Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-12-14

l.
derI" he murmured despondently.
The dull morning had blazed into
brilliant afternoon, when Blissett ordered
the trap out to meet Roger Temple M
the station. minister. where his week.
end bungalow was situated, was Meas.
ant little country village some twenty.
five miles from London, and as he drove
along the leafy lanes he drank in the fra
grant air in great gulps 1t was Good
after the overpowering closeness of town.
and he felt sure Roger Temple would be
enchanted with the place
The train was not in sight when he
reached the station, and he Iounged IN
and down the platform chatting idlv
with the station master till it drew M.
He glanced eagerly up and down the
line Of carriages, but the only passengers
that alightet, were woman and a very
old man. The old man he recognized az
a well-known figure in the village; the
woman he scarcely glanced at Where
! then was Temple? He must have missed
the train after all.
Uncertain for the moment what to do
he turned round irresolutely, his eyes
falling upon the woman. Her back only
was visible, but something familiar in
the graceful carriage of her head set his
heart beating madly.
| Then, almost before he had realized
the truth, he became conscious that she
had turned, and was advancing upon
| him.
How do you do, Mr.. Blissett ~ she
said with a mischievous twinkle in her
eyes.
"Delicia!" was all he could stammer.
1T was good of you to come and meet
me-" she continued, smiling little visit
fully.
II was here to meet gentleman. a
Mr.. Roger Temple" he stammered, still
clinging tightly to her little hand Il
never dreamt-"
Are you quite sure he is a gentle-
man?' asked she, roguishly.
"Y-e-es," replied he, Eat least I've no
reason to doubt-why, what can you
mean why do you ask?.
She laughed a little nervously. BE
cause I'll happen to be Roger Temple
she said at last.
You Roger Temple !--Impossible.n he
stammered, his mind vainly endeavoring
to grapple with the astonishing fact.
"Ah!" cried she. II thought to aston
ish you. Indeed, / meant it to be a veri-
table triumph, but somehow it does not
bring much citation to me now. 1t is
good to see you again. though
''Whers nave you been2" he cried; Il
sought You everywhere, but could not
trace you"
Il did not intend that you should"
replied she softly, till the time was ripe
But take me somewhere where we can
talk quietly"
Like one in dream he led the way
| from the platform, and, helping her into
the trap, followed himself.
For some moments neither spoke, and
they drove gently along the peaceful
country lanes, but at last the girl com
menced in low tones.
you remember that afternoon at the
hotel in Kyeres?n she asked.
Can ever forget it?
She shot swift, upward glance at
him, and little tender smile played on
her lips for moment: "The book
asked your opinion on, she said slowly,
was my own-th the first child of my
| Imagination
.Yoursl" he cried in astonishment
But ! might have known it. What
brute you must have thought meg''
No. she replied gently, laying her
hand on his sleeve "No. not that: new
! - NA&bs bdb 4 was uuuuiy 5lSNcRtlblc
about it. | thought you unjust, and the
imaginary injustice ranked in my mind"
Can you ever pardon me ~ muttered
he brokenly
| There is 10 question of pardon, con-
tinued she. ''You were right, only too
right, and | have learned the lesson. You
remember your last remark that the
woman who wrote that book was inca
pablo of writing healthy and really i'm
teresting novel. It was that that deeid-
ed me. | went straight away and buried
myself in remote village, devoting my
entire energies to the disproving of your
words. | wanted TO show you that was
not the worthless creature you thought
me, and to that end | worked | pene-
trated to the cottages of the poor, and
familiarized myself with human nature
in all its aspects: / abandoned the flip
pant and would be smart style for some
thing more natural took my subject to
heart, writing, as | thought, in plain and
unstudied language. Spindrift is the re-
suit OF three years hard work and
study"
And it is a masterpiece" put in he
you are wonderful, and l admit myself
wrong -hopelessly wrong Your triumph
is complete
And owe it all to YOU" replied she.
SHOULD | have ever been able to write
such book if you had not shown ne
the worthlessness of my first work? No,
! was intoxicated with the realization of
my own supposed cleverness, and never
lreamt of the possibility of adverse
criticism. | thought no one had ever
written such wonderful book before, till
You disenchanted me. For few hours
told myself l detested you, but You
wer' the saving of me; you made me
think. You made it possible for me TO
write Spindrift."
!, IIc dropped the reins and took both
hey lands in his. But YOU, Delicia, have
doae even more than t. he said passion
ateiy. "You have made it possible for
me 10 love, and you now have it in your
power to make earth either heaven or
he'll for me. Which shall it bef"