The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-11

ventured to hold her fingers. This was
David Courtlaw, whose ways. too' hdu
never been very d1nerent ArOnl 49,
yvavs of other men as regards her sex,
lyon see. it comes after all
she continued, from certain orig
fnal convictions which nave De
come nv religion. Rather
narniloouent term. perhaps, put
what else am I TO say2 one q mes
is that the most aDsoiutely ssillsti sII,'.9
in the world is to give way 10 0epIeS
sion. to think of ones troubles al al
exeept of how to overcome them.
sDend many delightful hours thinking
of the pleasant and Deauului tHlII9S
of life 1 decline to waste slhsIe 49,
ond even in considering the usly
DO you know that this becomes haO-
it?" M -
'If Won would only teach US al, ne
rnurmured. how to acquire II.
ST suppose people would say that II
IL a matter Of temperament she con-
tfnued with me believe tndS Il -
more 1T has become a part OF the OF
Dor 81 nv life Whatever may happen
tomorrow I shall be none the oetteI
for anticipating it's miseries to-day,
IT wonder" he said, tribe irrele-
vanity. what the future has IN SLOTS
for your"
She shrugged her shoulders
rs that not rather a prohllsSS sP0O
ulatiOn, my friend?
He seemed deaf to her interruption.
His gray eyes burned under his Shaggy
eyebrows. He leaned toward ner as
though anxious to see more OF nSI
face than that faint dellcate PIoIilo
cleaning like marble in the uncertain
light.
you were born for great things" ne
said huskily. For great passions, Io5
great accomplishments. VIII you nno
your destiny, I wonder, or VIII you 80
through life like so many others
wanderer. knocking ever at empty
doors, homeless to the last? on, II one
could but find the way to your heart
She laughed gayly.
Dear friend" she said, remember
that you are speaking to one VINO mas
failed in the only serious object wnlcn
she has ever sought to accomplish. MY
destiny, I am afraid, is going to lead
me into the ruts."
He shook his head.
You were never born" he declared,
''to follow the Well-wOrn roads won
der" he added, after a moments pause,
whether you ever realize how young
you are?"
Young? 1 am twenty-four."
''Yet you are very young. Anna, why
will you persist in this sinSle-nanoeo
combat with Iife?"
DON'T" she cried
But I must, 1 viii, he answered
fercely. "Oh, know you would stop
me If you could. This time you can
not. You are the woman love, Anna
Let me make your future for YOU
Don't be afraid that 1 shall stunt II
1 will give you a broad, free life. you
shall have room to develop, you snaI
live as you will, where you VIII, only
give me the right TO protect you, to
free you from all these petty material
cares"
Dear friend" she said. "do you not
think that you are breaking an I'M
spoken compact? am very sorry. In
your heart you know quite well that all
that you have said is useless"
'Ay," he repeated, looking away from
her
''Useless-worse than useless"
You are foolish" she declared. with
a note of irritability in her tone You
would appear to be trying to
destroy a comradeship which has
been very, very pleasant. For you
know that have made up
my mind to dig a little way into life
single-handed. /, too, want to under
stand-to walk with my head in the
light Love is a great thing. and hap
piness a joy. Let me go my own way
toward them. We may meet-whO
can tell? But I will not be fettered,
even though you would make the
Chains of roses. Listen
She stopped short. There was
sharp knocking at the outside door.
Courtlaw rose to his feet.
1T is too late for visitors" she re-
marked. Il wonder would you mind
seeing who ii is
Courtlaw crossed the room and
threw open the door. He had come
to Annals rooms from a dinner party
and he was in evening dress. Sir
John, who was standing outside,
looked past him at the girl still sit
ting in the shadow.
It believe" he said stifhy. that
these are the apartments OF Miss
Pellissier. I must apologize for dis
turbing you at such an unseemly hour,
but / should be very much obliged IL
Miss Pellissier would allow me a few
minutes conversation. My name IL
Ferringhall-Sir John Ferringhall."