The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1905-02-22

ftPf asked Ivy Lyle.
The sensitive face under the big, rose
lined sun hat was very white. Her
lips quivered a little The hands that
held the vagrant sheet trembled.
1T isn't that carer she told her
self. II hadn't begun to care-in that
way. was only becoming-attracted.
But the shock-the disillusion"-
When she had started out an hour
ago for her usual brisk morning walk
along the crisp, shelving sands. she
had been one of the most Indifferent,
light hearted of girls. She was done
with college, and the two years of for
eign travel had succeeded school as a
sort of polishing process. She had per-
feet health and misty dreams of all
the yelled future held in its keeping.
She had aesthetic tastes, and her skill
in athletic sports was the admiration
of her less vigorous girl friends. She
had been having beautiful time down
at this gay. unconventional resort on
the Michigan coast. And now-well,
temporarily it seemed that her pleas
ure was spoiled.
And in her heart she knew that she
must have been beginning to think too
much of the man whose attentions to
her had been so marked or else this
discovery would not so affect her. Sit.
ting to rest and watch the white crest
ed waves come curling up to break on
a. I,l- IS -
rarest lace. her attention had been
caught by II small. white. whirling OBJ
ject that at first sight she had taken
for bird. 1t had whisked lower and
nearer. Then it tioated so close she
could put out her hand and grasp it,
and she found it was Il sheet of note
paper covered with diminutive chirog-
raphy. 1t was written on the station
cry of the fashionable hotel looming
up on the dunes behind her. At first
she had been about to crumple it up
and cast it aside. but in the very act
of doing so a name-her own name
met her eye.
Even then she hesitated. But the
three words were so significant she
must know their writer's full mean
ing. The page was the continuation
Of a letter. and the first three words
at the top of the page were love
Ivy Lyler' Impulsively. giving her
self no chance to weigh the niceties of
honor in the balance. she scanned the
page AS she read it slowly again the
fresh. soft color went tiding out of
her cheek.
Love Ivy Lyle. I've fought against
1t, for 1 can't afford to marry her, as
you know. But she has rather swept |
me off my feet. old chap. At first l |
was taken with her innocent beauty. |
There was no one at this big hostelry |
to compare with her for looks. So / |
let myself drift. | thought she was |
Just a dear little country girl and that |
1t would be easy to say a sentimental |
farewell when the summer was over. |
You know what these warm weather |
tlirtations amount to. So I've been 60 |
ing to see her steadily and taking her |
everywhere. We've gone dancing and |
swimming and boating and all the rest |
of it, and, by Jove, for all she's |
mighty quiet, I've come to find out |
she's not the typical little country girl |
ut all. She's we'll read and travelled. |
though she seemed rather aghast when |
she let that fact out. And she looks at |
l fellow in n cool. apprising sort Of |
way that makes him feel pretty cheap |
f his spoken thoughts are not quite up |
10 her white standard. But she's not |
.eally in the social swim. She's a ma
hnr l To Mi
Ter down to any confidence about her
;elf. She lives with very dragon Of
IN aunt at a farmhouse on the edge Of
own. She wears her cotton dresses
md shade hats in a way that takes
he shine out of the women up at the
lotel but I've never seen her sport
my of the swell clothes they wear to
he hops here. oh, confound 1t, what's
he use of my incoming away to you
It this rate? I've got to go away and
ry to forget her before it's too late.
"Damaris Chase and her father are
o be here this week, they tell me.
And she's the girl the heads of both
,ur houses expect me to marry. She
nay have the good taste to refuse me,
md / almost hope she will. She's
.reat heiress, and the consolidation Of
he business interests would be cap
tai thing; but. oh. hang me If l thought
t would be so hard to get that little
iris sweet face out of my heart.
must do the sensible thing and go In
or the $4,000 year. Lord, but I'm
orry for those poor devils of kings
Who have to wed for reasons of state.
feel disgustingly like one of them.
IN sleepy. Good night. I'll finish
his in the morning. Ten to one I
ream of Ivy Lyle"
1t needed no signature. The writer
vas easily recognized. She crumpled
be paper tightly in her hand and
hrust it into the blouse of her gown
s rapid, heavy step came crunching
own the beach. That step had be-
ONE too pleasantly familiar. Could
e have known the sheet had been
Thisked out OF his room? Had he
cen Ii blown down TO the heach7
Good morning. Miss Lyle" He
ung himself down beside her. His
andsome, boyish face looked strained
nd set. as though insomnia had
aimed him. You're out early. VIII
on go rowing with me today up to
lear SpringsY'
II can'tr' she faltered.
The pleading voice had become 80
erilously dear to her she found II
ard to refuse Something strange In {
>. lone made him look up quickly.
I'll lie saw how pale she was.
You are ill?" he cried sharply. l
What is it? What is wrong?'
There was no doubt of the sincere &
'ncern in his eyes. {
1T is nothingI' Pride came to her t
d. She rose. Il must go home" &
And won't you come up Black river
day." entreatingly. almost tenderly. I
t may be the last timer
He was misunderstanding. Oh, @
at cruel. cruel letter! But-the last e
me, he had said i
She flung up her head and smiled at e