The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-08-15
CONSOLATION.
BY Nellie X. Bllsse,t.

IF it's any consolation to either OF
US" Harley said, with a glance at the
girl beside him, 81 hear we've behaved
splendidly."
The girl poked the gravel with the
point Of her parasol, and avoided his
eye.
Il wonder" she reflected, slowly,
whether you find 1t consolation
I'm wondering" he retorted,
whether you do"
But what else" she Questioned with
a touch of contempt, could we have
done?
1t was Harley's turn to poke the
gravel.
We'll, the chief point in our favor"
he explained, seems to be that we
didn't mope-in the middle of the sea-
son, with so many anxious hostesses
depending upon the support Of our brill
liant and successful presence. We
showed pluck. We didn't wear our
mangled and bleeding hearts upon our
sleeves, and retire into a corner to be-
wall our forsaken lot. Every one adj
mits, with extraordinary generosity,
Etat we had every right TO do so-but
didn't. No, we said-in effect
c.Hang the faithless pair! They're not
worth our tears'-and society is CRATE.
full to US accordingly"
He paused and looked at her with in
terest, She continued to poke the
gravel.
after ALL" she answered. "moping
wasn't much good, under the circum-
stances. They were married. And
supposing things hadn't gone so far as
that-they didn't want us. They took
their own way out of the difficulty
without consulting us. | think 1t
would have been better If they had
given us a chance of surrendering our
Ioe'bts to them willingly, but that's q
Nh, te detail"
pf5he fell upon the gravel with re-
newed vigor. Harley watched her.
Would you," he said at last, have
surrendered your-rights-in such
spirit of self-sacriflcing readiness?'
81 wasn't Archie Lovells jailer,"
merely the girl he was engaged to-"
Exactly" he rejoined with warmth.
That's what told Angela Coventry
mean, of course, Mrs. Lowell They
might at least have given us the chance
Of being generous"
"They chose" she said coldly, ito |
consider us their jailers. They chose
to make violent escape from our
our custody. They assumed bolts and
bars l always used TO think elop-
ments so romantic-in books. That
was because | never considered the
feelings of the people left behind.
Now" she added, with laugh, I've
been left behind myself know what
1t feels like
1T isn't" Harley suggested, the
most gratifying of sensations
1T isn't. And our only consolation"
she declared with irony, sis to be told
that we've behaved spendidly-we
haven't moped!"
The gravel flew before the tip OF
her parasol, Harley looked thoughtful
ly at the ruin she was making.
1T hasn't" he admitted PRESENTLY,
'"been my only consolation. | had an
other consolation. too"
what was that?" she inquired with
interest
"well-if you want to know-it was
the fact that you were taking 1t so
pluckiIy. If it hadn't been for your
example"-there was the ghost of a
twinkle in his eye-"I almost think |
should have been tempted to nope.
Think of that!"
my example,"
Precisely. You carried 1t off so
well that had to play up. We were
both IN the same dilemma-we were
both cast for the ignominous role Of
The Forsaken. And imagined, natu
rally, that it would be worse for you"
He cast sharp glance at her. She
looked fixedly at the gravel.
ut was worse for you-naturally,"
he repeated, with emphasis, |
Il don't see exactly why" she said,
In low voice. GO on"
"And felt myself responsible, too,
In a way. felt that If ! had been able
to hold Angela, you wouldn't have lost
Archie. But / wasn't able. II she
ever Ncared for me, wasn't able to
make her keep on caring. There
wan something wrong somewhere,
wasn't there?'' : i.f
He paused for an answer. she shook