The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1904-03-17
ness of her hair.

ness of her hair.
Their eyes met and passed. Hers
were a blue 80 deep that they verged
upon purple, and Danbury. who was
but the more a poet that he never at
tempted to write verses, drew sigh
of delight. In some inexplicable way
she epitomized all the charm Of life
to him-the scent Of howers-the ten
derness of womanhood. She seemed
the lilacs transmitted into femininity,
and his glance Involuntary travelled
from her to the blossom In his hand,
while hers followed with little, quick,
unconscious flicker of appreciation.
The carriage rolled on, and he went
his way, with thoughts that were but
a blissful blur OF lilac maidens and
lilac bloom. Under the thick foliage
Of the trees In Madison square be sat
down to pull himself together
"Ridiculous!" he argued sagely. "a
man of thirty eight to lose his head
over the glimpse OF an ordinary girl In
q pale tinted gown" Then the won
herful purpush eyes looked into his
again, and he recalled the slender form
in hazy lilac and the dear young fresh
ness Of her brow and forgot to argue
at all He simply dreamed strange,
beautiful dreams, In which the scent
of flowers and slender maiden In am
ethyst robes foated In soft. wordless
confusion.
AT last be rose and Strengthened him
self with the quick, sharp decision of
manner which those who knew him
had learned to recognize as a sign eff
determination.
She was the Woman. Absurd as ii
was, he felt exE ltantly positive of that
And for the rest-well, he had calm
confidence In himself He world sure
ly find her and win her.
As all oDservant persons must have
noticed, fate dearly loves 10 be trusted.
In this instance she rewarded Dan
bury's confidence by bringing him face
to face with the victoria once more ms
be emerged from the square. BY her
quick avoidance of his glance he saw
that the girl recognized him. and nj
the knowledge sudden glow suffused
him. He felt as If their lives We're al
ready upon the loom of destiny. With
out moments hesitation he stopped
n passing cab and, with few hurriet
words to the driver. jumped in.
DO you happen 10 know the Gran
villes of East Twentieth street p he in
h, Jo 4
that night, for he had learned so much
In the Intervening hours Bartram nod
Gcd. stopping to blow II few rings of
smoke into the air before replying. n
if il were matter Of no special impor
tanrP
"Nice people" he observed nj last
but rather quiet and old timey
Why"
Il should like to meet them" an
swered Danhury. with straight look
that conveyed perfectly that no fur
ther explanation was forthcoming
And so. before many days elapsed
he was presented to the lady Of hi
dreams In n room where the odor Of
lilacs was rs heavy as 1t had been In
the garden Of his bovhoOd As their
eyes met he fancieG that Miss Gran
vile flushed ever so slightly and THAI
her glance was puzzled and inquiring
There were several other guests pres
ent. but at the end OF quarter of an
hour Danbury and she were separated
from them by enough space to MAKE
condolences possible. 1t was then tina
Faith Granville turned her clear eye
upon him md said naivclv:
"Of course II Is YOU who have been
sending the lllacs? But how did you
know who | was. and why have you
done it,
There was vague disapproval In
her voice. but not enough to make him
despair of forgiveness, Besides. her
question proved that she was more
child than woman and that In the
midst of 4 society bound by precedent
she dared TO be herself
So he threw prudence to the winds
and after II diplomacy aid convention
and stood before her the man that he
was. telling her how II had happened
how he had come back to New York
and how. even before he had seen them
the scent of the lilaes had taken him
back to his boyish days how she had
appeared suddenly, clothed in the very
coors of his dream. All this he told
her rapidly and earnestly and rs only
clean souled. natural man could have
done. Then he waited hreathlessly for
her TO speak BY her answer he would
know whether he had read her Alright.
Ooh" she said. with little gasp
at Is too beautiful" There was h
suspicious humidity in her eyes. but
she lifted them bravely TO his and CON
tlnued: Il am not worthy anything so