Evening star., 1907-06-29

fusal of his love gave him a more un-
hampered risnt to look after her. And Ellis
was always fair. He went on:
/ must say that l don't like him. but
that is not my affa r, if you are SUR tina:
you do. l do not want you to wake up and
lind that you are married to a mere musi-
clan. 1t is easy tn how he m ght fas-
cinate you, as re has all those other women.
Such things catching.
You seem t. think that a musician can
not be mani She spoke reSentfully. HIS
reply was instant.
You mistake: l am only too sure that a
musician is always a man! l mean to have
you realize what particular sort of man
this musician is, that's all, Janet. l dol
mean TO interfere with you; l simply want
you 20 be careful to use your judgment
and not to go by half-hypnotZed emotions"
Il don't understand you" Her voice
was cold.
That's the point. Once you would have
! understood. Don't you see the change IN
| yourself? Don't YOU see that he takes you
at a disadvantage"
What do you mean?'
Il mean that for three months this man
| shows himself to you in overreated rooms
| sick with the odor of hothoUse flow rs
and dim with drawn shades and candle S.
| and puts you under the spell OF his faSc.-
| mating presence and his emotional music.
1t is unhealthy, and l should think you
| would stife. What has become of the out
| of-doors Janet that once knew? Why does
| he not take you out into the wind and the
sunshine and ask you to marry him? why
! does he not play in tie daylight? Music,
| the kind you and / love, Is c.ean, pure,
| daylight thing. You will sooner or later
realize that life holds many better things
| than sweet sounds in dim room, Janet
| Wake from your dreaming and consider this
] man a man, an everyday companion
| Will he do to walk and talk with? Would
you like to eat breakfast with him every
morning? She fingered her rose with colo
/ fingers and was silent as he continued mas
| tily while the musicians again tuned tn II
Instruments.
Janet. don't answer this man until after
| you have walked four or nve miles aone
more fit to decide what you really want!
! Will you, Janet-for the sake OF what you
might have been to me-? She looked up 70
/ meet the old boy smile.
| He has changed since 1 came into S
| life," she made reply. He can do nothing
without me! He cannot play without me
! And he loves mel You do not understand
! Did he not? Ellis face grew grim DID
he not love her? Had he not the pros
! pect of a life without her? And this stran-
! ger-he could cheerfu!ly have slain him fol
| playing upon her generosity! Still he told
| himself he would not have minded II the
| man had been worthy of her.
| But do you love him?' he flashed back
Janet hesitated. She could not say she
| was surei
Further talk was impossible. for just then
the tuning ceased, and a bright allegro
| thrilled like light through the DIM parors
| Janet stirred restlessly. and Ellis reached
1
! Then Reaux played as even Janet had not
| heard him play before. She knew 1t was
! his personal cry to her, the expression OF
his need of her, and that hitherto absent
note of doubt and supplication had crept
into his insistent hold upon her sympathy.
She realized that the entrance of Ellis
| Field had disturbed the musician, that he
| sounded a note of fear that her answer
might not meet his desire. She began to
| realize that her feeling shrank from his
clinging hold upon her spirit, which gave
no answer to his call.
She sat looking straight at him as she
had never looked before, with the clear
| eyed merciess gaze of the woman without
prejudice, indifferently, willing to see an,
| man at his true value. She felt herself
! capable of criticism. Was Ellis right after
all? He was jealous-could he at the same
time be just? Her knowledge of Ellis told
her that he could.
Then she tried to put the thoughtof Ellis
aside. to listen as she had listened before,
to let herself be swept into the pulse and
stir of sweet sound. to lose herself softly
in the dreams of the present moment where
she need not think.
1t was vain effort. She could not escape