Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25

quite get away from the feeling that It was
wrong to show it. Unless he did show It,
how would he ever make Allison under
stand? He doubted IL she would under
stand wholly. even after reading the letter.
She was the dearest girl in the world-aI-
most. Her quick intelligence would readily
lay hold upon all that was in> the lines OF
the letter. But what was between the lines
she might overlook-not only the atmos-
pherfc suggestion. but the subtler ones OF
soul vibrant with another tuned to Its
own key.
Fate saved him from choosing As ALI
son came through the door a ruffle of wind
tore the sheets from his grasp and whisked
them to her feet: She picked them up with
out looking at them. but once they were in
her hand he would not take them away I'M
read. When she had read. she looked down
and shook her head gently, saying: What
strange"
"Why-don't you see-everything is
strange" MaIlibone cried, eagerly. 'TO
think Of a woman-clearly gentlewoman,
as clearly a poet by divine right-sendlng
me such screed. You see, signed my
name and gave references-and said-Oh!
the sort of thing one would say to Rose
Royal. You read her verses, of course-the
dawn and the dew are in them-and heart
break-and life-and-and lover.
And she writes to you like a mother, al
most. Allison said. with smile Of soft
malice. Really. Mr. Arthur Mallibone. l
feeling that the other woman was looking
over her shoulder
THE other woman! How would she
know Mailibone began. helplessly.
do plenty OF other things ever read verses
except when they're In love? And you
couldn't be In love with her." she said de-
murely.
But am in love with her. At least l
would be If" MaIlibone protested, break
ing OF short at the end.
Allison raised her eyebrows significantly.
"a - -
poor Arthur! It's dreadful to be so eligible.
I'm awfully afraid you'll have to marry
as It were in self-defense."
IF did. would you carer Mallibone de-
She smiled at him TRANQUILITY as she an
swered: Certainly. There would be an
end to our good times. no matter how much
liked Mrs. Mallibone.
"Why?" Mallibone demanded, relentlessly,
keeping her hands in his.
Her eyes danced, but her lips were grave
as she leans answered: "oh, because as sure as
you found yourself tied fast to somebody
gave you half a chance"
Mallibone sat down suddenly, helpless
with laughter. II should have fallen In love
with you long ago If you had given me
wouldn'talways you've been so ruthlessly
Bother sentiment" Allison interrupted.
Lets get back to the letter; of course.
you'll answer it?"
II hardly know" Mallibone said, I'M
truthfully. He knew he should answer it.
but was something loath to let Allison
know 1t, too.
Allison looked at him keenly. "You will
answer It, and the thing will go on and on.
Suppose, after a while, when you are head
over heels in love with the unknown-you
should meet her, and find her hideous-say
lump Of fat. or a Maypole, or a mission
airy hgure-why, what them"
II shall not ask to see her yet. II ever
do. depend on 1t I shall know in spite
of typewriting and all. she is worth see
smile.
But how will you know" Allison per-
sisted.
Again MaIlibone smiled. by being a
man. and not wholly without penetration"
he answered mo woman can write man
three letters without showing pretty clear
ly the sort Of person he may expect her
to be-"
Mallibone might possibly have revised
that judgment had he been given the
chance several months later. Letters few
back and forth between him and Rose
Royal. He hardly waited for the fateful
third to beg an interview. Rose-Royal de-
INJURED coyly-even limiting that the meet
ing was forever out of the question. She
said outright he must walk warily. and
pledge himself against trying to find out her
name and local habitation. You are a
caprice. do not know that you will ever
be MORE" ran one epistle. Until I am
sure that you are worth the trouble. why
give myself the trouble of talking to you
face to face? Besides, it may be kinder to
remain only an ideal. But even in shaping
the ideal, pray bear in mind that rhymer.
like volcano, Is not built Of the matter
erupted. Heaven be praised for the fact.
II it were not fact should not relish my
dinner as do, nor have fine feeling for my
clothes, which are often what you are
pleased to call my poems, in their last
transformation. How can you expect me
to waste a sentiment in letters? 1t rhymes
itself almost automatically, and is so read
lily merchantable.
Notwithstanding Mallibone persisted. The
thing so Idly begun had become a deadly
earnest He never let himself think In cold
blood Of what the end might be; he refused
to take further counsel with Allison-in-
deed he kept out of her way, and left her
short letters unanswered until answering
them was impossible. He refused blindly
to believe the letters Of Rose-Royal, choos-
ing rather to judge her by the verse signed
with her name. Always rhythmic, musical
and delicate, it was by turns despairing, or
else filed with a tricksy JOY in life and the
good world. Now aud again, too, there was
a rare elfin note. sweet and high as the
singing skylarks. that thrilled and made
the heart beat faster. Whenever he heard
this elfin note he had to tell the singer how
much, how dearly he loved her. For long
she took no note Of the avoWals, but one
day toward the end of October she wrote:
''You say you love me. Come and find out
II you have spoken truth"
That was all, except on a separate sheet,
prosaic details. She was coming cityward
at such a date. He must call at street
number and ask simply for Rose-Royal.
Mallibone dropped the paper there, his head
suddenly giddy.
After little he. noted joyously that he
had only day to wait. He spent the first
hours Of 1t curiously-in pouring out to Al
lisofl what he felt and hoped. Thus only.
it seemed to him, could he hold fast to san
ity.
Rose Royal had bewitched him, but she
had not put Allison, CHEEKY Allison, who
warmed like sunshine and braced like the
west wind, out of his heart. Nobody ever
would do that. He wished deveutly that
he loved her as he loved this unknown. He
might have done it IL there had not been
all that beastly talk Of money-his money,
and Allison's-and the elders on both sides
SO eager to make the match The wonder
was not that they had rebelled but that
the elders had not made them hate each
other.
All this and more he recalled while his
pen raced. Then when he had dropped It,
after signing his name. he caught up the
mass Of written sheets, tore them In half
and scrawled in the middle of another,
please God and Rose-Royal, you Will see
me two days hence" folded and sealed it,
and sent 1t straightway to the post. Then
he went out and walked the streets until
near morning. It was the only way he