The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-01-28

My amiable intention was to give
Trask a chance to learn the truth Of his
own heart. I had changed my mind
about telling him to go away, and had
decided that he was really in love with
Miss Witherspoon and didn't know it.
That she loved him was beyond ques-
tInl and it seemed no more than fair
that she should be seen for herself and
not hidden in the light of another girls
beauty.
have mentioned the report that Miss
Jones was an heiress, rumor which,
in the singular conditions prevailing, I
was not able to verify. She certainly
had the way of one accustomed to
everything that money can buy. But
never really charged Trask with mer-
'cenary motives. believed that he was
dazzled, that he was under the spell of
. a physical allurement, which, am will
ing to confess, was strong enough some
times to make me tremble. For the
girl was beautiful beyond belief, and
that's the truth about it,
The experienced reader will say at
once that was doing the worst thing
possible, and to this opinion can add
that nothing else need be expected of
me. In matters of romance I am the
complete and perfect blunderhead. Poor
little Lucy Ann! That I should wish
her well and plot in her behalf was
enough of itself alone to lose the game,
This had been going on for the best
part of a week, as I have said, and was
beginning to wonder in odd moments
whether it was my heart or Trask's
that was the subject of the experiment,
when fate removed the bandage from
my eyes for a small part of second.
We were walking in the edge Of the
north grove-We four-and this time it
was Lucy AIMS society with which l
was favored. I am Of the opinion that
Irask and Miss Jones, who were
ahead, thought that we had stopped to
pick some roses. We hadn't, and the
result was that we came upon them
unexpectedly as they stood under a
gnarled tree with a great black trunk
that looked as broad as barn door.
can see them now outlined against
that singular background, the girl
.aglow, self luminous with her beauty;
Trask in white fannels and looking
remarkably handsome. He had prob
ably picked up her handkerchief and
In returning it had raised her hand to
his lips. Then she had added another
hand, clasping his, and had met his
eyes as he looked up. The picture was
a perfect revolutionary sweet, vet
sad, as if the two had been parting
forever.
1t was all in flash, and they were
in conventional attitudes again, turn
ing to greet us and startled by the
swapping of a twig under my foot.
Lucy Ann was very little behind me-
shot a quick glance at her, and she
seemed not to have seem Surely if she
had she was a thoroughbred. I gave
no hint to her, nor she to me, unless
perhaps there was less color in her
cheeks.
In the evening of this day occurred
the incident of the lake. The fire was
burning upon the rocks for the third
time. Once since the first interchange
of songs had found the beacon aflame
and had thrilled to that wonderful
voice again, responding humbly with
my own for want of better I think
the experience had helped to preserve
me from Miss Jones. Upon this third
occasion it was consolation and
cheering view of life that I required,
for 1 was bearing some Of Lucy AIMS
burden, and it was enough to sink the
boat. Why did my father pass to me
this spark of sympathy as the Greek
racers handed on the torch? He car
ries it easily, and it lights his way, but
it merely burns my fingers.
When I drew softly up along the
path Of the fire, the girl was standing
beside it, and she seemed to be per-
forming some sort of incarnation. It
may be, however, that she was only
putting on some wood. Her face was
turned away, and suddenly she disap-
peared into the invisible space beyond
the blaze.
I sang little song of Schumann's
because it was short, and the girl, after