODUCING you both. Edna watching us
across the room. L taking just min
ute TO decide, then coming right away |
with you" Her color rose at the re-
collection.
He looked at her attentively. "And
why was it me-" he said. He despised |
himself for the expectancy that ran
through his words.
"Why" Her eyes We're entirely |
frank. why everybody in the Uni
ted States has read your book. My |
mind quite jumped when heard your
name"
He suddenly felt the air of the palm
house growing close. My name?" he |
said. He was uncertain how his voice |
would sound.
why. yes. l have cried nights over
Beaten Tracks | know the name of |
Dudley Renshaw better than / know |
my own She looked at him with can
did worship in her eyes.
He rose abruptly, walked a dozen |
steps, then wheeled about. His eX-
preston was a minging of amusement,
NeXation and something else, He
stopped in front of her, his hands
clasped behind his back.
Miss Platt," he said, where did you
learn to deduce? How did your selec-
tion come about?'
You mean how did l know that you
We're you? Oh, that was the simplest
thing. / only needed one tiny glance.
Why, all the ceverness of Beaten
Tracks is just showing i'm your face.
And there's nothing so fine as intellect
on the earth"
He made quick attempt to speak,
but as quickly another inclination
crossed his eyes. He dropped back
into his place on the divan. Miss
Platt" he said, suppose this nonen-
tty-this Pryce-were to really tell
you that he cared for you, Suppose
that he We're to say all that your cousin
would suggest and say it within half
an hour of meeting you, what would
you infer?"