The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1904-04-07
'TWIXT LOVE
AND DEATH
By Martha
McCulloch- WilliamS
Copyright, 1908. bg T. C. Mcclure
Copyright. 1908, bu TIC. Mcclure

If Millie had not worn her blue gown
the story might have been different.
Whether it was the color or the fluff
Of it or the way it clung to and nodded
her slim suppleness. nobody could say.
but the fact was patent. somehow it
transformed her from a very pretty
girl into an elfiand queen. Millie was.
you see, a Spanish blond with velvet
dark eyes and hair of the palest gold.
Small wonder in the blue gown she
swept John Eustace off his feet and
made him forget some things he ought
to have remembered. ..-
His bstrothed. Alice Ellison for ex-
ample. Alice was as good as her plen-
tiful gold but stubby, dull colored and
on the surface dull witted. She was.
above all things. dutiful Duty was
indeed the early root of her love for
John. If she had not happened to be
born. the Ellison fortune would have
gone to Johns father, Ellison Eustace.
Her fathe.' had married in a fit of
pique when he was on the edge of sew
enty. He lived to see his daughter
nine years old and to impress upon her
that she must marry her second cousin
and so keep the money in the Ellison
blood.
John, five years older than Alice. had
accepted his fate philosophically. Un-
til chance flung Millie across his path
he had never repined. An only child
and motherless, he had grown up his
fathers intimate comrade. Thus wo-
men, especially young women, had new
er worn for him the roseate glamour of
unschooled youth. Still his father had
by no means tried to put an old head
upon young shoulders nor to breed in
his son contempt for womankind. 1t
was only that love and women were
pushed to the background. reckoned
mere episodes beside the rush and
scurry of truly manly pursuits. Mar
riage was honorable in all men-mar-
riage with Alice would be thrice hon
orable, safe and profitable. Thus when
she came to eighteen John had GER
tain satisfaction in putting the ring
upon her finger and even chafed lit
tie over the fact that by her fathers
express desire she was to stay single
until she was one and twenty.
He honestly believed himself in love
and truly felt for her tender fondness
that had begun when, sturdy little
lad, he had guided her tottering baby
steps. He meant always to guide.
guard and cherish her as became gen
tleman. even though in his swelling
visions of the future she was no more
than a dumb. submissive shade. If
she would never be a brilliant figure.
still less would she be one of whom a
husband must needs be ashamed. In
deed he was altogether little more
than content with the ordering of
things until six months before his we'd
ding day he came under Miles spell.
He saw her first upon a spring morn
ing full of hot. shining and languid ruff
fling airs. Dew still sparkled ON the
grass, and overhead in the green gold
of new leafage robins fluted delicately
the joy of life and love. To his en-
chanted eyes Millie embodied the shin
ing, the bird song, the softness of the
south wind, the warmth of the sun.
What they said is immaterial. For
two hours they walked together over
the ragged lawn turf or stood in rapt
contemplation of newly open roses
And then in a safe seclusion of green
est shade he drew her within his arms
and kissed her. not lightly, but as one
who takes what is supremely his own.
Then followed a heavenly fortnight
Eustace masterfully pushed out of his
mind all thought that might mar this
new bliss. He rarely spoke his love
and after that first kiss was sparing
of demonstration. There was no need
of it when each understood so perfect
ly what was in the others heart. Yet
at the end of every days comradery
Eustace had a sense of something i'm
pending ever drawing nearer. He re-
fused to let himself look further than
the next days end. but somehow, some
where, he knew he would be called-to
pay a bitter scot.
His chiefest care was for Millie. No
harm must touch her, however it Jared
with him. She was so young, so in
nocently gay. so innocently foolish, he
was doubly bound to protect her, even
against himself 1t was heaven to see
her bloom and sparkle at his approach.
She left herself so artlessly undefended
now and again there came a lump in
his throat. man who could speak,
who could even think. lightly of her
would deserve death twice over.
So the idyl drifted through hours,
sunlit and starlit. Perhaps it was some
i'll star in it's course that brought home
Joe Cantrcll, Miles brother, who
lived out in the big world and knew
its ways. He came unannounced just
as dusk fell down. making his way
through the devious side path all tan
gled with sweet shrubs. When Millie
met him little later. her eyes were
starlike. her cheeks of damask bloom;
but sight of her could not win him
from icy anger. He never explained
anything. You will be ready to go
back with me two days hence" he said,
frowning heavily. Millie got very
white. but went silently toward the
stair foot. AS she was mounting it
her brother said. with taunting laugh,
''Next time you choose to kiss and fon-
die man take care that am not in
sight or that he Is not engaged to mar
ry another woman"
She knelt, shivering. by her bedside
until she heard him go out after lei
surely supper. And she was still kneel-
ing when he came in. stamping heav-
ily well toward midnight He stopped
beside her fathers high black secre-
tary. flung down the lid with hang
How's This.