The Washington times., 1905-07-30
PART -CRAPTER xI.

After Anna : prOnOOncenenL tnere /
was a lengthy pause To the girl il |
was an immateriaI one. for the atmos-
phere that surrounded her-the warmth /
of the room, the sense of autumnal |
fiowers-was sufficient to fill any space; |
but TO her companion it held a meaning /
that ran below the surface and inter /
wove itself with facts. as the pattern t
in the loom weaves through. imprint !
ing itself upon the silk. 1t was a mo- |
ment of appreciation so spontaneous |
and sincere that she accepted it instinc- |
lively. forgetting to look ironically for
the hidden motive power.
All new sensations are anieting for
their own duration Mrs NIaxtesd sat
still for space of time her fingers
toyed with her teacup. then with her
spoon; her hazel eyes alternately light
ened and deepened with the procession
Of her thoughts. At last the silver
clock by her hand struck five, and The
necessity for action came leaping back
With a slight movement Of her should
| ers she became her habitual self-alert,
t critical, keen. She ceased 10 move her
/ fingers; her lips parted for speech. but
/ closed again. Then she rose.
: ~
/ She rose softly; her motions slight as
the rustic of leaf. For an instant
/ Anna turned and looked a her. then re-
/ turning 70 her watching OF the fire. She
! crossed TO the piano. her movements so
J gentle as 10 suggest stealth; then. still
/ silently, she seated herself. and her
fingers passed in mute thought across
| the keys Then with sudden resolution
she began 10 play.
Anna stirred, leant forward question
/ ingIy. then dropped back again.
rrrs- EOrf Ff4saFf Of
| Chopin. Why she chose the theme it
would be difficult 10 say, though from
! every act Of hers ran thread of rea-
son. whose shuttle sometimes hoated on
| the surface of facts. sometimes hung
| vaguely in their midst, and sometimes
lay at the bottom. inscrutable and un-
seen The first family repeated note
| fell on the silence almost casually as
the first action in great series OF
! events might fall. one felt that there
/ was mastery If not genius in the play
er's touch-In the strength of her fin
gers. in the Doise Of the sound.
~ y
In complete silence. with one notion
less listener, the music went on and on.
The soft toninE of the room melted into
hrelight-the ftreglow Of deep shadows
and colored lights, Beside the plano
boldly up their soft leaves a mere sug-
Eestion. their rnassed blooms blot OF
pink, their scent, pungent and reminis-
cent minglfng in the air The players
eyes fell separately and critically upon
very detail; then. with perfect even
ness of glance, they ran the polished
length of the piano and paused on the
listeners face-showing clear against
! the background of the settee 1hey
I rested on it long and studlousiy, pass
/ ing from the curve of the hair and the
/ sweep OF the thick eyelashes TO the gen
erous. In,puIsive lips. And all the while
the music swelIed and grew. with no
suggestion lost, no point missed, the
chords crashing and merging, the com
/ pelling motive growing dominant with
/ every repeated note.
Il was Il fine moment. The player 3
| eyes were cold, questioning, ana DrlSht'
! her fingers unerring. The sounds cut
the silence Into pain, the pathos and
loss seemed TO beat together; then, with
consummatc effect, breaking upon the
repeated note, came sIlence-the silence
| that only such pause can be. The
players hands dropped quietly 10 her
sides. but her eyes did not swerVe.
Anna caught her breath uneasiiy and
turned round.
WHAT'S that?" she said, Whats ii
caled?"
Mrs. Maxtead leant forward; her fig
ure was observant In every line
Come here!' she said.
Anna rose and crossed the room.
There was a silver matchbox on the
piano. Mrs Maxtead put out her hand,
quietly picked il up and struck a match
The momentary light shot up and the
girls face was illumined-the whiteness
of her teeth between the parted lips
the suddenly narrowed pupils OF the
eyes. Mrs. Maxtead looked swiftly from
one 10 the other, then E'ew "t 'e
flame and dropped the match.
''Ah. we'll she said; there are more
Z roads To Rome than one"
anna started Il don't understand
Did I expect you 10 understand?
She rose and laid her hand on the girl
arm Nov I am going to ask for
concession. 7 want to near your name.
She pressed the arm she held. Il mus
I can you something. how ca" We b
frieuds1'