The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-10-28
IOVE OF MRS. FERRIS
NY ErHELYN LESLIE Housrox.

ACOpyrlgnteo Dy Inc Daliy story PUP. Col
you are a peculiar woman" Mr. Dacre
said, rehectively. His hostess leaned for
ward and placed little scarlet devil ash
receiver in close proximity to his cigar,
hen twisted her 1.-the body comfortably
among the cushions of long, low chair
that was her especial weakness.
You were sayingg she murmured, laz-
ily. ooh, yes; l am, no doubt But in
wnat does my popularity make itself par
.icularly worthy of comment just now?"
Mrs. Ferriss had large, shadowy eyes that
were either green or yellow or gray, her
friends were never sure which. She now
stared through the thin haze Of perfumed
smoke that drifted from his cigar around
her bronze head, and added gratuitously:
You are rather nice looking when you are
smoking, don't you know. You look quite
amiable"
by which, the natural inference would
be that /. usually appear"
Napoleonic-yes, cheerfully. "He was
always Sowing, you know. quite wonder
how Josephine could ever have loved him
as she did
Mr.. Dac-e's strong white teeth closed
down on MS cigar, which promptly as
sumed an angle of As degrees. He took it
from between his lips and regarded it
gloomily as he rolled it between his fingers
'There-now, you are iemperor," Mrs
Ferriss remarked, resting her two elbows
ON the broad arm Of her chair and her
chin on her palms.
when that sword-cut between your
eyebrows sinks deep the way it does now,
al you need is to pull some of your hair
/ down over your forehead. This way"
give PEmpereur!" she said, saluting
1 grayely. you are rather tall for the Tit
tie corporal but otherwise you are he to
the life"
Il thank you
/ Mr.. Dacre lighted fresh cigar, while
1 Ms. Ferriss put two more cushions in her
big chair and then seated herself Care
/ fully stuthng one of the cushions to fit the
small Of her back, she sighed contentedly
Il am at peace with all the world The
Leader has accepted two of my stories and
my rent is paid up to last month-which
is quite much as any wellregulated
landlord should expect Had he not been
so amenable to reason, | should have
bought a new gown and had the rent three
months behind. But | believe in encourag-
ing good behavior, and he seemed duly
grateful"
Mr. Dacre leaned forward and looked at
her searchingly
Are you actually that much in debt,
Nary" he asked.
That much in debit Only two months!
Prithe, monsigneur, have you been
slave OF the quill for 20 years to find them
millionaires? / was six months behind in
April"
And she settled her head back among
the cushions with an air of conscious rec
titude.
why don't you marry Harland?' he
asked, slowly, after a moment. HE could
IL. 49,
'demnition grind? And he is good-looking
and no fool"
"M-yes," murmured Mrs. Ferriss,
thoughtfully. He could do, and is, all
that. And perhaps"
"WelI?" said Dacre, sharply.
Dear me, you quite made me jumpl"
very plaintively.
yes, l know am always doing or say
ing something. You once said that if you
married me, | would break your heart"
He threw his cigar into the fire and stared
at the flames moodily.
'Yes-but | think | added that you would
not bore me. Which is the greater of the
two evils? she said, comfortably. But
you did not tell me wherein l was pc
culiar woman at this particular time?"
He looked at her intently for moment
well, | cannot altogether understand
Mrs. Ferriss frowned. Then getting up
from her cushions she began to pace the
floor slowly, her soft tea-gown trailing in
silvery folds behind her.
GO on, she said, presently.
He stared into the fire and did not speak
Soon she went to her desk and took out
letter.
DO You recollect one time my writing
you of Angelo? Where l said there is al
ways Laura.
Going over to him, she laid letter on his
knee
: That was your answer. Do you remem-
ber?7
Bending over him, she read:
'Qf course, dear, there is always a Bea-
triee or a Laura. l think Michael Angelo
lost his Laura, or Laura, mayhap, was OF
clay. Strong men like Angelo are ever the
> prey of designing women and little men
That accounts for Michael's hardness of
line and the grim, stern quality in so much
of his work. Greek beauty is huid-his
$ was full of angles. How you and / would
gloat over the old stuff in Rome, Venice,
! Florence! Yet, / do not know-you are q
. delicate woman, beautiful and fond Of the
! luxuries. I'm worse than Michael Angelo
I 4 have the rind on. l sleep hard and dine
| cheap and walk alone in the bleak, black,
winter night, through sleet and driving
rain. Then | know you never could endure
: a man in a flannel shirt and thick bootsl''
q You quite reveled in metaphor, when
you wrote that" She laughed, a little
5 low, odd laugh, then went from him back
to her cushions.
: The first and the last of our being i,
doubt, you say. And you do more-yoU
g doubt all the time"
Her voice was low and sweet. He lifted
e his head, and her eyes, smiling, inscruta
r Bile, met his.
}, You are not a-er-pretty rlan. Meth
er were Angelo and Napoleon and Dante
u You are an intellectual success and you
t have bank account as well as a brain
r But that brain has an ever-present Iago-
it is its one weakness. You loved me, blu
d you did not trust me- You knew that mi
n debts followed me thick as Anthony's flee
& of ships" she smiled little bitterly
$ And you doubted always. Then Mr. Har
d land appeared upon the scene. He is, a
r you say, not only distinguished looking
? but wealthy. And +"
II "'rheu Won really intend to marry 90