The Monticellonian., 1903-12-17

"She Is fully aware how far you fail ment my environment to the extent of her power. I am deeply grateful"
 Tt Is a comfort to me to know that there is some influence which will call out the exercise of that virtue. I wss not aware that you were capable of It in any circumstances.
 T have always said that your lack Of | perspicuity prevented your having the slightest understanding of the many ex- cellences of my character"
 The silver cord slowly unwound & rich harvest of gifts and theL glitter ing length unbroken by prophecy or keepsake.
 We have all been served except Hal" said Tom. How has he offended Fate that he should be unblessed?"
 The end is not yet. It may be that 1 the last served will be the best remern- bered.'
 "On the same principle that he who laughs last laughs best?' !" But Hal declines to laugh. Though tempt him never so wisely he sits like his grandsire carved in granite or something equally uncompromising.
 Hal has been engaged in more se- rious business than laughing or maR- ing laughter. You cannot expect him to be amused by the trivialities which divert your inferior mind"
 If defending the flag against assaults in summer islands makes man so glum there are more important moral than political disadvantages in buying up job lots of vagrant soil"
 T am only waiting with intense ex- citement for my fate" remonstrated Hal. You were not so frisky. either, until you found out that Fortune had not great evil treasuring up to throw at you"
 "Ah, here it is," said Mrs. Lacey. with shriek of delight II know it is worth waiting for. Nothing bad could pe shut up in so pretty box"
 Hal opened his treasure and took peep at what it contained-a tiny gold ring with a pearl like drop of dew ly- ing in lily-shaped setting. He thought the happiest moment of his life had been when he put that ring on Kittie's slender white finger. She had given 1t back to him when the quarrel came, but he had begged her to keep it and some time when she might feel the old love return to send it to him as token of forgiveness.
 But I shall never send it back" she had said.
 Still he had tried to hope that some time she would have need of him and that she might send him the mute invi tation to come back to her. Now it had come to him on the cord of fate.
 He put the little box into his pocket with an air of carelessness and fixed his eyes attentively upon Mrs Lacey. who was proceeding with her story with re- newed interest and enthusiasm. But Hal was not thinking of the story. He did not care about the youth in the thorny wilderness, remembering how far he had wandered in the wilderness in the three years that had passed since he had last sat at Mrs. Lacey's hospita- ble table and listened to Halloween yarns. He could not recollect that he had ever known how that fatal quarrel had arisen. He only knew that all the stars went out and he was alone among the thorns.
 The company was again absorbed in | the fate of the unfortunate lovers in the moonlight and Hal chose a convenient moment to slip out unobserved. He pushed aside the heavy curtain where the chief deity of the Halloween cere- monial had entered and passed out into wide corridor, down which he walked i till he came to a closed door. He was about to knock, thinking that possibly his fate lay within, when a cry, low but thrilled with terror, came from behind the door, He opened it hastily and en- tered a dim room. Opposite the door was fireplace before which was the black-robed figure trying to beat back the flames that had caught the folds of | her dress and were mounting to her face. He sprang forward, catching a heavy cover from a table in the center of the floor, and in a moment had ! thrown it around her and crushed out the flames in it's folds.
 The head which had fallen helplessly 1 on his shoulder was lifted and the face | i terror, yet with certain luminant joy 1 looking forth. turned toward him.
 "Oh, Hall" her voice quavered out with a sob breaking through its pa- thetic music. you have saved my life"
 That's nothing, Kittie"
 Indeed" she retorted with assumed indignation. That may be true, but it isn't polite for you to tell me so.''
 "Oh Kittie, you know what mean. I would be thankful to save your life from every possible peril every day of the world if you would only put into words the message which Fate has brought me in this little ring
 Not in speech was the message con- l firmed, but the brown eyes that looked up into his face seemed to convey satis- l factory meaning.
 After all' she said, little later, i looking down at some charred frag- ments of her robe lying by the hearth, you see really did need you, Hal"