Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-19

She looked at his hard face curiously,
and saw dead blank, the blank that
had sometimes frightened her by its pos
sibilities, when the eyes alone came sud-
denly to life.
Won't you 60 in and get a biscuit,
or a sandwich" she asked after mo-
ment.
oh no, thanks. I'm used to skipping
meals when I'm interested in things.
Let's go, if you are ready
II believe you are one OF Nature S
Wagnerites," Margaret said. as they
went up the hill again, and she smiled
at the idea.
WELL" he answered slowly, there's
one thing, if you don't mind my telling
you. It's rather personal. Perhaps I'd
better not"
The prima donna went on in silence
for a few steps, without looking at him.
Tell me-" she said suddenly.
Its this l don't know how long the
pc cormance lasted; but while it was
60. 1g on forgot you were close beside
been there. It's the first time since /
ever knew you that I've been near you
without thinking about you all the time,
and l hadn't realized it till l was sitting
here by myself. hope you don't mind
my telling your"
ut only makes me more glad that /
brought you," Margaret said quietly.
Thank you," he answered; but he
was quite sure that the same thing could
not happen again during the second part.
NEVERTHELESS, it happened For
~ little while they were man and
woman, sitting side by side and very
near, two in a silent multitude of other
men and women; but before long he was
quite motionless, his eyes were fixed
again, and he had forgotten her. She
saw it, and wondered; for she knew how
her presence moved him, and as his hands
lay folded on his knee a mischievous
girlish impulse almost made her, the great
artist, forget that she was listening to
the greatest music in the world, and nearly
made her lay her hand on his, just to see
what he, would do. She was ashamed of
it, and a little disguised with herself.
The part of her that was Margaret Dome
felt the disgust; the part that was Cor
dova felt the shame, and each side of her
nature was restrained at a critical mo-
ment. Yet when the Good Friday"
music began she was thinking of Van
Torp, and he was unconscious of her
presencel
1t could not last, and soon she too was
taken up into the artificial paradise of
the master musician and borne along IN
the gale of golden wings, and there was
no passing of time till the very end, and
the people rose in silence and went out
under the summer stars, and all those
whom Nature had gifted to hear rightly
took with them memories that years
would scarcely dim.
The two walked slowly back to the
town as the crowd scattered on foot and
in carriages 1t was warm, and there
was no moon, and one could smell the
dust; for many people were moving in
the same direction, though some stopped
at almost every house and went in, and
most of them were beginning to talk in
quiet tones.
Margaret stepped aside from the road
and entered a narrow lane, and Van
Torp followed her in silence.
This leads out to the fields" she said.
Il must breathe the fresh air. Do you
mind?"
"On the contrary"
He said nothing more, and she did not
speak, but walked on without haste,
dilating her nostrils to the sweet smell of
grass which reached her already. In
little while they had left the houses be-
hind them and had come to gate which
led into a field Van Torp was going to