The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-07

But do!,'t vou want 10 go back" You came
TIT = great hurry. And wont Alice want her
IAN"
ON. she has it by this timc. l told stuart
to ind II. She left It III the carriage. and
the c~arriage is waiting at the end OF the
plaza"
Then why dill you come" asked Hope.
with rising suspicion.
oh. / don't know" said Clay. heiplessly.
II thought Ia just like a ride in the moon
light. | hate balls and dances anyway.
don't you? | think you Were very wise not
to GO
Hope placed her hands on the back of
the big armchair and looked steadily a.
him a. he stood where she could -" his
face in ;he moonlight. You came back
she said, because they thought ! was cry
ing. and they sent you to see. i that II?
Did Alice send you%' she demanded.
Clay gave 4 gasp of CONSERVATION.
You know that no one sent me ne
said. Il thought they treated you ab"thi-
nahly. and I wanted to com" and say 50.
That's all. And / wanted {" tell you that l
missed Won VERY much. and that your not
coming had spoiled the evening for me.
and [ came also because | preferred To talk
to YOU than to stay where i was. No one
knows that came to see you. | SAID
was going 10 get the fan, and l told stu
art 10 find 1: after ia left. | just wanted
to see YOU. hats all Rut L VII! go h"Fh
again at once
While he had been speaking Hope had
lowered her eyes from his face and had
turned and looked out across the harbor.
There was a strange. happy tImJlt in her
breast. ard she was breathing so rapidly
that she was afraid he would notice II. She
also felt an absurd inclination TO cry, and
that frightened her. 50 she laughed and
turned and looked up into his face again.
CLAY saw the same look in her eyes that
he had seen there the day when she had
congratulated him on his work at the
mines. He lad seen it before in the eyes
OF other women. and it troubled him Hope
| seated herself in the big chair. and Clay
tossed his cloak OF the floor at her feet
and sat down with his shoulders against
| one Of the pillars. lie glanced mp AZ her and
| found that tn. look that had troubled him
! was gone. ard that her eyes were now
smiling with excitement and pleasure.
"And did you bring me something from
the ball in your pocket to comfort me-"
she asked. rnockingly.
! Yes. | did" Clay answered. unabashed.
Il brought you some bonbons."
You didn't. really Hope cried. with a
shrek of. delight. How absurd OF you!
The sort you pur." Clay repeated.
| gravely. And also a dance
card. which is a relic OF bar
barism stu existing in this Southern cap!-
tai. 1t has the arms of blanche on Il in
gold, and / thought you might like 10 keep
It as a souvenir He pulled the card from
his coat pocket and said, May l have this
dancer
You may" Hope answered. N you
wouldn't mind If We sat It out. would YOU
Il should prefer it." Clay said, as lie
scrawled his name across the card. 1T is
80 crowded inside. and the company is
rather mixed" They both laughed lightly
at their own fOolishness. and Hope smiled
down upon him arectionately and proudly.
You may smoke II you choose: and would
you like something cool 10 lrinl?'' she
asked anxiousiy. After your ride. YOU
know" she suggested. with hOspitable In
tent. Clay said that he was very comforti-
BILE without a drink. bit lighted a cigar
and watched her covertIy through tne
smoke. as she sat smiling happily and quite
unconsciously upon the mOonlit world
around them. She caught Gays EYE fixed
on her. and laughed lightly.
What IS it, he said.
"Oh. / was Just thinking" Hope replied.
that 1t was much better TO have Il dance
come TO You than TO go to She dance
Does one man and a dance card and
three bonbons constitute your idea OF q
hali?'
Doesn't IT, You zee. am not out yet; ]
don't know"
II should think It nigh. depend a good
deal upon the man" Clay suggested.
That sounds az though you Were hint.
IBS, salu Hope. 1OUptfuily. NOW, VIVA
would ! say TO that IL / were out?"
Il don't know. but don't say it." Clay an.
swered. 1T would probably be something
very unfiattering or very forward, and ir
either case should take you back to youi
chaperon and leave you there"
Hope had not been listening. Her eye:
were fixed on a level with his tie, and Clay
raised his hand to 1t with some trapidation
MIR. Clay she began abruptly ard lean
ing eagerly forward. would you think Tn'
very rude IL I asked you what you did t.
get all those crosses? 1 know they near
something. and I do so want to know wfat
Please tell me-"
"Oh. those!'' said Clay. The feason
+, put them on tonight is because wearing