The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-27
Our Daily $bcrt Story

stopped ran up nigher. trleo to get back to the cave. We had agreed on the cave in case of trouble but could not find it. lost my head the loneliness was desperate. It over mastered me. and the fog caught ma by the throat" She sank down on Q log. trembling violently, and began to sob like a little child
 When the sound had twisted and strained Gray's heartstrings until 1t was physical impossibility to en- dure 1t longer. he touched her arm gently. Please don't" he said. "rhe fog's lifting little. I'll get you out of this all right
 The girl looked up In the oval of her pale face her eyes seemed un- naturally large and dark. You are very good" she said. controlling her voice with an effort" and then I've been extremely babyish, but - Her words died on her lips; she start ed at Gray unbelievingly.
 "You. she sasped. You herein American"
 , Gray paled under his tan. Its where I belong-here in America he said slowly.
 But I thought" The girl looked at him as if she doubted the evidence of her own senses. "I-don't under. stand she said helplessly.
 Its very simple" Gray said. and he smiled" the devil tempted me and fell--the dear, good devil.'
 T must be stupid" she said; But I don't in the least understand"
 'Then let's us begin at the very minute you entered the dingy little foreign hole of a hotel and found me drumming at that plano. If you re- member. you flung off your rich furs and ordered me to begin at once I shall sing this you said in a voice that was final. and did my poor best to accompany you. It didn't occur to me to refuse to obey the mandate of a princess of the blood royal, nor was I willing to bore princess with tiresome and awkward explanations. The simplest thing to do was to play without quarreling with fate, and so did. Of courseaI ran the risk of your seeing tbroughsme. And I was qiute pervous, for fear fhe old codger him self would bolt in and spoil things.
 But risk Is the savor of life. You didn't find me out. and he didn't come In. and"
 ":For a lesson, yes," the girl broke in with. but there was a month of les sons."
 There were also some good Ameri- can dollars" responsibility. "Oh," understandingly. Then plains lively" T thought I was learning such lot" -. t...- You need not try to make me sor- Try" Gray laughed. "Pll agree that
 borrowed joy exacts a heavy interest: I'll agree to a good many things. but won't be sorry. Except for one thing l--1 felt like a sneak thlefsto take your An1% r~t.,n tf %n nfA Shylock for he had been, paid too I much. but I hit on an excellent plan. | I turned 1t all over to the little beggar you brought so picturesque--the little fellow that ran after you laways." "Oh, but that was foolish" impul- sively.
 Every thing I did was foolish" Gray said gravely. T lived from les | son to lesson. and you didn't get such bad ones. for I literally sat at the old fellows feet I fell to dreaming night and day. of all sorts of forbidden | things. Down to the day. I got your note that told your mother was i'll | you were leaving for some indefinite country you didn't think 1t worth while to mention. I was foolish. IL was pretty evident even to a chap as far gone as 1 that you were ending the thing. I couldn't follow. didn't
 know whether to try Jericho or Texas, And to think that might never have
 found you but for this blessed foEw At the sound of something that rang
 in his laughter, the girl got up from the log and moved away oown the | trail, alert, like a bird ready to take flight.
 Gray followed down the aisle of
 spectral trees. the light gone out of
 his eyes.
 Was your mother very ill?" he asked. at length.
 Not very" the girl said. There
 was a curious little sound in her
 throat that might have been a laugh
 or sob. Whatever 1t was. it sent
 the light leaping into Gray's eyes
 again. With a single stride he mad overtaken her. Look at me-" he com | manded
 She marched straight ahead. Then she wasn't ill." he said. She didn't send for .ou?' No answer. Gray caught her hand. She strur-
 gled to free it. "Oh. it's no good" he said You've got to tell me. Did she?'
 "No," said the girl defiantly. "she
 wasn't ill at all. l got homesick for America" But why?" gently. She lltted her eyes and tried to
 brave 1t through with a laugh. Why? What ridiculous question. Why does one want home?" Gray looked down at her steadily.
 The blood poured into her cheeks.
 and her head dropped.
 sometimes one wants home be-
 cause one Is afraid to listen to a heart
 that pleads for man. Was that it,
 dear? Was 1t your heart pleading for
 me in spite of the gulf between an
 American heiress and a poor foreign
 music teacher? Was that why vou
 felt safer with an ocean between? An swer me-
 But again she was silent. Was itT' gently
 For answer she hid her face in the
 depths of his coat. 'Oh, I can't heIp It,. she cried. It's been miserable
 time. Prince or pauper. I don't want to help it. Be good to me. dear" It was then. as sne lifted her face to his. that the clouds fen apart, leav- Ing great reaches of blue sky. From
 the sea of vapor the mountains here and there lifted their heads; a shaft of
 sunlight struck to the depths of the R1flS tandar avaR anA nl Anrkk