The Somerset reporter., 1906-09-27

doing 1t for charity 1t isn't even the
necessary ambition Of the professional
to win higher place for herself. You
will get tlattery from the critics who
do not think 1t worth the effort to
spend real criticism on society ANA
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 to you possibly can
and, Alicia Fairall, | don't want to see
you damned with faint praise or hu-
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. l must ask you to ex.
cuse me" And she swept from the
room, pauslng once in the curtained
doorway as If to speak
Unconseiously she assumed n theat-
rical attitude Her face was turned back
over her shoulder, and her lips were
and her soft green dress between the
heavier green of the curtains she look.
ed like a tall, beautiful dahlia, and Bob
involuntarily started forward But she
closed her lips 10 thin red line and
went on dropping the curtains behind
her. Presently he heard the tapping of
her slippers upon the stairs aud then
the bang of a door
He did not leave the house at once,
but stood at the window where Alicia
had stood and looked out into the gray
twilight. 1t 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 turAed and picked up the emer-
aid ring and slipped it into his vest
pocket ut is too close to May for her
to mean that" Then he sought for pa
per and pen and sat down at the table,
He wrote:
Dear, If l have been too harsh forgive
me. l have said too strongly. perhaps,
what | believe to be true, and all 1 want
is to spare both of US the pain any failure
of yours would be sure to cause. Think
1t over we'll dear. before you decide.
What I came to tell you today Is that
our house is all done. The last workman
has left I am incloslng a key-there are
only two-and l beg you will go there
and think II all over at least once before
you decide finally.
He inclosed the key and on his way
out handed the envelope to the butler
to "be taken up to Miss Alicia"
AS for Alicia. she had gone straight
to her desk and had written the follow
ing note:
My Dear Mr.. Courtenay--I have decid-
ed, as I promised I would by today, about
the concert tour. You may depend upon
ma for your soprano. And as have been
the only one to object to the longer trip
you planned l withdraw my objections to
that also. Under your management I
feel sure we shall be successful Sin
cerely ALICIA LEE FAIRALL.
When she had heard the closing OF
the outer door she gave the note to the
butler and took from him the envelope
Bob had left. With it in her hand she
went slowly upstairs and sat down be-
fore her CRATE fire, She felt her anger
melting away, and by the ache In her
throat knew that tears were not far
off. She tore open the envelope hop
ing to find some stimulus to her indig
nation, but at the gentleness of the
words and the sight of the key to the
home she and Bob had so eagerly, care
fully planned the tears came with a