The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-03-06

buffet? One of the walters appears to
be ill-Jim says the verdict would be
Drunk from natural causes'-and I'm
short-handed. No, Mr.. Colbridge," as
Dick rose, I'm not going to allow you
to do buffers work For one thing, |
don't believe your program is h3lf full.
Let me see."
He surrendered 1t meekly.
"No--not nearly. Your duty lies be-
fore you. And mine is among the eat
ables, so goodby."
With wave of her hand, she rose
and departed. Dick dropped into his
seat again and for some moments sat
watching the dancers with absent,
moody intentness. He formulated and
abandoned half dozen excuses for es-
Gaping. With Jimmy's warning ringing
In his ears he had no excuse for run
ming into danger, but there should be
no difficulty in keeping the conversa'
tion in safe and easy channels.
And so, indeed, he found 1t, as the
old charm of her personality asserted
itself. Mrs. Sullivan, watching unseen
from afar, smiled the smile of the sue
cessful conspirator at each ripple of
laughter from the distant seat. Paris
they discussed, Rome and Naples
the "reminiscences of two months tray-
ell along the regular tourist routes, ho-
tel life and Continent amusements.
Only he made no allusion to Bruges
and the little Belgian villages where
her holiday and his dream had ended.
Once or twice she wandered on danger
Gus ground, but Dick set his teeth, and
found a grim satisfaction In battling
her every reference to those last days.
He watched her with hungry, furtive
eyes, unwilling to admit the pure de-
light that her mere presence gave him.
Her program slipped to the floor, and
as he stopped to recover 1t he saw that
the space between Jimmys initials
was vacant, and was ashamed, and
then angered at his own relief.
A fool and his folly! How many men
had she sacrificed to her idle amuse-
ment? And even now she triumphed In
the conquest of fresh victim.
He was swept by revulsion of feel
ing. Her voice at his side precipitat-
ed a sudden resolution.
Have you heard from your friend
Mr.. Myles, lately, Mr.. Colbridge-the
one who stayed at Bruges for a day
or two? We saw in the papers how
splendidly he had done at Oxford"
Dennis Myles? Yes, had letter
from him few days ago. He has left
the college, given up his career, and
gone to India"
"Givcn it up!" echoed the girl in
astonishment. 81 thought he was going
to do such splendid things"
so he might have done"-Dick's
voice was cold and even IF woman
had not broken his heart and ruined
his life"
She gazed at him curiously.
"How dreadful. Tell me about it."
"There isn't much to tell. He met
her and fell utterly and hopelessly in
love. She, liking admiration, probably
lured him on. And then he learned
that she was woman who played with
mems hearts for amusement. The story
is as old as Cleopatra's."
WAS she beautiful?"
Beautiful"
At the passion in his voice the girl
stole quick glance at his bowed
head.
"Then you met her?" she said, new
softness in her voice.
Il did"
81 remember Mr.. Myles we'll. He
was a handsome boy. Tell me what
she was like"
"The woman who ruined him was
lovely enough to turn the head Of any
man." he said slowly. "And she was
young and clever. and"
TELL me what she looked like" in
sisted the girl.
Looked like? I am poor hand at
descriptions, but
Colbridge broke eff abruptly, and
then continued, almost under his
BREATH
Her face was a soft oval, pale and
clear, and the curve of her cheek
would have sent a painter crazy. Her
eyes were dark, and set rather wide
apart, and her nose was straight, and
as dainty as her whole figure. =.
These trivial things cannot interest
you"
"They are not trivial to-a woman
Mr.. Colbridge."
He lifted his head, and saw that
her cheeks were flushed and her eyes
very bright.
"Then forgive me IL I talk like
penny novelette,, for-I knew the girl
rather well. | think her mouth was
his-Dennis's-flna undoing. You see
he knew next to nothing about wom-
en-, and she was like on other on
earth. Her hair was dark-though
not darker than her eyes-and she
were it gathered in shimmery coil
on her white neck. And she was
clear-brained and well read, and yet
utterly feminine. So Dennis came a
cropper and have no doubt she
laughed at him. That is all.