The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01
THE BUBBLE OF DREAMS

the breakers reaching up toward the sea- fringe of the land.
 "Oh it's the sea-and that's the sea wind that is rattling your windows so! How cruel it looks, It almost makes me cold again." She shuddered and turned back to the book shelves.
 Somehow, Pm not afraid, though" she added.
 For half minute ane stood lingering the books.
 "Oh, Spenser And I've a course in his this term And Herrickl She went from book to book. batting tbem, cooing over them.
 "Youre in college. then?s he asked; and was sorry a moment afterward to think that he was taking the risk of shat tering the dream.
 "Yes." she answered. 'in Smith I am let me see" she patted her forehead moment-"a junior. Yes, I'm junior. How queer I couldn't remember" The last words died into a musing tone, for she was running over .eThe Faerie Queene' as though looking for something T wonder if you know that line in the second canto?
 Lay cover'd with enchanted cloud all day.
 "I remember how I astonished all Miss Prescott with that line. She'd asked for the most poetic line in the canto, and when I came out with that she had to ac- knowledge that it was, though she could not tell why That is always the way with real poetry-you never can tell why can you?'
 Her chatter of books and of college filled the room. She was looking over his law books now.
 Are you a lawyer or just studying? And what a queer place for an officel Who are your clients? The birds? What delightful kind of lawyer to be! l sup pose that you take the case of the spar rows against the Park commission, and prosecute the hawks when they kill the poor little birds. And do you extend any mercy to the little boys who rob nests?'
 "I shall certainly take only bird eases after I become lawyer he said, laugh ing with her. For I'm just studying as I get time from my work"
 And what is your work?"
 So they sat on the sofa, he hugging his knee and she leaning back comfortably on the cushions, while he told her how he swept the sea for incoming ships; how he knew each day by telegraph from New York what vessels were expected; how with this and the first sight of their hulls and rigging he could almost always tell what they were long before they raised their code flags or burned their lights.
 'Ill show you the code book" he said.
 "Oh, never mind; I sail, you know"
  of old adventures on Sound and bay; and he, quite at his ease now, quite content with the moment displayed his electric clock
 And that reminds me-it's within five minutes of the hour and I must take look. Get close to the stove, for I'm go- ing to make it coldl'' The open chute let in a stab of winter air.
 '"There's a light away down by the hor- i10T hA is tonight now I'm going to teach you something about my trade On a night like this, and with the wind in that quarter, sailing ships and tramp steamers wouldn't be trying to make it home at all. There's no other transatlantic due except the Lu- cania. So I take the risk and wire. Lu- cania sighted I've made one or two bad mistakes that way. I hope,' he added, that I'll be better lawyer than am marine observer"
 For a minute nothing was heard above the winds except the metallic clicking of the key. When he had finished and closed the wire he found her looking at him again. Every time he caught one of those looks it brought a new delicious surprise. Her eyes, he saw now were deep brown. Her face was all velvet shadows and quick lights of emotion. She was pretty-she was more.
 Her expression which had been vague, became definitely puzzled.
 'Tell me-" she said, ''I don't know you, now do I? And yet I don't seem to be afraid of being up in the air-I didn't mean that for slang, eitheri'' At this, both being at the age where anything is joke between the sexes, they laughed together.
 ''Why, you're kind of Lord of the En- chanted Land" she went on. You're Merlin with your castle in the air and your magic wires that talk far away. Or who was the magician who used to live on the sea cliffs and lure ships? No mat ter I'll call you Merlin Her expression changed again. That was the queer thing about her-the quick shifts of expression Almost as strange as her presence there on Fire Island. This time it was sheer weariness.
 I'm tired,' she said, "or something"
 "When have you had anything to eat?" he said, and then reproached himself for pelting again at his bubble of dreams.
 ffWhen did Tho matter-yes, i'm sure I'm hungry"
 to have turned her away from the mys- tery. T usually eat up here at night I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll bring up the food and cook it here and we'll have a fairy banquet in the air palace"
 When he returned the room had new aspect Her wet clothes were in a bundle