The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-03-18

, OF delight. In sor.v :nCXp.!Cu".c way
So .rtomiZcd all tine charm OF life
tu ...:u-i be scent of flowers-thc ten
dlrn, - of wonanhood. She seemed
the lilacs transmitted into femininity,
and his glance involuntarly travelled
from hpr TO the blossom in his hand,
while hers followed with little. quick,
unconscious flicker of appreciation.
Tic carriage rolled on, and he went
his way. with thoughts that were but
II biSSfu! blur of lilac maidcns and
lilac bloom. Under the thick foliage
O. the trees in Madison square he sat
down to pull himself together.
"RidiculouS." he argued saGcly. "a
man of thirty eight 10 lose his head
over the glimpse of an ordinary girl in
pale tinted :gown" Then the Won
drrful urlluSh eyes looked into his
again. and he recalled the slender form
III hazy lilac and the dear young fresh-
ness Of her brow ana forgot to argue
at all. lie simply dreamed strange,
beautiful dreams, iii which the scent
of flowers and Il slender maiden in am
cthySt robe; iOutcd in soft, wordless
confusion. -
At last he rose "ni Straightcned HIM
self with the quich. sharp decision of
/ manner which th"sH Who knew him
had learned to recognize as sign OF
determination.
Shc was the woman! Absurd as 1t
WAS he felt cXultantly positive of that
Arls1 tI,,, H.,
confidence in himself. He would sure
! ly find her and win her.
AS all obS"rvant persons must have
noticed, fate dearly loves To be trusted.
In this instance She rewarded Dan
bury's confidence by bringing him face
: to face with the victoria once more rs
! he emerged from thc square. BY her
quick avoidance of his glance he saw
| that the Girl recognized him. and Mt
the knowledge Il sudden glow suffused
him. He felt rs if their lives were al
! ready upon the loom of destiny. With
| out moments hesitation he stopped
q passing cab and. with few hurried
words TO the driver. jumped in.
! "Do YOU happen to know the Gran
villeS Of East Twentieth street," lie in
that night for he had learned so much
in the intervening; hours. B&rtram nod
God. stopping Ia blow Il few rings OF
smoke into the air before replying, as
if it wore matter of no special impor-
tance.
"Nice people" he observed at last.
"but rather quiet and old timcy.
Why:"
Il should ric to meet them." an
SWercd DUnhu"y, with Il straight look
that conveyed perfectly that no fur
} thcr explanation was Forthcoming.
And so. before many days elapsed.
he was presented to the lady OF his
! dreams in Il room where the odor of
lilacs vas rs heavy rs it had been in
the garden of his hoyhood. AS their
eyes met he fancicd that Miss Gran
| vile flushed ever so slightly and that
her glance was puzzled and inquirlng
| There were several other guests pres
ent. but at the end of quarter of an
hour Danbury and she were separated
| from them by enough space to make
condolences possible. 1t was then that
Faith Granville turned her clear eyes
upon him ana said naively:
"Of course it is you who have been
sending the lilacs? But how did YOU
know who I was. and why have you
done it,"
1her" WAS vague diSapproval in
her voice, but not enough to make him
despair OF forgiveness. Besides, her
question proved that she was more
child than woman and that in the
midst Of II cnai,tI-
She dared 10 bc herself.
So he threw prudence to the winds
and after 1t diplomacy and convention
ami stood before her the man that he
was. telling her how it had happened,
how he had come back to New York
and how. even before he had seen them,
the scent OF III" lilacs had taken him
back 70 his boyish days, how she had
appeared suddenly, clothed in the very
colOrs Of his dream. All this he told
her rapidly and earnestly and as only
ci"an souled, natural man could have
done. Then he waited breathlcSSly for
her TO speak. BY her answer he would
know whether he had read her Alright
"O-oh!' she said, with little gasp.
at is too bcautiful"' There was a
""Hll'''''n h"iiiluil! III hcr eyes, DuC
She lifted them bravcly TO his and con-
, tinucd: II am not worthy anything SO
postl2al and beautiful as this, and
wkcn you come to know me you will
Gnd it out / should hate that-having
you discover what a commonplace girl
[ am" She stopped and tried 10 steady
her somewhat Tcmulous lips.
"But that is my risk" was The an
sTcr, "and l am moi afraid. May we
oaii this Inc beginning of the begin
niuE| Md lie smiled down at Lsr
with look in his eyes that quickened
the beating CT her heart deiicously.