Smyrna times., 1904-11-02

world for me-" he concluded, the color
that usually glowed under his tan
noticably absent. Prom the first mo-
mert l knew it. l would have follow
ed you to the ends of the earth to tell
you this. even though l had known
that you would refuse me.'
Betty Aston, her face as white as
his own. turned to him with quivering
lips. His earnestness frightened her.
But there was Jack Winter-dear
Jack with the laughing eyes and the
gay smile. And yet Jack would never
| have followed her out of the crowd,
and
! She covered her face with her hands,
and Manice. pitted against fate, set
| his jaw grimly.
lis there any one else?" he asked
at last. and at the gentleness of his
voice Betty took courage.
You don't know how unworthy l
feel" she began in a trembling voice.
"You see. l don't know myself. l hate
myself for it, but really don't. If
YOU love me like this, l Orght to
know. oughtn't l, whether l love you
or nOt?"
She looked at him with the puzzled
confidence of a child appealing to an
elder for help in a crisis. Then sud
denly the color came up over her soft,
white neck, rising higher and higher
until it suffused her whole face, and
the eyes that had been gazing so clear
ly and childishly into his dropped. Ii
that moment her heart was clearer tC
him than it was to herself.
"Think about it for a week, sweet
heart" he whispered, and, carrying hel
hand to his lips for a brief moment
turned and left her.
"She loves me-she loves me, Coo
bless her! l know it," Manice'
thoughts ran during the days that fol
lowed. and. though the hours seemet
endless. not once during that time di'
he approach her. lie shrewdly sus
pected that his absence would do NOR
than anything else could to reveal he
heart to herself.
so sure of his answer was he that b
wanted to make the day memorable t
both of them. Many plans suggeste
, themselves, but none of them SCENE
worthy. Then a chance remark of her
, fitted across his mind, and he mul
: INJURED. with enthusiasm, THE yer
! thing, by Jove!'
She had whimsically said to him ono
= that it was her idea of bliss to hav
= Hagadorn, the we'll known Organis
=, play the wonderful organ at st. NJ
. chaers an hour for her alone, and L
decided that if Hagadorn was suscel
!. tible to the persuasive power of none
;, she should have that pleasure.
: But to his dismay he found that |
:, was not. He did not understand Il
gentleman's request, and he refuse
! the offer somewhat haughtily. 1t WI
:, then that Manice appealed to the ma
,, ignoring the artist, and at the end
his brief but somewhat shamefact
. explanation Hagadorn was smiliI
g genially.
" 'I'H do it with pleasure" said b
: holding out his hand.
- And of course you'll know just
% well, just the right sort of music
~ suggested Manice 1.-The sort that W
that will
=, "Yes," assented the Organist,
: think l know the sort" And they pal
" ed in great good humor.
= At the end of that rapturous hour
-, wonderful music in the dim interior
o. st. Michael's next day Betty simp
IN turned her humid eyes upon Mani
a and held out her hands. 1t was not L
a til she had gained the pOise and ass
~ tion of six months of wifehood til
- she accused him of taking an unfi
advantage.
40 "As if any girl could have refus
he such a loverr' she taunted, ruffling
ID hair disgracefully. "It was what
or papers call claptrap."