Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-11-23
At the
AmbaSS ador'C
Reception
By A. M. DAVIES OGDEN
Copyright, 1905, by Eugene PARCELS

Paris. and Leighton felt tired and dis
pirited But all good Americans must
20 to their ambassadors reception. Be
sides, there was girl Yet Leighton's
step did not quicken at the thought.
His pace, If anything. slackened. She
was a nice girl-oh, yes-and pretty
and rich. Nevertheless
The rooms were crowded with the
usual mob of Americans, travelling and
resident mingled among a few French
people. Leighton, watching idly for
moment, caught sight Of Miss Harris
wedged across the drawing room and
worked his way to her. At his sug
gestion of the conservatory she looked
keenly at him and seemed TO hesitate.
Then she smiled
why. it might be cooler" she assent
ed You know the way?"
But once away from the crowd, amid
the luXuriant green of the palms where
little ripping fountain lent a note of
freshness to the heated atmosphere,
young Leighton fell silent. AS the girl
chatted gayly on, apparently unheedful
of his quietude. Leighton studied her
! carefully. She was slight aud trim,
perfect in detail from the tiny patent
leather ties to the huge, rose crowned
hat tilted so becomingly on the wavy
! hair. Yes, she was undeniably attrac-
tive. Yet once more Leighton sighed.
Perhaps 1t was the sight Of so many
Of his country people together, but un-
doubtedly Leighton was conscious Of
/ a vague nostalgia. Would he ever see
America AGAIN.
He was Il tall, clean cut young fell
low, with pleasant hazel eyes, but
round his mouth had deepened lines
! which betrayed that existence was
! proving none too kind. Five years ago
! he had arrived at the BeauX Arts
eager, hopeful, ambitious. He had
worked hard, he had struggled pa
/ tiently, yet somehow success did not
/ seem to come and now a terrible
doubt was beginning to torment the
/ young fellow. Had he mistaken his
vocation?
From the beginning his father had
/ been averse TO these artistic projects.
There is place for you In the bank
whenever you choose to come home
and take It," he had said but no
money of mine shall go for foolishness
and Frenchmen." Young Leighton, at
/ first too confident to dream of failure
/ and later too proud to admit the fact,
had fought along striving to the best
! Of his ability. How could he give up
and go home? And then, just a month
I ago he had met Miss Harris.
She was stopping awhile In Paris,
/ living with rich old aunt and pos
| sessed of the reputation Of being her
self extremely wealthy. Apparently she
had at once taken a fancy to Leighton.
! She asked him to call. The day after
he had left a card at the Ritz came an
invitation for dinner and henceforth
nearly every day saw the young peo-
pie together on some pretext or other
Leighton let himself drift He liked
her liked her immensely. To her very
! finger tips the girl was sensitively alive
70 the beautiful, her perceptions were
delicate and fine, her tastes cultivated.
/ Leighton realized fully her charm, and
yet he still hesitated to put the de
cisive question. Her voice broke sud
denly across his reyerle.
You are not listening at ALL" she re
mOnstrated gayly, yet with a certain
strained note below her mirth, which
Leighton in his abstraction missed
why this wool gathering tendency to-
day." Leighton laughed.
81 was thinking how like a rose you
looked against all this green in that
pretty pink frock," he answered Miss
Harris frowncd little
II do not care for compliments" she
uttered dryly. Pray let me tell you
again that | am leaving Paris tomor-
row"
Leaving Parisr' echoed Leighton.
why
I'VE 90 to Lucerne for awhile" stat
ed Miss Harris. "It is far too warm
in Paris now"
''Lucerne" repeated Leighton again
rather blankly. He could never afford
to follow her there. If he were going
to ask her ii must be done now. His
mouth tightened. The girl, whose eyes
had scrutinized his face with a certain
eager intensity, interposed before he
could speak.
Il am going to Lucerne to Join q
| friend" she began rapidly, as though
there were something which must be
met and faced now. Il want to get
there before she leaves, as | have just
heard that she is sailing next week
/ We have always been great chums,
! this girl and /; had no secrets from
each other and that sort of thing"
yes" said Leighton absently. He
was wondering how it would seem to
work In the bank. Was 1t fair to a
/ rirl to marry her for her money? Aft
er all, dad was a good sort. If he could
only make up his mind to renounce art,
to confess his failure to dad. But at
the thought his throat contracted. Give
! In; admit that he was no gOodl He
| bent forward.
Listen" he began unsteadily. "P'-
But the girl was still cbatterlng on.
you see, she cannot come to Paris"
she pursued. Her mother has an idea
/ that Ruth is interested in some young
man here, and she would not hear Of 1t
when / suggested their coming to me;
consequently | must go to them. And
/ that IS why | am departing so unex-
pectedly"
| Leighton cllnched his hand nervously
Ruth, he hesitated coloring faint
| ly. al used to know a Ruth. 1t IS a
pretty name And-and you say that
she is Interested in some one here"
| trying desperately to speak with i'm
personal calmness. Miss Harris nod
! ded.
YES" she responded quietly, Il be
ucyc hc-hc asked her to marry him
] once But she refused him, not know
ing how much she cared. And-and
then he went away. She did not know
where to write YOU see He had quar-