Evening star., 1905-03-09
TIE MAN
ON THE BOX
CHAPTER x-Continued.
BIZ
HAROLD MAC GRATH
., ), ,ss eoee, attain. 90

OAA6 4Gxk <A-NOnClAuSus
Father said Betty Annesley at the
dinner table that same night. ''I have en-
gagged a new groom. He rode Pirate to-
day and thoroughly mastered him."
Pirate? You don't say. Well, I'm glad
of that. Pirate will make a apital saddle
horse if he is ridden often enough The
groom will be a safe companion for you
on your rides. Are you too tired to do some
drawing for me tonight?''
"The fortification plans?''
Yes" His eyes wandered from her face
to the night outside. How gray and sad the
father. dearie?''
Love him? Always!"
"Whatever betide for veal or woe?',
Whatever betide.'
How easy it was for her to say these
words
"And yet. some day, you must leave me.
to take up your abode in some other mans
heart. My only wish is that it may beat
for you as truly as mine does''
She did not reply. but stepped to the win
dow and pressed her brow to the chilled
pane. A yellow and purple line marked
the path of the vanished sun; the million
stars sparkled above; far away she could
see the lights of the city OF what was
she thinking. dreaming? Was she dream
ing of heroes such as we poets and novel
lists invent and hang upon the puppet-
beam? All, the pity of these dreams the
young girl has! She dreams of heroes and
of god-like men. and of the one that is to
come. But, ah! he never comes, he never
comes; and the dream fades and dies, and
the world becomes real. A man may find
his ideal, but woman. never. To youth,
the fields of love; to man, the battle-ground; /;
to old age chair in the sunshine and the
wreck Of dreams!
The government ought to pay you well
II those plans are successful" She moved
away from the window.
Yes, the government ought to pay me
well. 1 should like to make you rich,
dearie, and happy
why, daddy. am / not both? 1 have
more money than know what to do with,
and 1 am happy in having the kindest
father" She came around the table and
caressed him, cheek to cheek Money
isn't everything 1t just makes me happy
to do anything for you"
His arm grew tense around her waist
DO you know what running
through my mind at the embassy last
night? 1 was thinking how deeply I love
this great wide country of mine. AS I
looked at the ambassador and his aids, 1
was saying to myself, You dare not!' 1t
may have been silly, but 1 couldn't help it.
We are the greatest people in the world.
When l compared foreign soldiers with our
own, how my heart and pride swelled! No
formalities, no race prejudice, no false
pride. 1 was never introduced to foreign
officer that / did not fear him, with his
weak eyes, MS dHeCleU uldHHeTlSIIlS, HIS
studied rudeness, not to me, but to the
country 1 represented How I made some
of them dance! Not for vanity's sake;
rather the inbOrn patriotism of my race.
had only to think OF my father, ms honor-
able scars. his contempt for little things,
his courage, his steadfastness, his love for
his country which has so honored him
with it's trust. Oh! am a patriot; and l
shall never never marry man whose love
for his country does not equal my own"
She caught up her fathers mutilated hand
and kissed it. "And even now this father
of mine is planning and planning to safe
guard his country.
"But YOU must not say anything to a soul,
my child; it must be secret till all Is
ready. l met Karloff today at the club.
He has promised to dine with US tomorrow
night"
make him postpone it. I have promised
to dine with Nancy Warburton."
you had better dine with us and spend
the evening with your friend: mo-, DO you not
think him handsome felloWT
..He is charming" She touched the bowl
of poppies with her fingers and smiled.
HE Is very wealthy, too.
Betty offered no comment.
..What did they do to that Internal rascal
who attempted to run away with you and
Mrs. Chadwick! ;,
"Tbey arrested him and locked him up-'
"I hone they will keep him there. And
what reason did he give the police for at
tempting to run away with you
"He said that he had made wager
with some serving maids to drive them
from the embassy. He claims to have got
the wrong number and the wrong car
riage."
"A very likely story!'
Yes. very likely story''-and Betty
still smiling passed on into the music
room, where she took her violin from its
case and played some rollicking measures
from Offenbach.
At the same time her father rose and
went out on the lawn, where he walked up
and down, with long. quick, nervous
stride. From time to time wailing note
from the violin fioated out to him. and he
would stop and raise his haggard face to-
ward heaven. His face was no longer
masked in smiles; it was grief-stricken.
self -abhorring. At length he softly crossed
the lawn and stood before the music room
window. All, no fretting care sat on yon-
der exquisite face, nor pain, nor trouble:
youth, only youth and some pleasant
thought which the music had aroused. How
like her m otheri How like her mother!
Suddenly he smote himself on the brow
with a clenched hand. Wretch! God-for-
saken wretch, how have you kept your
trust? And how yonder child has stabbed
you! How innocently she has stabbed
you! My country! . My honor!
My courage and steadfastness!
Mockery!