Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-09-02


| tify their eXistence?"
Il can see you in them, Colin. They
reflect You constantly. They sound like
YOU
He flushed with pleasure.
NO? Do they, thought" Then his
voice dropped to a more feeling key.
Molly, | am glad at last that | wrote
them never thought very much of my
work, but if it served to bring me to
your memory it has not been wasted"
His great blue eyes were bent upon her
ardently. She laughed, and set herself
to sway her fan gently.
please don't stare at me like that,
Colin" said she. People are looking at
us"
But Colin was not to be depressed. Tho
old feelings that had died four years ago
| Love is a flame difficult of reignition
where once it has been quenched; but let
that reignitiOn take place, and its blaze
is all consuming Colin was realizing
this More fully still did he realize it
when, two hours later-toward the close
of the evening-he found himself again
beside her, in the conservatory, where
there were no prying eyes to restrain
him, and where with impunity he might
gaze at her as he listed.
He fed his glance upon the perfect
curve of her white throat, the glistening
masses of her ebony hair, and in the clear
depths of her dark eyes his soul at last
was drowned. His hand closed upon
hers His fine, foolish young head was
bent until he felt her hair upon his
check.
Molly" he stammered, u love
you"
She moved her head away. The action
seemed in the nature of rebuff, but the
soft, seductive laughter that rippled
from her lips counteracted what effect it
might have had upon hotheaded Colin.
He read in it a challenge, and. answer
ing it, his arm was about her in an in
slant, and he was seeking to draw her
to him. But she broke from his clasp,
and, pushing him forcibly back, she stood
up suddenly. Sine no longer laughed;
she was breathing quickly, and her tone
was one of stern rebuke
Colin, how could you dare?"
Colin sat morally crushed and defeat
ed where moment before he had tasted
the Joyous anticipation of victory. He
felt extremely foolish, and for that feel
ing he was exceedingly annoyed both
with himself and with her 1t now be-
came Il matter of eXtricating himself
from position that he felt was decided
ly undignifed. A retreat, he realized,
must be more ignominious still; there
fore he determined to push on.
What have | dared that should offend
your" he demanded in accents of beauti-
fully modulated aggrievance rs it an
offence to tell woman that you love
herr"
She made as if to answer, but before
She had time he was on his feet. close
beside her, and speaking very fast.
There are some things in life that
endure as long as life itself things that
we cannot blot out, strive as we may.
My love for you. Molly, is one of those
things. When, four years ago, | left
England, you cannot dream how it burt
me to go from you. But | hoped-I-
don't know what l hoped. Then
heard abroad of your marriage, and
was crtIshed-broken hearted, we scrib-
blers call it. Then later came the news
of your widowhood, and in my selfish
ness-for love is an egotist, Molly
was almost glad of it. Success came to
me at last, and, thinking ever of you, |
determined to come home and ask YOU
rs | ask you now, Molly-to do me the
honor of becoming my wife"
Her attitude during that lengthy ad-
dress of his had been forbdding in the
extreme But when he brought it to a
close with the offer of his hand and name
change seemed suddenly to be wrought
in her. She bent toward him, and on
her face lie might have read surprise
and wonder and some pleasure. to0-or
perhaps it was amusement. You see,
she knew him so very well.
Molly" he cried, and put forth his
arms. But she drew back Some one
had entered the conservatory.
Come and see me tomorrow" she muir
INJURED, and. slipping her hand through
his arm, She compelled him to lead her
back to the ballroom.
When he reviewed the scene in the
sober light of the succeeding day, Colin
was not a little surprised at himself
He had made Il mistake, and to avoid
offending her he had covered up his
tracks by lying like gentleman and
asking her to marry him-than which
nothing could have been further from his
| desires. Pursuing his reflections, how.
/ ever, he realized that he might do very
much worse than become her husband
and that the business with which he now
felt himself in honor bound to go through
need not really daunt him. He came t
the conclusion among others-that i
was just by such accidents of a momen
tary concession to the emotions thai
half the worlds matches were made.
In the afternoon he called upon her
She received him as if there had been M
such scene as that of the night before
and, seating him IN Il wicker chair, sh,
gave him tea under the shade of the
beeches on the lawn
He realized that he had never felt SC
nervous and SO i'll at ease in the Who'll,
OF his checkcred young life. He dissem,
bled it rs best he could, slipped his ten
and talked small talk in his best man.
ner' Her admirable self-control thawed
him, and at length, as he set down his
. cup, he opened fire