The Washington herald., 1907-10-13


a clever guess. 1 have been staying ir
the same house with The prime minister
ana quite naturally we spoke OF you.
told hlm that We We're old friends"
AS she said the last two words Sin
Percy Carlyon turned away his head and
a dull flush dyed his sunburned face.
however, those are matters really OF
prescienee- / was very young when we
! loved, but even then I knew that some
day you would be a great. il not a IA
nous, man"
am neither" responded Sir Percy.
taking refuge in commonplace.
! Then there was silence again for a
time The freight played over Mrs. Yer
/ mons face and figure and the masses OF
/ pale blue draperies. and over the tin of
! her pale blue slippers. upon which stones
/ sparkied. Her eyes were fixed upon Sir
/ Percy, and. raising herself in her chair.
she leaned over toward him and said
calmly:
( Guy Vernon, you know, has been dead
more than year.
Sir Percy knew what she meant-that
she was now free.
i had not heard it," he replied with
equal eaimness. Il hope that your latter
uays with MIN were happier than the
earlier ones"
had not seen or spoken with him
Tor several years. We had such unhap-
piness together If / had been happlly
She broke of suddenly and then con-
unued after a while.
1t would be hypocritical for me 10 ex-
press any grief at Guy Vernon's death
ana whatever l am. / am not a hypo-
eilte-eXcept TO my father. I love him.
Ior / can love. and he is the one person
really fear-eXCept You"
As she spoke she leaned forward
again and. closing her fan. almost Laid
tne TIP ot It upon Sir Percy's hand. out
sltetched on the arm of his chair. In
angther instant it would have been =
caress. but Sir Percy c0olly moved his
hand and Mrs. Vernon quickly withdrew
the fan.
Gen Talbot is "a man very much to
be feared as Wen as loved. was his an
swer
Whenever the memory comes to me
OF what l owe him and how / repaid him
/ feel Ike shooting myself"
But we were very happy in that
time, murmured Alicia. leaning back
and letting her hands fan in her Ian as
she watched the nre
SIT Percy rose, and Alicia Vernon rose
too.
You know very well" she said, show
ing some agitation why I came here
i wanted 10 see you. I am a fool. OF
course-every woman is about some man.
1 have tried 10 forget YOU. I have besn
trying TO do that for twelve years but
j nave not succeeded. Do Won remember
those tragic stories Of the Middle Ages
when d woman who loved a man would
dress herself as a page and follow him
10 the Crusades2 They are the women
who know how 20 love- rot those conven-
uonal creatures who st by the fire and
20 whom one man is the same as an
other"
As she spoke her eyes hlIed and two
large bright tears dropped upou her
cheeks. and she pressed her handker-
chief to her eyes with a trembling hand
Sir Percy had meant 10 be stern with
her- but no man. If he be a man. can /
De stern 10 woman ia tears He re- I
mained silent for minute or two. moved
IN spite Of himself, at Alicia Vernon.s
emotion.
Alicia he said. and then paused. It 1
was the first time he had called her bv
ner name Tor years. and as he spoke her
eyes lighted up and sad smile played /
ABOUT her mouth 4, least Of all human /
beings, can reproa6h you. / am willing
10 take upon myself all the guilt. tie 4
shame, OF that bygone time, but it was
sullt and shame, and let US not deceive
ourselves"
Was it guilt and shame?r she asked
u her thrilling voice. WAS it rather
lot rate: / was married at twenty TO
worthless wretch. I was formed TO love
ma De loved, and I found myself tied TO
creature IKE Guy Vernon. Then l met
% you the man for whom / was meant
ana came into my own. At least I
vas olSinteTested, for then you were both
'DoI anu OBSCURE ! never had one re-
sTeJ Tor anything that happened Do
-ou suppose that Marguerite Ca4tjer re
iretled, even when she was dying. that
me had loved Armand? I alwas,s %
Nhen can, 10 hear that opera. IA Vie
ie Boheme-' Minis death is really
triumph Of love. Let me tell Won This.
10 woman who ever loved ever regretted
II she regretted il she did not love
len feel and act differently about these
hIngs You know You loved re once
nd you have seemed to hate me eyer
ince, but love viii prevail-it viii vet
revaiL"
1t was a piteous sight to see her with
lasped hands and -the glory of an undv-
lg hope IN her eyes and voice. To make
er believe that the end had come long
lnce between Sir Percy CarIyon and
erself was like fighting a shadow. The
ssolve took possession of Sir Percy to
eH her Of Lucy Armytage. and then she
light realize the inevitable.
we VIII speak no more of the past
e said, and I viii tell you what has
appened In the present I have met a
'oman whom I truly love, and she has .
romised to marry me-"
Alicia Vernon turned deathly pale and
-OOd looking at him with eyes ike those
Dido when she saw Aeneas sail away !
ON her. She walked steadily TO the ;
indow and looked with unseeine eyes
the glory of red and gold in which the
~ was sinking. Sir Percy Carlvon
anding where she had left him. had IN
attic with his common sense. Reason
I'D him that he had done this woman no ;
jury-rather she had injured him
I'd although Alicia Vernon's protestation
love for him carried with it eonvic- :
on OF truth, il had not kept her in the ,
raight path. Nevertheless he felt as
he had struck her a physical blow
resently she came from the window
ward the fire. and said to Sir Percy 4
nat any woman Of forty would say:
The girl you love is young?" Il
Yes
That is the way of the world" cried p
licia-'youth is everything. What is n :,
rancois COpDee says2 There is nothing -
r women but a little love when they =
e young. I ask one thing OF you. how a
er- You can scarcely refuse IL" Sir
ercy remained silent. He did not re- ir
Sc it, but he was too much on his
lard to promise it. Only this, let me 7,
e this woman whom you prefer to me.
'u think 1t childish? Very well; all o.
omen have something Of the child in
EN-"
sir Percy mont +o,r,ar,7 tl - ~