Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1906-09-26
Alicia's
Home
Coming
{"
By
Cecilia A.
LoixeAux
Copyright, 1905, by Ruby Douglas

1T isn't even as If you needed TO do
, this, Alicia" Bob Kendall held his
voice to cool, argumentative tone
that made the girl before him still
more indignant.
"Who are you that you should decide
whether | need to do anything at ALP"
she blazed Indignantly.
IL am your fiance, and he was be-
ginning when she interrupted him.
III that Is your excuse for such I'M
just interference with my wishes. |
can at least relieve you of your duty"
And she placed her engagement ring
on the table between them. 1.-THE young
man glanced at it without seeming to
see ii. Then he looked sharply at the
angry girl who was drawn to her full
height
alicia" he said gently. you are too
angry TO realize what you are doing.
Put the ring on your finger again.
You don't mean this"
Pardon me, do mean it," said the
girl Jelly.
The young mans face whitened, and
hurt look sprang into his steady
brown eyes. Then he Strengthened mp
and squared his shoulders and set his
strong chin firmly. When he spoke
there was a note of hardness in his
voice which the girl had never heard
from him before and from which she
shrank mentally.
"Alicia, do you realize what you are
doing? We were TO be married i'm May.
Your trousseau is begun, | know. And
you've given me every reason to be-
leve you cared for me as much as ] do
for you And now, because / ask you
TO do this one thing-for your sake rs
well as mine you are going TO give all
this upr'
The girl turned suddenly and went
to the window, where she stood look
ing out into the dripping garden. She
felt her lips quivering, and she must
not let Bob see.
Bob looked at the crown of dark red
hair against the deep green of the
window draperies, and his voice sof-
tened
This is all I've ever asked of you,
Alicia I've been too confident of your
love for me after you confessed it;
I've believed in you too utterly ever 10
be jealous of your flirtations. as many
another man would have been-and
rightly too. I've submitted cheerfully
to being 'trailed' in public because it
was you who did the trailing
Alicia turned and faced him again,
her foot tapping the floor impatiently.
us the list of your virtues n long
one. sir?" she asked.
II shall not name them ALL" he an
swered calmly. The only thing I've
ever insisted upon your doing is this
one were talking about. Give up this
silly concert tour. I've never said
word when you've sung for sweet char
ity's sake or for any society affair,
even when the publicity of the events
has often made me writhe. This time
you haven't any real reason. You are
not in need OF money. and you're not
doing il for charity. 1t isn't even the
necessary ambition of the professional
to win higher place for herself. You
will get fiattery from the critics who
do not think II worth the effort 10
spend real criticism on society anna
tours. If they should criticise you
honestly-the way they do profession
ais. to whom ii means bread and but
ter-you'd see the point I'm trying to
make. ! appreciate the charm OF you
and your voice as no one else who
looks and listens 10 you possibly can,
and, Alicia Fairall. | don't want to see
you damned with faint praise or hui
inflated by any conscientious critic.
Can't you see that
when you are quite through" inter
rupted Alicia. you can doubtless find
your way out | must ask You TO eX-
cuse me" And she swept from the
room, pausing once in the curtained
doorway as If to speak.
Unconsciously she assumed theat-
rical attitude. Her facewas turned back
over her shouldes. and her lips were
parted little. With her glowing head
and her soft green dress between the
I heavier green of the curtains she look
/ ed like a tall. beautiful dahlia. and Bob
! inVoluntarily started forward. But she
! closed her lips to thin red line and
went on dropping the curtains behind
her. Presently he heard the tapping of
her slippers upon the stairs and then
/ the bang Of door.
He did not leave the house at once.
but stood at the window where Alicia
had stood and looked ont into the gray
twilight. II was early spring. As he
looked YEARLY at the sparrows on the
soaked lawn Bob felt his throat tighten
and brushed his hand across his eyes.
''She couldn't mean it," he muttered
as he turned and picked up the cmcr-
aid ring and slipped it into his vest
pocket. 1T is too close TO May for her
Ia mean that" Then he sought for pa
per and pen and sat down ut the table.
lie wrote:
Dear, II | have been too harsh forgive
me | have said too strongly, perhaps.
what | believe TO be true, and all | want
Is to spare both Of us the pain any failure
Of yours would be sure To cause. Think
II over well. dear. before you decide.
What | came 60 tell you today Is that
our house Is all done The last workman
has left ! I'm inclosing kcy--there are