, 1904-10-12

The girl with the violin, standing
before the great box of orchids. sighed
heavily.
"Oh, dear, why is everything in life
so unsatisfactory
MY dear Kara said the woman
who read stories, Il hope you don't
consider those magnificent orchids I'M
satisfactorily"
mo, no: they are beautiful, but
perhaps it is the giver," suggestive
ly.
mo, Mr.. Coleridge is all that Il man
might, could, would or should BECK
cept-only"-
Don't tell me unless you wish.
Kara said the other kindly, Il have
no desire to pry into your affairs"
But | do wish" cried Kara des-
perately. "Oh, Miss Fairlie, you think
care for nothing but my violin, but
there was some one-in Switzerland
l thought he cared-but he never said
So"
But he writes to your"
mot now. | have not heard for
nearly a year. He was hardly more
than a boy, and he may have forgot
ten. If | only knew
DO you mean,' Miss Fairlie said
gently, that if you knew he did not
care you could be glad of the orchids
and Mr.. Coleridge"
"Im not sure of that, but l cannot
be happy in even accepting the orchids
when l think of Ulrich. Ulrich would
bring me now flowers, with the breatl!
of the cold and the light of the stars
upon them. These-they Cypress me
they seem to speak of heat and Of
money"
'"rhey mean money" said Miss Fair
lie gravely, but they probably mean
much more than that to the giver. If
they mean only that to YOU And Z
little icy note unconsciously hardened
her voice.
The other did not notice.
81 am grateful to him for these and
for all his kindnesses. He has offered
his carriage for tonight. Mrs. Gray
is to %chaperon me, you know"
ooh, yes. tonight is the Bardner
concert. l hope it will be a great
triumph for you, Kara. And perhaps,
dear little girl, perhaps some of your
doubts may be settled for you to-
night"
81 wish you and Kathleen were go.
Ing" wistfully.
"My dear" and a slight trace of bit
terness crept into the even tones,
when you are Mrs. James Coleridge
you will likely be invited to many
affairs that are entirely out of my
life. You are going to play something
of your own tonight, aren't you,
Kara?"
Eyes: that one for two yiolins. The
RAM DIES Vaches comes in from the
distance, you remember"
eyes, l remember. 1t Is beautiful
at is not entirely my own compost
ton, Miss Fairlie. Ulrich wrote the
solo for the first violin, and he used to
play first in that when we were study
ing together. l play first now, of
course, and Signor Alboni will take
second"
81 prophesy a most gratifying sue
cess, and, Kara, l am deeply Impress
ed with the feeling that much more
than suceess-happiness-will come to
you tonight. Go now and dress before
your carriage comes
"She is just what he ought to have"
unused Miss Fairlie when the girl had
gone, beautiful, gifted. How proud
he will be of her. See, the unappre-
ciative child has forgotten the or
ehids,'
The exclusives at the Bardner con
cert softly tapped their gloyed fingers
in delight. The Bardner affairs were
always so charmingly unique!
sShe has some foreign nobleman
here tonight" whispered b%eringed
dame to another. Italian, [ think.
He has consented to play here, a won
derful violinist."
The nobleman was introduced with
many dourishes-the Baron Jomini,
who had consented to honor, etc.
He played magnificently. Mr.. Cole
ridge watched the girl with the violin.
She seemed as unawed as if she were
at home, and he sighed relievedly.
'She is a thoroughbred" he whis-
pered to Mrs. Gray.
"She is a thoroughly good girl" re-
turned that lady somewhat sharply.
She faneied Coleridge's expression
rather "horsy'' and hardly approved.
The great Mrs. Bardner swelled with
pride at the sensation created by her
handsome young player.
san nDOptotion if I NAV so pX-