The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-04-13
animated talk about old times and old

with grace that made Barbara half
believe that beauty was the only thing
after all. When other girls lifted their
hands and removed their hatpins it
was an action scarce worthy of notice,
but when Amy's arms went up with
languid grace and her rather large but
beautifully nodded hands, with their
long, tapering fingers. drew forth
glittering pin and removed her hat.
Barbara felt vaguely that she was wit
Messing rite-that she was seeing
poem.
But after few days of her compan-
ionship the glamour was always be-
dimmed. The eyes were Toasted, to be
sure, but the mind and heart were
starved. One wearied Of her roselike,
fluttering color and the amiable but
unmeaning smile and even of the very
perfect rows Of teeth that the smile
exposed.
II am going to have friend with me
for month";" Barbara had told Baird
Durham in preparation; "a girl that
particularly want you to meet. She's
raving beauty and as sweet as she can
be-"
If she had spoken all of her thoughts
perhaps she might have added, $50
sweet that at the end of month you
will want to kill her or do something
desperate and outrageous" But, with
a commendable self restraint, she ban
ished this unruly idea to the dark
chamber of unspOken thoughts.
In the weeks that followed she eff
faced herself, pushing Amy into Dun
hams society in every possible way,
but doing it so gradually and skillfully
that he scarcely realized how little he
was seeing of his friend and comrade.
If she saw less of him, however, she
saw more of Jack Lester, whose COM
partnership was a grateful balm, be-
cause he was not forever talking about
beauty, however much he may have
admired it.
At first Baird haunted the house like
spirit, while his plans for Miss Aver
ills entertainment fairly tumbled over
each other in their eagerness. These
plans, of course, always included Bar
bara, but with a mastery skill she
withdrew from them more and more
until almost before Baird realized what
had happened he noticed that he and
Miss Averill were usually alone. With
Miss Averill's exquisite profile beside
him, however, he was not in a mood to
complain.
Then, about the middle Of the fourth
week, his soaring spirit suddenly touch
ed earth. He was guilty of a brutal,
heretical thought. Right in the middle
Of long afternoon that they were to
spend together he was seized by great
WEAKNESS. For the life of him he
could think Of nothing to say. He was
bored!
He stared at the beautiful Miss Az
GRILL with sort of stupefied wonder.
It seemed incredible that the society of
SO exquisite creature could be so un-
commonly like muggy weather. II
seemed an age since he had had good
bracing talk with Barbara. Now that
! he thought Of 1t, Barbara must be see.
| ing good deal of that Lester chap.
Vaguely, as If he had happened upon
! them in dream, he recalled having
met them together several times lately
II don't believe you are thinking OF
me at ALP pouted Miss Averill. "l've
spoken to you twice, and you haven't
even heard me. 1t isn't nice of you"
"Eh-whatY' exclaimed Durham, try
ing to call his rowing thoughts together
and insisting upon hearing the remark
he had inadvertently missed.
II asked If you don't think the Wal
dorf is lovely? think it's just sweet
EYES," assented he recklessly. THAT
expresses it sweetly. It's just sweet
And he cast about in his mind fol
some excuse by which the hours thai
| stretched before them might be short
ened He felt precisely as he had once
in his childhood, when he had surrep
titiously bought and eaten six char
lotte russes.
Miss Averill confided to Barbara tina
night that she didn't like Mr.. Dunbar
so we'll as she thought she did.
"He's 80 dull! Don't you think SOP
| she demanded.
''There have been times when III
seemed so," Barbara confessed airily
/ Then she wondered If Baird's ears
were aflame. Three days later thu
radiant Miss Averill's visit came to al
end. Soon afterward Durham dropped
in to see Barbara, quite in his old man
ner.
"Ah, this is goodv' he said gloating
ly as he sank into the depths of hi
favorite chair There's so much tall
to make up" he went on in genial en-
joyment, "that 1 scarcely know wher
to begin"
4 Barbara turned her head to one sid
and surveyed him with half closet
eyes.
1--WE might begin with feminine beau
ty," she suggested helpfully. There
SO much to be said about it."
! A pause followed in which seyera
new ideas entered Dunham's mind
Then he demanded, not without con
scious sense Of guilt: