The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-01

Il came heTe 20 play ] am a dryad,
Elspeth said. smiling wicked.y 10 Hindon
as he toiled after her up the steep and
narrow steps that led 10 a rallied plat
sorm. weather beaten, but still sound and
weight-worthy, set In the lower branches
Of a giant oak H.udon thought the
climbing "a crazy performance. but love.
which makes the fool often a wise man
makes the wise man often fool And
he did not deny 60 himself he was in
love. and with the bit Of quicksilver he
was So painfully following.
Him. ! seem to remember that dry
ads were not always all they should be-,
he said. sitting down so p0uderoUsly the
branches qulvered. Elspeth laughed
softly. You are 10 have "a reward for
coming up with me adore stories. You
may tell me ore instead OF writing H.
The very best story OF them all
Impossible" Hindon said gravely.
Don't you know there are but seven
stories in the world. and six of them un-
lit Tor ladies'? That leaves only one. 1
had much rather live It than tell it,
mo, You must tell it, Elspeth said
decisiyely Begin, This IS much better
fun than private theatricals-'
Il tell you I can't begin. The story
has TO begin itself, Hiudon interrupted
Again Elspeth laughed At least you
can say how II begins she murmured
Hlndon smothered a growL 4 can tell
YOU what It takes % make a story he
said First, Of course there's a girl"
That's me-" EIspeth interjected Hin
don nodded And man in love with
! her"
THAT fits you,' Elspeth said incor-
rightly Hindon flushed in spite OF him.
self and bit his lip, but somehow kept
1 his voice gay as he ran on: And an
/ obstacle-any sort. some sort. The OBJ
stacle. you know, is what really makes
the story"
Dear met What a pity" Elspeth
said. Yet I quite UNDERSTANDING for
/ the obstacle the sweethearts would have
to marry right at the start and live
happy ever after l think-yes. I'm
sure the obstacle is looming up. See.
Jack Delany Is getting down at the
steps"
"A plague on him-on all Delanys
everywhere" Hindon began. Elspeth
shook her head at him, saying How
ungrateful You said there had TO be an
obstacle. Could you ask more proper
one than Jack?'
NO. That's just the trouble" Hin
don admitted You might easily fall in
love with Jack-if l were not in his way.
81 believe he has cast you for the OBJ
stacle role" Elspeth said demureiy, yet
with dancing eyes. You don't play
/ fair-not in the least" she went on. =
asked you for a story-and here I'm
making one up for you"
You've reduced II to its lowest terms
anyway 1 don't like it, Hindon broke
in. his chin in the air, the light of battle
in his eye. He saw Jack Delany saun-
tering toward the oak, his hat in one
hand. the other swinging his ivory
mounted crop. Jack was a youth OF
parts. rich. we'll bred, and disgustingly
good to look at. Moreover, he was new
until a month back Elspeth had never
| seen him. Hindon had discovered the
real Elspeth at about the same distance
Of time-when he had come down to
/ Worlds End for silence and a measure
Of solitude. After years Of struggle his
latest book had hit the public hard. He
wanted It's successor to go above and
/ beyond It. Then. Just when the opening
of It was fairly in mind, he had dined at
the dean house and fallen under Elspeth's
spell.
/ There had been a week Of rebellion.
/ then submission 20 the inevitable. He
/ had had a conceit of knowing woman
kind also the verb 20 love, IN ali its
moods and lenses. Elspeth had shown
| him how greatly he was mistaken. Hin
/ don had a way with him that most
women had found irresistible. After a
surfeit Of sweets one relishes a whole
some bitter. Elspeth's artless joy over
/ his subjugatiOn had not misled him into
/ thinking she was to be had for the ask
/ ing He had two minds about her, one
curiously aloof, wholly detached. ever
noting the effect Of unlikely conquest
upon a nature girlishly vain and hurlan
and marshaling its impressions as for
/ future reference; another palpitantly mas.