Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-11
THE IMPERSONATOR.

understand me. you know what mean
he stretched out his hand with an eloquent
gesture; there Is q community OF spirit, a
common ground on which you and can
meet one another. l needed to speak out
| today. and l came to YOU" he paused ;
his expression was so grave ar& so simple
that 1t was impossible to misunderstood the
keynote of his mood. Il have had a great
surprise, he went on; yesterday there
was no especial thought OF me in ConneC-
ton with the cabinet vacancy; tonight the
President has asked me TO accept the va
cant portfolio
| Mary did not reply. she had shrunk
/ farther into the corner of her great chair.
and her face in the semi-obscurity of her
niche was pale. She daepiy moved; Il
seemed cruel in him to tempt her so, to
tempt her with his confidence and his ad-
mira ton. when she could accept neither
without more miserable deception. The fire
cracked and a log fell with a scattering
shower of sparks. Ryland stopped down
and taking up the tonGs replaced 1t across
the andirOnS.
Il have always hoped to go into the
Senate. if opportunity ever favored me. .
he went on. and it does now; next year
1 shall probably be elected to succeed our
senior senator who has refused reelection.
! Meanwhile this place In the cabinet IS Of
fered ME. l am not wholly in accord with
the President, l have never craved this
particular distinCtion-but-' he looked
quietly across at her, a smile on his lips.
Il have come to talk it over with you
Mary reused herself: her lips quvered,
but she still had great self-command. 1T
! is hard for me to advise you she said
bleakly; you know am almost an alien;
1 have lived all my life in the narrow con-
| vent school at Paris; my only glimpse OF
the world has been my brief one here. You
seem to me to have a dazzling choice.
Ryland Strengthened himself and looked
at her attentively; the chill Of her mood
was too perceptible to be overlooked. yet
he saw her lips culver as she spoke You
are shutting the door of your Kingdom.
like the princess in your fairy tale" he
said quickly, ''and you leave me to stand
out in the cold, After all. worldly honors
are hollow without the sympathy and ap-
plause of those who are our best friends.
l came here for sympathy: are you gong
to send me away empty handed?"
Mary shook her head. smiling; she was
attempting an ease OF manner which was
out of keeping with her expression. II am
bewildered with your good fortune, COM
pared with mine" she said.
Il have no good fortune in the world he
said in a low voice. which l would not
give to you"
She returned his look moment with a
slight tremor. and then suddenly buried
her face in her hands and he heard her
weeping.
For while neither spoke. then he
stretched out a hand to take hers. carried
beyond all caution or reserve by the wave
of feeling which had made him forget
whose niece she was. There Is no for
tune OF mine quite EuOI enough 10 CIV
you" he added softly, but l can love
you-'
Mary's hands fell softly in his and she
looked up into his eyes. The fire cast Il
radiance on her face now and touched her
hair with vivid tints. There is no honor
you can give me greater than that she
murmured and I-oh, must have that to
remember-lOve me-love me little and
forgive me-
AS he bent over her, her soft hair
touched his cheek, the mystery of her eyes
seemed to deepen into sadness and her lips
trembled as they touched his.
In a moment she had risen and with
drawn her hands. and even IN the first
flush of his joy at her acknowledgment he
was conscious that she had withdrawn not
only from his embrace but from his CONT
dence. She was looking at him sadly with
that subtle aloofness of mood. which he
had once seen in her, strangely reasserted
You look at me as though, l were
stranger" he exclaimed land ! did not
know before how hard it is to express our
deepest feelings, how little I have told
your
you have told me ALL" she replied sim
ply and sweetly. IAN my life will be
changed because of it-and sweetened-and
want you to feel that" her voice broke
ito know that I cared But never tell me
again.
He stood amazed: a moment before she
had rested In his arms, her lips had
touched his and now she stood there, pale
and aloof her whole manner one of re-
nunciation and dismissal. Mary he ex-
claimed sharply.
As she Withdrew he became more and
more aware of how deep was her hold
upon him. how, uncousciously, the passion
in his heart had grown and mastered HIS
reason and his reluctance. He could not
give her up. But she was looking at him
now with a singular calmness as il she
realized an impossible barrier between
them and had schooled her soul to submis-
sion. Mary He repeated her name
r>Ixy 1i,cr hnr n G
lance. You love met
She smiled and her face was beautiful.
1T is our castle in SPAIN" she said quiet
": "let us speak of it no more
He took a step nearer and held out his
hands. Il can't let you go like that" he
said harshly: 'f you cannot marry me-lf
you do not love me-you should have told
me-but now
His strong face worked: honors and vic
tory were alike forgotten, the tolls of
great passion held him speeches..
Mary turned to him and raising her face
to his she touched his cheek lightly with
her lips. Good night" she said gently;
II can-bear no more-I shall remember it
always"
Ryland stood looking at her a moment in
silence: he was a man Of naturally deep
reserve and the habit was strong upon him
even at this moment; he could not lay bare
the feelings OF his heart and he accepted
her withdrawal with the sensitiveness OF a
great passion. 1t was possible that she
had taken compassion for surrender. He
held out his hand. Forgive me-" he said
simply: lin the stress Of my own feeling
I have distressed you"
Marys eyes filed with tears: to let him
go like this was the worst Of all-she saw
that he misunderstood. All. dared she con-
fess? She looked up at the strong fea-
lures of his face outlined in the wavering
light and to her they seemed absolutely
stern: her heart sank, he would condemn
her. She felt herself to be the veriest
coward in the world.
Good bye" he said softly. pressing her
hand; God bless you
She stood quite still by the table. steady
ing herself with hand on the high
back Of her chair. and watched him pass
down the long drawing rooms and disap
pear through the last doorway with its
gilded arch. In such moments there is but
little outward sign of emotion; she neither
wept nor tainted. but she stood a long
while looking at the falling ernbers of the
fire.