The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-19

y ~ = no
gled with that of the passing lilacs, filed
adj the great high walled garden with
scent, 1t was like a greenhouse NJ
Something moved. down among the
trees and shrubs beyond the fountain.
something red and white, and young NAL
loryss heart gave a sudden leap Then In
a moment he was before her.
She faced him. half startled, breathing
quickly She was tall; very tall, and
moved regally. like a queen, in her White
gown and long crimson cloak. ! fancy
one saw her eyes first-after the majesty
of her bearing. They were blue, clouded
purplish blue, lke--like nothing else in
the world, southern seas. maybe, Italian
iakesLnidnight skies when she was
times wide. and deep set under straight
level brows She'd>a slender straight lit
tie noses. high bridged, and tip tilted-oh
! the very littlest bit in the world! Shed
! a mouth all soft curves, dropping at the
corners, its upper lip quite absurdly short,
and curled outward, and overhanging
greatly the lower one! Her chin--it was
an English chin, 1 protest. not an Amer
Eican one-was pointed and clean cut and
! set forward prominently over the loNeliest
| full throat that sculptor could fancy.
And her hair was brown, a waving. crlnk-
| ly brown, save where the sun fell upon
| 1t. There it was red bronze. a living fire.
1t was parted somewhere at, one side, and
! heaped over her brows, and a great knot
of it hung at the back of her neck. All,
| but there are no words for the sumptuous
loveliness of her! for the poise of her
beautiful head, for the 1.-the sway Of her
round waist. She was slender, I'd have
| you know. slender of waist. but very
broad in the shoulders, as out Of door
young women sometimes are, deep bos-
| omed and flat backed, pink as a rosy god
dess, save when she was ill and suffering.
:: She showed her late desperate illness
but little, outwardly. She was a bit pale,
and her hands and cheeks were thinner
than their wont-as we learned afterward
but they were SO perfectly modelled, SO
| wonderful in line and contour that they
/ suffered FOR tnetlack of roundness hardly
| at ALL There were faint dark circles I'M
der her eyes too. They showed when she
turned her head bit. and looked away
! Her head was BENT now. eyes under
cover. and the stormy breathing would
not be hidden. Young Mallory stood be-
fore her quite -mOtionless-as for his
brea thing it had quite ceased long
since. but his eyes devoured her,
/ toasted upon every gorgeous line
and tint, re,eled there. I think that In
all he had come to the garden to per-
form, all the plot and deception that had
been woven about the girl before him,
went in a flash from his mind. and he
thought, if his brain acted at all. only OF
the wonderful beauty and loneliness OF
her, only that she was cruelty beset by
fate, helpless In q net that she might not
see; and that he must free her somehow,
if it cost his life to do So ...' @.
They stood SO, rnotionless, not speaking
for a long time, till at last young Mallory
forced his eyes from her face and held out
his hands.
:. Eleanor said he in that deep, tender
LII
resist Mallory when he. spoke like that
!: No one could be afraid or distrustful or
cold. Alas, it's a wise provision of Prov
idence that we haven't all such voices
The girl raised her head with a little low
: nervous laugh and put her hands quickly
into his -. = y - y = - - Z
,''Ah, you've-you've come at last!'" she
i cried softly. 'Mt's-really-you?">~ ~?g f.a-
} She had ggtEeni him but the .gswiftest
glance when he came down the gravel
path toward her. but now her great eyes
searched him, wide with a certain breath
less eagerness-with a certain half fright.
ened timidity, wondering a little. She
,,tsearched him through and through. ~.
j Yong Mallory drew the two slim hands
together in. his and stroked them gently
There was little steady smile upon hi,
=, lips. No one could resist Mallory wher
he smiled like that. No one could be
afraid or distrustful or cold. The girls
lips curved to the faintest answering
smile, but her eyes never left his. ,
> 'Well?'' said young Mallory, presently
will do, Eleanor ~: 49,. ..........
; The girl gave. another nervous laugh
and drew her hands away. ="
Tin afraid you'll have to do, won
your said She ."Ite isn't quite matte
! Of choice. is it?'' = r.. - -: ..
|. Yes said young Mallory very gently
Yes. it is a matter of choice, Eleanor
not emit h,~,,t L.,
4 had an indistinct notion that this wa
i not playing the game at all as he wa
4 supposed to play it, What If she Shout
take him at his word and send him away
I But he put the notion aside quite calmly
1t seemed not to weigh with him at all.
. "Why as for-as for that" said the CIR
o looking down again, TN not disappoint
. . ed you know not a bit. All, I'm gla
. you're SO .big!' she cried and smiled u
:, little and-fat. I hate fat people!> VIII,
a l have to look up to you, haven't I? An
u I'm very tall,'as tail as a great many e
, the men I've known. You're not o
y. what I'd fancied .and-made mental pic
~ lures. Of. All, isn't it, all wonderful
20 Karl?"
n Karl? Karl?'' said young Mallory I
himself in a puzzled tone. ''Whs
= does she mean by o. Of course
:, Karl, of 2course Keep your wits abor
" you.j YOU asst "a-r -. FL, r. RS ~ j
,,-| Il wonder If fate. ever played such
:" strange trick upon a girl before. wor
der why fate chose rne?" She move
II slowly over to one of the moss: staine
:. marble benches that stood near the four
- tain, and sank down upon 1t. Your
- Mallory sat near her. $3.50:
= 4. ct was a cruel trick, she went OF
- "ingenousy, cruel. Fancy a girl mai
70 Eried to. a man whom she doesn't remen
- Der ever to have seen or heard Of! :
!. would be funny, wouldn't 1t, if it weren
terrible?'' IN I .ss
: "Terrible?' smiled Denis Mallory.
Il The girl threw out her hand with
"A deprecating little laugh. j.
"Ah, you know what, I mean don
Il Sou?' she cried. ut isn't you that