Smyrna times., 1904-10-19

200. no." concluded Askew, regard
ing his hostess intently with just that
touch of cool mastery in his glance
which always made her wonder if the
taIltale blood were rising in her cheeks
and which, at the present moment,
caused her somewhat naughty eyes to
avoid him. like Quivering, cOrnered ami
mails. a mans manhood is a greater
thing even than his love! And the
moor man who asks a rich woman to
marry him is like the chap who sold
his birthright for a mess of pOttage."
you place a high value upon lover
she murmured, and despite her efforts
there was little catch in her breath.
.'Yes. l think l do" he resumed i'm
perturbably 80 high value, in fact,
that | would place it above all sus-
nicion-above even the suspicion Of
suspicion!' he ended in an emphatic
tone.
Considering that the two We're pla-
tonic friends of several years stand
inc the air of the drawing room SEEM
cd curiously surcharged with meaning.
Though they sat in silence with their
eyes fixed upon the open fire for some
time after Askew's last remark, each
was fully aware of the others
thoughts. and each listened to the reg
ular ticking of the clock with a vague
impression that the sound was ON
inous with love and heartbreak.
Askew was a man of thirty, with
square jaw, strongly cut features and
that pronounced air of masculinity that
caused Miss Vance to realize with a
thrill that to such a man his manhood
as he had said. must be first! 1t could
not possibly be otherwise. Deep down
in his heart of hearts woman might
reign-lOved with the passion that only
such natures can feel, but never really
dominating his life.
Always he would be complete master
& of himself-and of her! He would love
her with tenderness strong and deep.
In her own domain she would be SUI
preme but that domain would never
be cOextenSive with his own larger
life. And yet, to the tips of her fin
gers. she felt that she would rather be
loved by him than by airy other man
NJ in the world!
Moreover she was loved by him
She knew it, though he had never by
Il so much as a word admitted it. She
was as sure of it as she was Of her
B own love for him, and at the mere
thought the blood danced riOtOusly
through her veins and her head invol
unfairly went up. No queen could be
prOuder, no mere woman more hum
bic, than that thought made her.
Few of her associates would have
recognized the expression that soften
dand glOrified the face of the "haugh
II Miss Vance," as she was called be
Il hind her back. as she turned more full
) " toward Donald Askew and demand
ed softly:
6 DO you mean to say that if you hap
Z pened to fall in love with a rich won
= an-and-and"-
" "And?" he interTogated.
"And she loved you-or you had rea
son to think that she did
: For the second time she paused wit
= q confused impression that the air o
4 the room was suddenly exhausted an
q that breathing was by no means tn
Z simple, natural matter it had alway
y seemed
OS DO you mean to say" she blurte
- out, with schOolgirlish impetuosity
.. that you would not tell her that 70
" loved her?"
= Never in the world"' was the delit
nd crate reply. Never Then he adde
LIN Coolly. But / should be careful not
* do anything so asinine as to fall
ng love with a rich girl in the first plac
M knowing, as l do, that the money NAL
a.. ing talent is not one to which l ca
Re lay claim"
~ For a moment her heart turned
ia ice. Then the blood flowed back war;
Re and strong. and she understood. Il
was taking this stand in the hope
At throwing her off the track, because h
d. fantastic sense of honor put him out
the running. and he wished to dive
~ himself even of the interest that
n. undecared love might arouse in he
She could have laughed for very JOY
els his assembling.
ISTs What would you do assuming tn
Esls In spite of yourself you should fall
9itb love with an heiress| she persisted.
viz He fenced manfully. "Well, thil
should clear out. 1t would be q
best thing to do in a case like that"
Miss Vance, the naughty Miss NanC
u the heiress of the Vance millions,
II garded him demurely. She was
- person who was accustomed to havll
her wishes complied with. She VIC
dered vaguely what it was about I
man before her that made her read
eager even, to step down from the
gal position she had always occupl
and sue for his favor; why in her ey
he should seem the king! And VIII
at last she spoke her voice was almt
wistful.
But what about the woman-t
poor rich woman? Perhaps-perha
, she might hate her riches-she mig
9ust lOathe them. But what could
dof Perhaps they came to her q