The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1906-10-04

iS bASh NtA'H SNhha>ef sAN~
had come for a reason; and she could
wait.
ut is very sad about Prof. Ray"
said Lady Watcliffe. He looks dread
fully ia. but he is so plucky he won't
give in. You know he loves this part
of the world. and all the country folk
love him. He here every year,
generally to u.s."
The baroness shivered. What is the
matter with him?" she asked.
mo one know exactly, but it's some
thing incurable, fatal. He looks so i'll,
but he never talks about himself and
is the best company in the world; we
are devoted to him"
do you know his wife?" asked the
baroness, inc there was a note of real
interest in her voice.
Not well. I've met her; she's little
ana young, and gay. and the children
are beautiful"
Lady Watclife sighed the sigh Of
the childless woman.
Have you ever visited them?"
"Once. They have only a little
house, such a pretty little gabled houre.
They are the cheeriest people and find
something to laugh at all day long"
The baroness asked nc more ques-
tons; she found it difficult to conceive
of a menage where people found life
80 amusing.
Three days later Rupert Ray and
the baroness were sitting on a big
round stone in the middle of a heath
er-covered moor.
The sun shone and bees were busy
n the heather. The baroness had ia
Ken off her long gloves and her white
hands lay idly folded in her lap. Her
all s~unshade, with its ony handle,
.ay on the heather beside her; she had
aiken off her hat, and the sunshine
glinted on the golden threads in her
admirably dressed b~ronze-colored
hair.
She sat looking az her W pretty
hands. Now, when the baroness
looked down you felt she could not
possibly assume a prettier attitude
Her eyelashes were so long and so
curly. But when she looked up, espe-
cially If she looked at you, 1t was plaiL
that her greatest charm lay in the eyes
themselves-so big, and blue, and
childlike.
Rupert Ray turned himself, regard
ing her with u~nfeigned pleasure. 1T is
good to see you again Rosie; you are
p~rettier than ever!"
"Ah! you have not forgotten the lit
tie. funny name! Did you think that
the schoolgirl you knew would grow
into-me?" and she turned her white
hands inwards to emphasize the INC
You were hardly a schoolgirl al
Capri. You impressed me as a very
clever young lady indeed. By Jove!
though, how time does fly! ten years
ago!"
"It may fly for you'll" pouted the bar
oness; 'it creeps and crawls for soml
people. Do you know" she continued
slowly. that l was rather in love
with you at Capri?"
II know that | was more thar
rather in love with you"
All" said the baroness, and there
was a world of meaning In that "Ah!'
Rupert Ray laughed. And how was
a wretched student at the Neapolitar
Stazione to aspire to you-you, Will
your ten languages, and your ewes
and your charms? Besides. | had ar
immense respect and affection for YOU
parents. You see, they trusted me anC
treated me like a son; and there wa:
no use in signing for the moon!"
you certainly did not sigh long
Another IS months and you had mar,
ried the little English girl who wrote
YOU serious letters. ! remembsr-ii
she still %serious?'
Rupert gazed into space over the
heathery moor, with a look in his eve
hat the baroness hardly understood
as he answered: Serious hardly des
cribes her. She was only Is when yol
used to hear of her"
Have you her photograph" sh'
asked, curiously.
He took a worn old pocketbook from
his breast pocket. In it was the pho
tograph of a large-eyed little girl. II
is the only one | have, but it is yer!
like her still"
she lOOhtu at II III oAithNC " SUM
moments; then she said, There ar
more photographs in the case; are the.
YOUR children? May | see?"
He gave her the case, and she looket
at the portraits, n after another. A.
h closed It she said gently:
You are very happy"
81 have been very happy"
The baroness looked up quickly, hi
tone was so sad.
do you love your boys very much?'
she asked, with a little catch in he
voice.
Again Rupert Ray looked into spac'
over the heathery moor, and agaii
there came into his kind, gray eye
that expression which the baroness
could not understand.
my life is full Of shadows" she sal
YEARLY; nothing is real"
Life itself is very real" said Ru
pert; land death"
For a minute or two there was n
sound but the hum OF the bees OF T.