The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-11-26

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capricIous, inconstant. vain; she was
self willed and fun OF Wiles; she was
oh. she was Alexandra Lee. He would
not think of her
a great deal that had happened that
night was blurred to him. But the
bang of the carriage door as they
started home reverberated in his mind
like the crack OF doom. 1t had slipped
from his hand and swung to with
crash. Alexandra's laugh Knocked him.
with any one else. George. I'd have
said the door slammed
He remembered how she looked as
he turned. something strange in her
eyes that matched, in Impression. the
misty multitudinous rulings and bill
Iowings of her gown-that frivolous.
futterinG, elusive green tulle he bad
watched all evening as she danced
with every other man in the room
with Herbert Hartley. a dawdling.
dangling derellct, a sigupost to every
m,th hut that Of rectItude-of all men
IA TIE world. Herbert Hartley!
From her carriage corner Alexandra
sighed i've had such good time.
and now suppose there's the piper TO
pay"
IF you mean there is Hartley to set
tie for
Herbert? You've a tone that hints
at thirdly and fourthly. brethren and
poor Herbert! He's 50 much more of
u song than a sermon
That began it. He had never meant
to quarrel. only to deal with her m a
firm. prompt fashion. as man should.
Firm. prompt he had been, with GER
tain ability of exposition that served
him we'll in courts of law, but with
AlpNuuClrl-
She bent down as he ended. Are
you there. Alexandra 2" she asked of
the floor. Poor dear, there is nothing
left to pick up. oh. I'm tired, tired!,
I'm stified. l can't breathe There,
take it back And she tossed the
RIM. across to him. Now one can
draw free breath"
"AleXaudra!" he begged.
But he had cut. and she meant he
should pay. And hers was a pretty
gift of table turning.
He held his anger down. No more
doors should slam by chance about
him. and 1t was only as they neared
the house that he interrupted:
we haven't gained anything this
way. Discuss me again. The point Is
Herbert Hartley"
;'Then I must put on my bonds
again? Where is the rInGT
But he hadn't the ring.
You had it last
.'I laid it In your lap"
But it was not in her lap nor the
seat nor the carriage. Alexandra
laughed. ooh, thrifty George, are you
sure you've not taken 1t back for safe
keepinE?"
He stood long moment at her door
land Hartley:'' he said.
Insisteuce was match to her powder
How can 1 answer unless we're en-
gaged? And people can't be engaged
without rings. can they, George? You
seem to think with mine on that
fail to remember. Bring 1t back TO me
and-Eood nightr'
After a week of wrath mingled with
pain he got himself under control and
wrote her. But the answer came back
the same absurd. maddening, almost
insulting reiterntIon-the ring, always
the ring. A perversity first or pre-
text did she use 1t now as weapon:
He hadn't the ring. she knew
Life was turmoil once Alexandra en-
| tered, and he remembered with what
perverse astuteness she had said her
self: I'm like a mustard plaster on
your mind. You'd better take me of
before 1 raise a blister"
But she was in every wind that blew
and without her nothing was worth
while that once had been.
| So for fortnight he had gone about
his accustomed ways, and, though
many a fiutter OF familiar skirts had
set his heart a-jump. yet he never had
met Alexa since that night. Then II
case of some Importance took him out
of town with such sharp demand upon
all his faculties that he had known q
sort of respite.
But back in the town his work was
all to do again. He went his way
down to his Office: he bowed TO pep
pie who drove past with a swift hope
that Alexa would not be with them.
And then unexpectedly with group
near the Hurds-there was Alexa!
Yes. It was Alexandra and Evelyn
Hurd, and with them Herbert Hartley
The group stood until he had almost
reached them. when Hartley turned.
and Evelyn went back TO the house.
while Alexa stopped by the HuTdF
waiting carriage.
He knew she had seen him long be
fore. butt was one of her insincerities
he most disllked--she acted out acute
| surprise. He put a sitter guard upon
himself.
| stiner guard. She called it by
another name. She hated him when
he was like that How futile he made
her feel. how trivial how vain! Well.
at least she would make him feel once
more and betray IT; she would wiring
nut of him Il protest.
And then her mind misgave her. 4
Was she being left with the situation u
naVpf