The broad ax., 1908-12-17
Fiction
ON THE REBOUND.
., GARFIELD MAcNEAL-

che sickenlnS COnSSA0N -
an old maid. She parted the
"-+onne curtains Of her bed, curtains
.~.rsd with red roses, suggestive OF
nrsr sunshine, and turned her eyes
- the window. Rain beating
sr.inst the panes and dull gray sky
-s,.,siu,ed a cherries November day.
~ SIGHED. Then, stretching out 4
Sss,alT arm, she took a silver hand
.-i-ror from the nearby dressing table
- carefully studied her features.
= the language Of Shakespeare. she
..v no deeper wrinkles yet" face
ionp and oval, patrician In outline and
.TTression, skin rather olive, eyes
S-own deep and luminous. a mouth
GENEROUSLY nodded and a wealth Of
S-oWu hair. On the whole, it was q
,,+able face and one Of character.
Dropping the mirror on the bed. she
sled .'Loisr A French maid, neat,
rim and smiling. appeared with the
breakfast tray.
aAh. ma'm'seIlel A thousand con-
gratulations on your birthday"
NY thirtieth, Lois. But thank you
Just the same"
scMa'm'selle is stfl young, and al
ready fame has come to you And
when your novel is published the world
viii be at your feet" said Lois, with a
comprehensive sweep indicating the
world.
"Oh. yes, the novelP' murmured her
mistress, sitting up and starting in on
her coffee and rolls, while the maid
laid a bundle Of letters and manu-
scripts on the bed
Miss Treadwen opened the one bulky
package and looked at the accompany
ing letter. 1t was from a great pub
fishing house formally expressing re-
net that they were unable 20 accept
her novel.
She gulped down something In her
throat her novel declfned-her first
really original work, to which she had
given the leisure hours Of six yearsl
Truly, this was a most delightful birth
day gift.
Lois" she said, and her voice trem-
bled-"Lois, my novel has been de-
eltned."
%Ah, ma'm'seIle, am too sorry
with quick sympathy-'but some other
publisher viii accept #"
Her mistress shook her head Il
shall not send It out again. shall
stick to hack work can at least
make a living at that" Then she add
ed rehectfveIy, NY life has been q
failure"
Lois protested. She Worshiped her
mistress. 'rMa'm'seIe has been sue.
cessful You have a pretty apartment
and everything you want"
~Other women, too, have pretty
apartments and everything they
want"
"Ah, yes, but they did not work fol
them" said Lois, with a worldly
Shrug, as she went In response to thu
electric bell. which at this moment
buzzed loudly in the ha1.
She reappeared with q huge white
box. Flowers, ma'mseEe. and note,
Ihe said gayly.
Miss TreadweH cut the ribbon thai
he'd the box and disclosed q mass Of
viOles. They seemed to look up a
her tenderly, yet shrinkingly. as sh'
bent over them. With sigh Of pleas
Ue she took the note and studied tn
bold handwriting Of the superscrip
ton. Her heart jumped Surely I
was Jack'sl Dear old Jack had re
membered heri
She slit across the end Of the en-
velope while her fingers trembled an
eagerly unfoIded the paper.
Dear lillian" she read, may
hope that this remembrance Of you
birthday viii prove that ! have no
forgotten yo12 I have been In tow
two days / secured your addres
from C.'s Magazine and send thes
flowers to warn you that am COMM
to invade your sanctum sanctorum AM
talk over old times Always you
friend, Jack Ainsworth."
She started up; scattering letters an
manuscripts on the door. Lois" shi
said decidedly, 81 want you 20 lay on
my new morning gown, the sea greeI
one with the train"
Sitting down at her dressing table
she began q careful toilet He
thoughts were busy with the past
Jack had been her girIhood friend b
the little inland town where they wen
both born and bred Again she wa
twenty-four and be was tweny-st1
Why had he never sp0kenf She knew
be loved her, and perhaps she hai
loved him, too. then. But when be
mothers death left her alone IN tn
world she was seized with the desir
to come to New York to Try her foI
tune. Jack had advised against Il, bu
q strange perversity made her deaf 3
MS warnings
At first they had kept up q core
Spondenee. Soon even that INK va
oroken as she was drawn more EN-
more into the absorbing whirl Of news
paper and magazine work. For Nv
years no letters had passed betwes'
een. To be sure. she had heard of hiE
4. ..