Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-08

| Before the note of blank. undisguised in
self
Yes he said. hurriedly. Yes; that is
my desire. l know that perhaps it may
may seem incongruous. You are very
young; and +
| He hesitated with a painful touch Of en-
! barrassment. AT the hesitation Clodagh's
! voice broke forth.
But l don't want to marry she cried.
| Il don't want to marry-any one"
There was a sharp half-frghtened note
audible in her voice. Fer the moment her
whole attitude was that of the inexpe-
rienced being who clings instinctively to the
rock of present things. and obstinately re-
fuses to be cast into the sea of future pos
SibilitieS. For the moment she was blind
to the instrument that was forcing her to-
ward those possibilities. To her immature
mind. it was the choice between the known
and the unknown. Then suddenly and ac-
cidentally her eyes came back to Milbanke's
face; and the personal element in the choice
aSsaled her abruptly.
"Oh. l couldn't she cried, involuntarily.
Il Couldn't couldn't!''
She did not intend to hurt him; but cruelty;
is the preIogative of the young, and she
failed to see that he WINGED before the de-
csive honesty of her words.
Am l $3.50 very dfstasteful?" he asked,
in a low, unsteady voice.
She looked az hin in silence. 1t was the
inevitable clash of youth and age She was
warm-hearted. she capable of generous
action; but before all else, she was young
the triumphant inheritor of the ages. Life
stretched before her, while it lay behind
him. She looked at him; and as she looked,
a wave of revolt-a strong. sudden sense of
her individual right to happiness urged
through her.
ooh, 1 couldn't!' she cried again II
couldn'tr'
And before Milbanke could reply-before
he had time to comprehend the purport of
her wordS-she had turned and fled in the
direction of the house laay or linz
as he was, dazed and petrified. -.
Upward along the path Clodagh ran. Her
impulse toward flight had been childish and
her thoughts she sped forward were as
unreasonable and confused as child's She
was vaguely, blindly filled with desire to
escape-from what she knew not; to evade-
what she knew not. Her one consecutive
thought was the knowledge that the prop
upon which she had leaned in these days of
sorrow and despair had unaccountably and
suddenly been withdrawn, and that she
stood woefully. alone and unprotected.
On she ran, until the archway of the
courtyard broke into view; then without
moments hesitation she swerved to the left,
sped across the yard, and burst uncere-
monously into the kitchen.
In the kitchen Hannah was busying her
self over the fire that, in the confusion of
the mornings event. had been suffered to
die down. At the tempeStuous opening of
the door she turned sharply round and for
a second stood staring at the disturbed face
of her young mistress; then, with the in
tuitive tact of her race, she suddenly opened
her ample arms. and with sob Clodagh
rushed toward her.
For a long moment Hannah held her as if
she had been baby, patting her shoulder
and smoothing her ruffied hair, while she
| cried out her grief and bewilderment At
| last, with a slow, sobbing breath, she
| raised her head.
ooh. Hannah, want father!" she said.
Il want father!
Hannah drew her closer to her broad
shoulder.
"Whisht, now!' she murmured. tenderiy
'Whisht, now! Sure he's betther off. Sure
he's betther off,"
But Clodagh's mind was too agitated to
take comfort. With a change of mental at
titude she altered her physical position
freeing herself abruptly from Hannah's en-
| brace.
Hannah" she cried. suddenly, Mr.. MIL
| banke wants me to marry him. And I
won't! 1 can't! 1 won't!'
Hannah's eyes narrowed sharply. But
| whatever her emotion she checked IT, and
| bent over her charge with another caress.
Sure you won't, of course, my lamb.
Who'd be askin' your
mo one."
I Thin why would you be frettin' your
| self?"
I'm not frettng myself. Only"
"Only what?"
| Only Oh. nothing, nothing" With a
| distressed movement Clodagh pushed back
her hair from her forehead Then she
| turned to the old servant afresh. Han
| nah," she demanded, why does he want to
marry me? Why does he want tot"
] Hannah was silent for space; then her
I shrewd. ugly face puckered into an express
| sion of profound wisdom.
| Men are quare." she said. oracularly.
"The oulder the quarer. Maybe he's think
| in of himself in the matther; but maybe
her voice dropped impressvely-'.ma
Miss Clodagh. it's the way he's thinkin' of
you
/ She paused with deep significance.
L rTla -aef<.a
/ C1odagh looked up sharply.
What do you mean?" she asked.
Manner" Hannah turned away, and.
picking up a poker, began softly to rake the
ashes from the fire. Sure what would /
| be manin?' $500
but you do mean something. What is
n?" s
| Hannah wentAon with her task.
U =, stu her f,<af =