Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15
Releasing trembling count struggled bndy back
them, the smaller is the party to which one

them, the smaller is the party to which one
asks them ..-
THAT is encouraging" he said. TT is
kind of you. Now. dear Lady Thurso, we
have not seen each other for d long time,
and though old histories are tiresome l do
want to know one thing. Never mind the
history, the events, but are you happy?
Have you been hapny?' ---
She paused a moment.
Yes, immensely happy" she sad. AT
least my life suits me, which l suppose i'm
plies happiness l am-what is the cant
phrase?-in harmony with my environment.
And you?"
..Ah. well. 1 have been ambitious. and I
have got what L wanted. l suppose l
should be content with that. But when L
accepted this post in England, l did it be-
cause 1 wanted something more
And you have got it?', She asked.
You have just promised 1t me-your
friendship. l was very anxious about
that
She laughed again, conscious of de-
termination not to let the conversation get
deeper than this. But for the moment 1t
was out of her hands. for he went on in
that COOL quiet voice, separating each word
from it's neghbor, giving each its individual
value. r. - -
..People who have been old friends" he
said, 'fOften make a great mistake In THINK
ing over and wondering about the past. |
assure you l am not going to do that L
am more than content to take up the pres
ent, just as it is, fragrant with the promise
the knowledge that you have been happy.
l would have given my whole life to make
you that, and now that 1t has come to you
without any effort on my part, why, let US
rejoice over the economy of my energy!
They had come to the end of the path
by the river, where gate bordered on the
high road outside. and paused moment
before retracing their steps. Dig yellow
moon had risen over the trees to the east,
80 that while the western part of the sky
still glowed with sunset, the east was
flooded with that cold white flame that
turns every color into ivory or ebony ana
this strange effect was reproduced on ms
face as he stood facing north, for the
warmth of color from the west shone ON
one cheek and on the other the white cold
ness of the moon. Ana, 1antastlcaIy
enough, she seemed to read his words in a
double light; they were cordial and gen
erous enough, but was their generosity that
of fisherman who trails gift OF Tree 1000
only the free food has hook inside 1t
which will capture ana prlnS MS prey "
him?
But then instantly she told herself that
she was utterly unwarranted and un1ustlhed
in such conjecture. HIS WORDS mao ,i peeh
est cause for interpreting them otherwise.
What she had done was to read into them
the knowledge that twelve years ago she
had treated him abominably, and credit him
with desire for revenge. 1t was Tor mat
reason that she had a touch OF distrust TO-
ward him. She feared him, too. Beneath
his quiet kind words there was sense
of mastery, that he was DONG as ne neans
to do, that, as he had said, ne wanted
many things and got them. what then,
did he want of her He had told her-her
friendship. .
cleverness which it required a certain per-
cention to see at all, SO subtle and natural
was it. to say these deep and serious
things about her happiness and her 1rlena,
shin- things which he knew well would
remain in her mind. and be food for thought
and round off the sentence with pure
triviality of light conversation ABOUT the
economy of energy. He oangieu II psiore
her, as rescuing rope may be dangled pc
fore some one at the bottom of a deep
well and exactly as he had intended, she
instantly seized it, thinking 1t was she VINO
had without transition changed the CONVEX.
sation, whereas 1t was ne Who' having saio
his say, had done SO.
II really don't know If one ought to re-
toice in economy of energy, she said, as
an enormous lot of energy in the world, al
most a glut Of 1t. ! know have quite as
much as I have any use for should ma
more of 1t embarrassing.
there is never kind scheme brought be-
fore you to which you do not give your real
support, not the mere buttress OF your
name. but your time, your pains, your
speech. But you see you economlze energy
in other directions"
.sWhat dfrections?" she asked.
Emotional You never worry, do your
You never regret. You never allow passion
Of any sort to master you"
This again was rather more Intimate than
liked, yet somehow she did not resent
IT, Perhaps 1t would be true to say sne couid
not resent 1t, for In his very gentleness
there was inherent strength that MADE
resentment futile; you might as wen re.
sent the slow moving on OF a glacier. -, ~
would do no good resenting It., and Lily
always set her face against doing things
"No, don't think worry" she said.
Then suddenly she told herself she was
being afraid of this man, and her next
words, simple and short as they were,. re-
uuired g. certain effort OF courage, for she
asserted herself against him.
"And certainly I never regret" she said.
people talk of destiny as II 1t was force
outside themselves II I thought that,
should, no doubt, sometimes regret the
dealings of destiny. But don't In all
important decisions destiny is really ones
own will. And my will isn't weak, think.
I will what will. Is that nonsense?'
w Old cdfi1 ho