The Press., 1905-07-05

mad not dreamed or 1c being this BAD.
His heart felt like church on a week
day. How could he have ever been fool
enough to expect Judith to love him
against all these young men?
eff you marry Travers"- 1t was a
cowardly subterfuge to get her away
from the others. His voice stuck. She
sat alert, with brilliant eyes.
eff marry Travers, what?" she ask
ed.
81 don't know" miserably.
81 haven't exactly decided which one
1 shall marry" She leaned back Ian
guidly She was pushing her hair back
and trying to pin it in place. Its real
~ very hard to make up ones mind,
Bob. It's the number Of them that con-
fuses me-" She laughed deliciOusly.
His hand frightened around his glass.
"Bob," the girl suddenly demanded,
whats that you told me once about
love lying deepY'
Could he release her? 1.-The hunger of
a mans sour kept running through his
head. Could he do it? Wasn't she in
crying need Of a protector to shield her
from this very hunger?
"Bob"-she tossed him rose-"have
you forgotten the linesT
"'Love lieth Deep" he began.
"'Love dwells not in lip depths. Love
wraps his wings on either side the
heart" There was a long silence.
Somehow the silences of Bob We're
more eloquent than all the lip talk Of
the others. She was beginning to I'M
derstand. She thought vaguely of
ships cut loose from their moorings.
She hated young men.
She remembered the first time she
ever saw him. She was doing a skirt
dance before the long gilt mirror in
the back parlor. She turned to get
sidewise view of herself, and there in
the door he was calmly watching her.
The others were at the table. The Oc-
casion was dinner party, and he had
committed the objectionable offense Of
being late. That was the beginning.
He very much preferred staying with
her, he declared, If she didn't mind.
That was the night she started loving
him. Hadn't he spent weary hours
over the intricacies of toe dancing to
coach her? Didn't Bob always under
stand? The thought that he was just
across the table and not engaged to
her any more almost suffocated her.
She couldn't stand 1t.
Bob" she said. with all that peril
Gus youth shining in her eyes, ''have
you forgotten that toe dance you
taught me years ago." No, with weary
resignation, he had not forgotten it.
"Bob," with cruel persistence when
you told me that night that you had
rather stay with me than to go with
the old ladies, did you mean it, truly?"
Yes, he was sure he meant it truly.
The cafe was deserted. Only Francois,
the waiter, lurked in the background.
and he couldn't speak English.
Bob" moving nearer and laying
confiding hand on his arm; Bob, does
your love lie too deep for words? ?"
There was a pleading quality in her
tones not to be resisted.
"Childw He was holding her chin in
his most comforting hand and examin-
ing her eyes.
"Jack Travers didn't kiss me, truly"
she comforted, patting Bob's old gray
hairs tenderly. Francois had discreet
~ withdrawn, fully remunerated. HE
said that before l told him about
about how l loved you'll told him
all about us, Bob But she didn't
finish. He understood. Bob always
understood.
Child" he whispered, with eyes in
which vn1th had onma homo fo live
"you must be the oldest person on
earth. You are straight from the gar
den of Eden, with youth that is fresh
and genuine and eternal. Yes, you are,
child!'