Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-10-28
Elva blushed furiously.

when people make themselves con-
spicuous," she said, frostily, their do
ings are bound to form the subject Of
comment. Mollie Richards always per-
sists in wearing maize with her particu-
lar shade of red-auburn hair, and-I
could see her from all over the garden" I
almost without looking?" l sug-
gested, carelessly.
Elva passed over this remark with con-
tempt, but I'couldn't help noticing that |
the flush deepened.
well, as it's not Mollie," she observed |
with dignity, land as you've called on
purpose, perhaps you'll be obliging
enough to tell me who it is, SO that may
congratulate or condone with you, as
the case may be-
You'll condone," said l, with con-
viction
why, please?"
Because she-this girl, who isn't
Mollie Richards, you know, doesn't care
straw for me-in that way, and the
whole thing is hopeless"
Elva softened instantly.
How can you tell If you've never
asked herr" she demanded "She may
be simply pining away for your sake,
il you only knew"-her gaze wandered
through the window and settled on a
bed of brilliant begonias in the front
garden-"girls don't always wear their
hearts on their sleeves, even in these
matter-of-fact days, Monty"
/ raised my eyes. They had been
busily engaged in tracing the pattern of
the carpet.
do you think it's likely" I asked.
that any girl would really fall in love
with man twice her age, If"
"Oh she's young" interrupted Elva,
hastily. do you know, I'm rather glad
of that"
held up a deprecating hand.
please let me finish" implored.
Twice her age, when she's tyrannized
over him, leased him and looked upon
him as an old fogey for the greater part
of her natural life?"
Elva eyed me sharply. The color
came and went in her cheeks in a way
that had never seen it before. Iput my
eyeglass in order to better admire the
effect.
You said you'd seen her only once
or twice." she resumed, severely; but
the culver in her voice robbed the Sc
verify Of any sting.
waved my hand.
Lovers licensed" I said, airily. ~
couldn't divulge everything at once"
"If you've known her so long, how
comes 1t that you only-well-discov-
cred the state of your feelings yester-
day."
"'There Is tide In the affairs Of
men," quoted. Likewise, there is q
psychological moment when a man sud-
denly realizes fact that may have been
staring him in the face for years."
!, And that psychological moment &C.
, Cured at Lady Follet's?"
Occurred at Lady Follet's,"
, echoed. And then there was a long ST.
: lence.
r I let my eyes wander slowly round the
, room. They fingered vaguely on the
ridiculous blue cats with which Elva
, adorns her mantelshelf, and SKINNED
the photographs of her numerous ad-
mirers-some of them thrust carelessly
into the overmantel, and some, the more
fortunate Sinking at me from elab-
r crate frames.
think Elva's eyes must have been
= wandering. too, for they came to an
4 Choir at the same moment as mine and
e then, without any rhyme or reason, they
filled quite suddenly with tears.
!, Now can never see a woman cry
without feeling that something-some-
= thing drastic must be done at once
I started up. and then the rest seemed
= to follow as a natural and easy conse-
: quence.
o In less time than II takes to chronicle
e Elva was crying quietly on my shoulder
b and the blue cats were grinning diabol.
y ically from their several coigns Of van.
tage.
,. "And when" I asked. after we had
n become more or less normal, and re-
d turned to earth once again. when wa.
d your psychological moment, Elva?"
: Elva fingered a gardenia in my but
i tonhole-took II out-smelt It, and re-
placed 1t carefully.
e when you pretended-I mean. wher
thought you were pretending, and tina
d 1t was Mollie Richards. you know" sh,
e said, fncoherently.
d And the blue cats grinned more thai
= ever, as much as to say: I'VE know
something about human nature, though
h we are only china. Lance.