The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-08

said to herself. mfr. Cary IS very hand
some. and Mr.. Townsend was certainly
very nice to me. I suppose I should be
more grateful. wonder who II was on the
porch as I came up
He had the kindest eyes I have ever
seen in all my life-nnd the most unhappy.
l did not SEQ him IN the hotel. / wonder
who he IS Perhaps shall find out to-mor-
row. Yes. mamma. I am coming" She
drew the curtain. Goodnight. moon"
"a week later)
There has been much gayety in the hotel
There have been tennis tournaments
croquet matches and continual riding and
driving during the brilliant October days.
But Miss Radcliffe has seemed very pre-
occupied to her admiring friends. and on
this afternoon she stole away from them
for . solitary walk The air was warm: the
sunlight brilliant as In June with Juno
sky.
She had walked far and was a little
weary, distressed also at the persistence
with which her thoughts dwelt upon one
vision. the face which she had seen on that
moonlit evening WHOM she had arrived.
Should one look from those kind, I'M
happy eyss disturb her thus7 Why was he
here in such a position. this English gem
tleman7 She had avoided the golf club. hav-
ing heard OF the stupid Sights which had
been offered him by the manifold tactless-
ness OF the hotel guests. and his final re-
fusal OF all offers of friendship atten-
ton, but she could not forget him: she
really was SO sorry for him; she must turn
her thoughts TO other things-besides. II
was time to so home.
It had grown suddenly dark
She had forgotten that the days were so
short. She turned and started back toward
tho hotel Was this the path7
There were so many fallen leaves that It
was difficult to distinguish It in the fading
light. Yes, OF course. here was the tree she
had passed q few moments since. She
walked on rapidly through the darkening
forest. She was getting very tired. No. this
was not tho way She could sec no path at
all. A panic soizcd her. and suddenly she
began TO run. like a hunted thing-tearng
her dress In the underbrush. striking her
cropping hands against the trees. oh, she
was lost, iostl
What should she do? she stopped running
and called aloud. Her clear voice echoed
through tho woods
Her long. fair hair. catching In the
branches Of the exchanging vines. loosened
and fell about her Iii n golden. ripping
mass. Alone and frightened. her eyes gag
ing into the thickening shadows. che looked
like lovely dryad fleeing from fate
She called and called again. No answer.
Only through the silence whippoorwill
beginning to sing In greeting to the rising
moon. She sank to tho ground in utter de-
spair. crying softly to herself no one would
answer: she must spend the night alone In
the woods. She did not know how long she
stayed there How still II was: how mel
ancholy the song OF that nocturnal bird.
Her thoughts wandered again dreamily-
suddenly she heard sound. footstep
| through tho underbrush. who Is it7' said
| voice. who called"''
Then through the simmer OF the MOON
light che saw some ono coming toward her,
n mans figure. Nearer he came, and then
she saw mis- face. She rose TO her feet.
pushing back her fallen hair "Ch, IL is
you,' she cried. joyousiy, like child.
You" answered Beauchamp. for It was
he "You! your
Then they stood silent. both of them.
rapture. unconscious Of what tho silence
was revealing to them.
Then he came toward her all prot. @
| ton ''You. poor child" he cried, you are
| lost and frightened" He leaned down end
peered into the lovely. tear-stained face.
Terribly frightened. Come, l viii take
YOU home"
You know me.' she answered, leaving
her hands In his.
He looked at her. and the pure loneliness
OF her young face went TO his head. Alone
| they were In the mooalit wood. He raised
| her hand to his lips. only you," he said.
! She looked back at him, her blue eyes wide.
her white face pure as q pearl under aer
| falling hair. And suddenly. as in a dream
| she raised her hand. clasped as IL was IN
| his, UP 10 her cheek. Were they strangers?
| Neither knew.
| They had known each other since the be-
| ginning OF the world, SO 1t seemed to them;
So hand In hand they found their way slow
| ~ through tae mooniit woods. forgetting
/; everything but each other.
Have We been dreamiags" she asked him