The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-05-27
ODE HnlY/ A Fascinating
- OVS1 - Romance
"dI~ Alan Adair~.

"o"A ASSoSA oSACS1 NcSStiSi.
1t was the beginning of May, and they
were to be married on the seven
teenth. Both Joyce and Alan were
willing to forego the details Of the
London season. They had taken a
charming house in the country, where
they intended to spend the summer in
honeymooning. If they liked the
neighborhood, and it suited them,
they thought of buying it, as a little
country house where they could live
when tired CT London. But for this
season it was to be their home as
soo as they had returned from
abroad. They were OF their way to
Liberty's to buy hangings for their
new abode when a block occurred in
the traffic. Joyce and Alan We're
laughing at some foolish joke, n
waiting for their hanson to be allowed
to move on. A slight woman with a
child in her arms attracted his atten-
ton.
The child was about three, and
Alan could see that his head was COW
cred with rich brown curls. He could
not see the woman, but the pose OF
her head seemed familiar to him. In
an instant the color forsook his face.
and everything seemed to turn black
before his eyes. When he had re-
gained control over himself the WON
an was gone. Joyce turned quickly
and saw the pallor On his face.
Alan" she cried, in alarm, my
darling, what is it? Are you not
well?"
"A passing faintness," he said. He
could not tell her that this strange
woman carrying a child, and whom of
course he had never seen before, re-
minded him of Veronica, and it gave
him a shock.
Are you often like this?" she
asked, ~anxiously. ooh, Alan, there is
only a fortnight more, and then |
shall be able to come and take care of
you always! / am sure you do too
much" she added, tenderly.
He gripped her hand hard. 1t would
be exquisite to have her with him al
ways; but he was truthful above all
tilAA6os 1 AaNO ACtCA 0CCA ~ DC
FORE" he said.
"Then it is the prospect of spending
life with me that alarms YOU" she
said, gaily. Alan had regained his
usual color and his usual manner
The cab stopped at the door of the
shop, and he sprang out to help her
down. They were both very much in
earnest over their purchase. Joyce
had exquisite taste, and Alan was
deeply interested in getting all that
she wanted; but he was conscious all
the time of a feeling of strain. Dc
what he would he could not get the
woman's figure out of his head. II
was an utter a~bsurdity that this
strange woman with her child should
have so upset him, and he hated him.
self for the thought that he must al
ways keep something from Joyce
Although she knew all about it, yeI
he felt that he should not have liket
to tell her why he turned faint whe1
the hanson stopped. He did so Year,
to be entirely one with the girl wht
had promised herself to him, and how
could he with the shadow of the pas
over him? And all the time hat he
, criticized Joyce's hangings, and thu
with her fair skin and light hair, h,
felt an Indercurrent of restlessness
"It's only because my happiness ha.
made me nervous. l feel like the ole
Greeks, who made libations to thei,
gods when some great good fortune
happened to them. II I could only Civ,
something-a thank-offering-for wha
have got"
Joyce wa too much in sympath,
with him not to know that somethin.
was worrying him. They went tt
lunch at some quiet place, and whel
she had got her gloves off she put he
hand in his and said: Now, what il
worrying yon? l must know"
He looked al her. and, to her sur
prise, his eyes were full of tears.
Joyce" he said. Il cannot quite tel
you, because it is difficult to make yol
understand. When our cab stopped il
Oxford street, and l turned faint,
saw a m with a child who re
minded me Of poor dead Veronica
Mind you, I did not see her face, bu
something in her walk was like
and"
Joyce was as pale as Alan had been
ut has made you sad. Alan. YOU
loved her more than you thought"
mo, MOI" he said, ut is not thai
at all. Joyce, but the sight OF that
strange woman made me realize how
necessary you are to me. Darling, II
is because | love you so that l canno,
bear to think Of losing you. If l had
to wait another two months instead OF
two weeks l think I should go mad!'
He pushed his hair from his brow
and leant his head on his hand. Joyce
saw that he was overdone and nerv.
GUS, and that she must brace him uI
a little. She recognized, with a gush
Of thankfulness to God, that here was
a man who loved her as few men love
women, and that the poor dead Cir
no,,1A poyor loun hod hie haork n