Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-12-11

her hands with the white gloves in the
right. 'tthey are nothing. They do not
count at ALL"
1t vas impossible to resist a glance
around the gallery with its collection
Of treasures from all parts of the
world.
"You say they are nothing?"
81 asked whether you thought 1 had
changed" she insisted. "I-myself-"
"How can l judge you in that init
mate way?"
"You have surely known me init
mately-you have known me for
years"
81 will take your word for it that
you haven't" I answered; but still
Elsa's face looked grave.
"But, then" she suggested, "if you
didn't take the trouble to find out
what I really was before
ooh, I never doubted what you
| werer!
"What?' she demanded, with a
quick, upward glance. But before 1
could have explained, even If I would,
she added, imperiously: "Tell me
about your friend"
you would have liked old Howard"
I said.
"Was he i'll very long?" she asked.
"He broke down soon after we land
ed"
But didn't he get any betterT
Not much. 1t was a tedious bust
ness for the fellow"
"And for you?"
ooh, we'll"
Didn't his illness rather handicap
your" Elsa suggested.
81 daresay it did-a little"
"Who nursed him?"
'You must understand we were
miles away from everywhere and
every one"
"Then 1t was you"
"There was no one else" f,
"Still," she cried, II suppose he
wasn't ill the whole timer"
"No, but he was never quite WELL"
L explained. "Of course, he had his
better periods"
you might have taken him to some
t~own-have got him off your hands?'
81 might"
"Why didn't your" she demanded,
severely.
"You see, we had pooled our funds
and taken a cattle run and stocked it,
and, besides, Harold was everlasting
ly hoping for better times"
"Then," said Elsa, ut was really his
illness which prevented your sue
cess"
Anyhow" I returned, Eve had
agreed to chum."
But" asked Elsa, "do you-do you
think it was quite fair?"
"Old Howard would have done the
same by me-"
81 wasn't thinking Of Mr.. Howardw
"Of whom, then?"
"Why-of the girl you left behind
you," said Elsa.
II don't think 1 ever passed a day
without thinking of her." I protested.
"Was it quite fair to her?"
4Fafr-
you had left her waiting for your
cried Elsa.
But. then, you see, she didn't
know" I reminded her.
"Of course" answered Elsa, with a
smile. "How stupid of mel"
"You-you were forgetting" l sug-
gested.
Eyes, II was forgetting" and her
face grew grave again.
SIN any case" I said, sit would
have been impossible to leave Howard
in the lurch."
$50 you stayed?"
"Why, yes"
"And did the most Of the work?"
"There was no one else to do it."
"And when he was i'll, you nursed
him?'
I'm afraid the poor chap had rather
a rough time of it." 1 said.
"Well you know" cried Elsa, 81
think you always were a little rough!''
"Not like the johnnies in the pic
ture over there?" I suggested, as we
reached the end of the gallery and
turned, retracing our steps along the
other side.
How do you like this one?:" she
asked. "The picture on the right
isn't it supposed to be a tourna-
ment?" I inquired.
"You see the woman with the fair
hair?" cried Elsa, in a c~uriously nerv-
GUS voice.
at is something like your own
color" / remarked, as we stood a yard
apart gazing at the large painting.
ooh, but her hair is fairer than
mine!" said Elsa, looking fire at the
canvas, then turning her blue eyes
quite anxiously to mine.
Il don't see much difference" I as
sured her.
"She appears to have chosen the tall
knight for her champion" she suggest
ed.
Lucky beggarY!' 1 answered.
"Do you think he is lucky?" asked
Elsa; and she held her white gloves
by the wrists in her right hand and
struck the palm Of her left with their
fingers.
Immensely"
@Why?"
"In some way she suggests your
self" / answered.
DO you notice anything inappropri-
ate?" she demanded. /
@Inappropriate?"
"In-in the picture?"
Nothing whatever" !.
Don't you think" she exclaimed, as
she turned her eyes toward it, that it
wtuld have been preferable if the
knight had chosen the lady," s
AFTER ALL" I said, "it wouldn't have
made much difference" :
"You-you really think it wouldn't?,
cried Elsa, Frightening in the most
extraordinary fashion.
1T seems to amount to very much
The same thing"
Why, of course" she answered, and