New-York tribune., 1903-04-20
A tUeU Meaning Woman.
BY VI. E ELwINs.


yet Il Il get timetable and find out after break
Maggie. you are hiding something from me"
an No a m not AZ least, notnIns tnst matters. @
ask questions: because 1 am not goins to tell you
Want Of sleep and the mental struggle of the last
few hours had unnerved Meg and her voice shook
Miss Dale forced herself TO be silent. but she
so1Id Be- done to clear aB se iS ssery She eoad
see ta@t Mag was 1nna pPy a sad t5d hes r3n7FsS %
must have had a quarrel, At once vista OK
blighted lives opened 10 her mental vision How
many people had lost happiness for the want Of
some third person to give % one little word of sx-
instances she could think Of were fictitious did not
Of putting things right for Meg and Haisted. and
for the moment tney nothing but the pup
every DAY MEG, having sunk into iasignitesHee;
Armed with this noble intention Mss Dale called
Miss pale. alone, Where Is Meg? Not H. I
NO. Nj Halsted. Maggie, is rot exactly u"
nervous she fet all at oncet
HsIsted looked puzzled
Yet don't see 10" you can be. when you are
She had not meant 70 put il Ike this but. then.
the Halsted Of her imagination had not behaved
The cause OF what" asked HaIsted. growing
more and more astonished-
Why, Of her going away.
My dear Miss DALI I have not the slightest no
Meg intended 90 s.. away she said nothing about
,''of course not but YOU had quarrel. and row
she is going TO run away anG spoil everything
The woman 'i1i must Be mad h. thought
What Do YOU mean to say you have not bad a
Ny dear lady. / don't know. In the arst place.
she doesn't know. left her looking for a place
An unpleasant thought seemed 20 strike FaIsted
suddenly. for he began TO walk up and down the
Miss Dale Fs said at Ieng.h stopping in 'front.'
Of her What made You think I had anything 20
do with Megs sudden decision 70 go away
"Oh. don't look at me like that. Z have made a
mistake and # Maggie ever finds me out she viii
Halsted was inclined to agree with her
There is only one conclusion 10 be drawn from
your behavior" HaIsted's voice very grave
now, and his face stern. You thought Meg and
you should. but il I have wronged Meg in any
been unintentionaL I am not, going 70 tell YOU
insult 10 her because 1t Is fact which needs no
Miss Dale was crying quietly in her chair and
Incapable OF saying anything Halsted looked az
Come Miss Dale. it is no good crying The thing
to be done IS 20 arrange SO mat Meg shaI never
know Of your visit here. What are We going 70
I'm sure I don't know, Oh. dear. have made
Look hare. suppose YOU go back and ten Meg
you I had been suddenly called away from Paris.
ana tnat an coming 20 say sooqoS 20 heT 20
. All I hope is that Meg doesn't see through it,
C3oodby.@ she said. Hisersbly I shaIi never
forgive myself for this Perhaps If had ever had
| real lover Of my own / should have known
Il W iE. I
said HaIsted as he filed his pipe after Miss Dale
| had left him
! The first person Miss Dale saw on entering the
/ street after leaving Halsted's room was Meg
Emma, You heret Where have you BEEN
Nowhere. Magge-at least nowhere important
Emma Dale. you are not telling tne truth HoI
/ have been 10 see NIr. Hslsted. What did you 80
| for?'
i Just to see him. Maggie. Why should I not
Why should you; I think YOU had a, better make
/ if YOU don't I shall 60 and ask Mr.. Halsted-
| Fate not kind 10 Miss Dale She had a ver-
/ 10 her feelings in measured terms when she
knew what had happened But the sight OF the
poor ladys miserable face suddenly made her stop
/ "Oh. Emma Dale what a fool you have mads
/ OF yourself and me-
| II know. on. Maggie. am 50 sorry- and he IS
| been suddenly called away from Paris
/ "Oh. you made up that fiction between you.
] did you2
/ NO; he did
| Again Meg laughed. and If the undertons were
| bitter. Miss Dale did not notice
Well let him come II doesn Z matter now, ou-
| 7 would rather YOU had dealt me physical blow
/ than have hUmiated me like this. Emma Tnere-
/ I'm sorry-I know you meant well --, -
In her heart she was thinking what crimes were
I committed under that plea
When Halsted came he was much less seIt-pos--
| manner He had guessed from Miss Dale's ex-
| preston that she knew all ard he stayed only a
/ short time. pleading that he had 50 much % ar
| range before going away
THAT is just what wanted talk TO you about.
| Cecil Will you stay, and let me go-
You wish il
| But you will come back?' Something in his voice
! made the tstale color rs TO her cheeks. and tt
| was with difficulty that she net his eyes as she
7 don't know. think will take your advice
NO. Au revoir. Paris World.