Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-02-19
fngers.

Page went 10 his lodging and put in q
night of agony. He sent back hall
dozen scented notes without a line OF
comment Then he boarded the first
train for New Orleans. Thence he took
a steamer for the south Cf France ARD
thence he plunged into northern Afri-
ca. For five years his existence was
Known only to his agent and to his
! bankers.
1t was his purpose TO find forgetful-
| ness in constant toll and action, but he
! failed He went twice around the
| world, never at a great distance from
| the equator. Herein lay his mistake,
because nearly all of the women whom
! he saw were dark-hiared, drak-eyed and
| languorous, frequently suggestive of the
/ tigress and almost always reminiscent
| OF Heloise Dunton. He came to realize
this afterward, but at the time his ia
| born liking for warmth and ease kept
him within the limits of the tropic and
seml-tropic regions.
On late autumn day in the robbed
yine-tields above Bordeaux he suddenly
sickened OF 1t all There was no ache
in his heart then. He believed that or
gan to be dead. He looked around him
over the wide campaign upon which
the sunlight fell warmly and steadily
Some peasant men and woman passed
him on the dusty road, singing an un-
musical song in snatcbes and wooing
each other boldly.
Always sunlight" he muttered dis
contentedly, always heat: always the
eternal sleek feline woman One of
the girls in that crowd. now, might sit
for the Duntons double. BY the way,
4 a
she is If unmarried still, she must De
sadly passee. She Is 80 if a day In
this he was unjust Heloise a. this
time was only SO and unmarried
The result Ct his discomfort was that
Page idled three weeks in Paris: went
down 20 the Rivera for fortnight,
where the sunlight again sough. him
out, and then went TO Havre, where he
took ship for New York Reaching
that point he headed due north and
reached Toronto in time for the open
ing OF the midwinter carnival. He
found leaden skies and ice and snow.
bitter winds from the Northwest and a
furred population which seemed TO gain
an added enjoyment from each down
ward graduation of the mercury.
He had letters of introduction and
plunged into gayeties that were strange
to him. The changed social atmosphere
brought him out OF himself. II was i'm
possible TO ponder over a wrecked life
with The toboggan shooting down the
long slide ut the rate OF hundred
miles an hour II was impossible To
believe that existence was bore and
failure when assisting a lot of hearty
men in destroying Scotch whisky and
hurting stones over the ice Least Of
all was IL possible to remain nissan
thropic and misogynic with dozens OF
bright eyes flashing upon him and doz-
ems of silver voices sounding in his ears
and all about him with an air OF health
and bounding and irrepressible vigor.
Page would not admit that he was
happy. but he ate like horse.
One night, standing upon the edge
of the huge pond which belongs to the
Polar club. listening to the chilly ring
Ing of the skates. while the torches
flared and laughter WAS on the air. ne
saw vision. She swan slowly and
gracefully into sight from the far side
Of the CLASSY expense. Nearer and
nearer she came and his breath checked
as he watched her She had been
skating hard and her cap Of dark fur
was in her right hand Her skin was
of creamy fairness, her cheeks flushed,
her beautifully curved lips slightly
apart her long dark eyes shining under
the massive coils of her golden hair.
He marked her as she came. very
goddess In height powerful, graceful.
buoyant. instinct with life and yigor
from her booted feet, resting on the
slender blades of steel. to the broad
fair brow with its crown OF yellow
She wheeled slowly when only yard
from him and as she wheeled the right
skate struck twig or some slight OBJ
struction. and she fell toward him. To
catch her IN his arms. steady her and
release her blushing was the work of
q moment Her escort. a little behind.
looked at him and then exclaimed;
"Why helo' Page. old mani
Thanks You've saved my sister from
nasty tumble Patty, this Is Mr.
Page Won't you join us?'
Page put on his skates and joined
them That was the second scene. II
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