Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-29
CHAPTER III.
DEVELOPMENTS.


cssions-at the Ole Bull concerts, the Rob
ertson plays, the artists exhibition. OF
course every one knew Mr.. Strong, but
heretofore society had seen little OF him;
not that he appeared to care for 1t now
save for one member of ii. The latter fact
| was patent to ALL and furnished the basis
| for much talk over tea cups. Mrs. Rossiter
was given due credit; truly she had the
| managerial eye-and her daughter scarcely
out"
| IL Elinor realized what people were say
ing and how she was the central figure or
| neghborly tittle-tattle, her manner did not
| betray such consciousness. With Mr.
| Strong she carried herself much as with
other people, only perhaps in his case her
girish imperiousnesS was slightly en-
phasized. The self-consciousness she had
| felt the occasion of his first visit had
quickly vanished. He had not appeared the
aggressive, dominating character her pre-
| conceived notion had pictured him. and his
| Obvious constraint put her entirely at her
ease. 1t may be the Very knowledge of her
| power over him brought with 1t an uncon-
scious satisfaction which called for the ex-
ercise rather than the disuse of those
| weapons belonging to her sex. Here was
some one whom the world counted leader,
| a man of iron, yet he was to be swayed by
| a word gesture. In her presence he was
sometimes ambarra SSed, almost awkward,
| and then she would study him with the
| superior smile of girfnood. She did not
| the balance of years lay to his creditor
! on the occasions when they were alone his
reserved diffidence made him almost boyish.
She even perhaps found pleasure in test
| ing her influence, and at least once with
| the result that her confidence in herself was
| slightly shaken. He had asked them all to
occupy his box for certain opera, where
upon Elinor suggested another night when
a different and, to her, more pleasing work
was to be given.
Il am sorry" he said. but on that even
ing cannot join you. l have business
er gs cement"
The girl looked somewhat surprised 1t
vas the first time he had rot been swayed
to her will.
And would you ra Their talk business than
listen to music?" she said.
Il have to- he answered simply. "At
least, this OCCASION
She lifted her broWs
How disagreeable!' she said. "Te have
to do things"
Her manner that night puzzled him, for
he was not cognzant he had given her
cause for offense. When he called few
evenings later. she kept him waiting no
inconsiderable period, and when she did
come down, her eyes expressed just trace
of malice.
THANK you for the flowers she said
giving him the tips of her fingers
Did you like them?" he asked obviously
noting at the same time that she wore none
of them.
"Oh, yes" she answered pontedly; II was
overwhelmed by them"
Mr.. Strong flushed. Send I'D all the red
roses you have In that case he had said
to the florist. At her words and accent he
wondered for the first time If the mere
lavishness of his gift had not savored of
ostentatfon. He was most transformations
man in his own tastes and requirements
and he vaguely regretted that he had not
looked to see how many flowers there really
nae peen IN the case. AT the same time he
argued from cause TO effect-the fact she
mad not single flower in her dress augured
she was not pleased, but he did not blame
her; he himself was the delinquent
The next time, however, he sent her only
a single rose, the selection of which caused
him considerable trouble and solicitude In
fact, he was so long in casting about for
what he wanted that when he reached his
office he surprised himself by being ten min
utes late al directors meeting The six
grave faces that confronted his from the
long table seemed like reproof, and as
Richard Strong called the meeting to or
der. he dispatched matters with a yigor that
atCned Tor that half hours daliance in the
primrose path.
That night he felt even less confident
than usual when he went TO the Rosster
house. Women, he told himself were like
flowers; he knew little of the one as of
the other But when he entered the room
and she came in with his rose on her dress
the scales seemed to fall from his ewes.
his face changed; she did care for him-a
Httle-perhaps-
His cause for elf-congratulation, how
ever, was as ephemeral as it was sudden
the conversation to the most frivolous
depths, until a gradual change settled on
ms spirits and a conventional distance once
more separated them. Then she was sat
lsned, Tor she could not quite forget the
expression with which he had first regarded
her. ~
During all this time he had not spoken to
her or that other vital manner, though once
or twice he had apparently started Ia an
proach 1t, but with a quick divination she
had somehow managed to elude the. sub
Ject. soon, however. she was to learn that
her position was not so impregnable as at
first it had seemed. One night he was un-
duly thoughtful, she lighter. more ami
mated; but her gaiety failed of its usual
effect When he did speak he said:
Miss Rossiter, l don't know whether
your father ever spoke to you about
conversation L once had with him.
Elinors color swiftly changed; she en-
deavored to interject some remark not ger
name to the subject, but this time he per-
severed stubbornly, firmly and Instructive
~ she felt she could not stop him. His
eyes We're dark, deep, glowing; they dis
mayed her, yet she could hardly look away
from them. Quickly she arose. His face
grew paler.
II told him that 1 wanted you to benny
wife,
The girls hand trembled; she stood half
turned from him. He too, arose. his fea-
lures strong, powerful.
There isn't much to say" he went on.
When one has said that, it, seems to be
all"
For the moment the resources of the past
seemed to desert her.
Wont you look at me?' he said
She raised her eyes, almost def1antly; her
face sober enough now.
Could you-care for me enough for
that?"
She strove to tell him what was in her
mind: that she could not, never could
marry him, but at that moment a strange
thing happened to her. She asked herself
If it was really true she didn't care for
him at all. For instant he waited; a
wave of force seemed drawing her against
her will Steadfastly she resisted it. OF
course, she did not care.
Good night" he said.
She gave him her hand almost mechani-
cally. Her eyes could not meet his now.
Good night" he repeated, holding her
hand. He dropped it. For moment there
was silence. May 1 call AGAIN."
Did she speak? Did she bow her head
| in assent? She knew that if he went with
no sign from her, she would never see him
again. She remembered afterward the look
of joy in his eyes he left. What did
1t mean? She pressed her hands to her
head. He made me- she thought and
her cheeks burned. Then into her eyes