The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1908-10-08

ask me at once. Quick! DO you want
mew
I'll do" stammered Plank.
Ferrall, suspicious. stepped forward
to exchange civilities, then turning to
the girl beside him: "See here. Sylvia,
you've dragged me all over this house
on one pretext or another. Do you
want any supper, or don't your II you
don't, It's our dance"
mo. don't No, It isn't Kemp,
you annoy me-"
That's nice thing to say. Is It
your delicately inimitable way of Civ.
ing me my conger
"Yes, thank you," nodded Miss Lam
dis coolly. "You may go now"
You're spoiled. that's what's the
II thought ! was to have this dance
You said"-
II said perhaps because l didn't
see Mr.. Plank coming to claim It
Thank you, Kemp. for finding him."
Her nod and smile took the edge
from her malice Ferrall. who really
adored dancing, glared about for any
body to dance with.
Sylvia, standing beside Plank, look
ed up at him with her confident and
friendly smile.
you don't care to dance, do you?
| Would you mind If we sat out this
dancer"
eff you'd rather" he said, so wist.
fully that she hesitated; then with a
| ntfla lot hon hlS
and they swung out across the floor
together into the scented whirl
Plank, like many heavy men, dane
ed beautifully, and Sylvia, who still
loved dancing with all the ardor Of a
schoolgirl, permitted moment or two
OF keen delight to sweep her dream1ly
from her purpose. But that purpose
must have been a strong one. for she
returned to 1t In a few minutes and,
looking up at Plank. said very gently
that she cared to dance no more.
Her hand resting lightly on his arm.
it did not seem possible that any pres.
sure Of hers was directing them to the
conservatory, yet he did not know
where he was going, and she was ia
miliar with the house, and they soou
entered the conservatory. where, in the
shadow of various palms, various
youths looked up impatiently as they
passed and various maidens sat uI
very straight In their chairs.
Threading their dim way into thu
farther recesses. they found seats
among thickets of forced lilacs over
hung by early wistaria. A spring
like odor hung in the air. Somewhers
tiny fountain grew musical in the
ecmidarkness.
Marion told me you had been ask.
ed" she said 1--WE have been &C.
friendly. You've always asked me tt
dance whenever we have met so
thought I'd save you one. Are yoH7
hattered. Nc Plank?"
He said he was. very pleasantly, per
fectly undeceived and convinced Of he'
purpose-a purpose never even tacitly
admitted between them, and the ole
loneliness came over him again-not
resentment. for he was willing that she
should use him. Why not? Others
/ used him, everybody used him. and II
they found no use for him they lei
him alone. Mortimer, Fleetwood. Bel
| wether-all. all had something to ex
act from him. 1t was for that he wat
tolerated. He knew it. He had slow
~ and unwillingly learned 1t. His in
trusion among these people. Of WHOM
he was not one. would be endured on
ly while be, might be turned to some
account. The hospital used him. tn
clergy found plenty for him to do TO
them. the museum had room for othe
pictures Of his. Who among them al
had ever sought him without a mo
tive? Who among them all had eve
found unselfish pleasure In him? No
one.
He wished she would come to he
point, but he dared not lead her to
too brusquely. because her purpose ant
her point were supposed to be abso
iutely hidden from his thick and cred
ulous understanding. 1t had take
him some time to make this clear t
himself. Pass&g from suspicion
through chagrin shd overwounded fee
ing to dull certainty that she. too. wa
using him. harmlessly enough frol
her standpoint, but how bitterly fror
his, he alone could know.
The flutter Of her fan meant impn
thence to learn from him what she ha
come to him to learn and then. salts
fed, to leave him alone again ami
the peopled solitude Of clustered light,
He wished she would speak. 81
was tired Of the sadness of It al
Whenever In his isolation. In his utte
restitution Of friendship, he turne
guilelessly to meet a new advance, q
ways, sooner OF later. the friend
mask was lifted enough for him
divine the cool, fixed gaze OF self. u
terest inspecting him through Il
damask sits.
Sylvia was speaking now, and e
plumy fan was under savant contrc
waving graceful accompaniment to b
soft voice, punctuating her sentenc'
I Mt tfunAa at fimoA making An omDho0