Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18

somehow expanded. 1t wonder she
had done it, she was so sweet, SO sound,
| fairly fragrant, and he breathed it in, along
| with the perfume of the night as one breathes
| the first breath of April
There was long silence after she finished
| was not with cold. He wanted to speak. but
| his lips were trembling, and he doubted his
command of them. Finally he got abruptly to
his feet.
This isn't fair. what l am doing" he said.
L have no right to this hour with you am
stealing it and enjoying it on false pretenses
II don't know what you mean" Her own
voice none too steady
mo, you couldn't" he said; yet l want
| it to last little longer; l want time to tell
you one more thing. 1 haven't any right to
tell you. No, it's not anything am going to
ask Just something l want to tell,-but l
have right to do that until l have made
you understand first why it is have no right.
She rose and walked away little, out into
the full moonlight, before she answered. We
are good friends" she said at last. . | am quite
| sure of that and quite sure you have done
| nothing to forfeit my friendship. don't know
why you haven't the same right any other
| friend has
You think" his voice was steady enough
| now" you think l your fathers friend !:
| that he is still my guest here on this island.
and that am his host. All that relation be-
tween us was dissolved when We quilted the
| ia BILE tonight. There is now declaration of
| war between us. He tried to make me see
| thing his way, and tried to make him see it
mine, and we both failed. So now We have
got TO fight | shall treat him Just as | would
| # . ad never found you that day in the cave.
| if h5d never had these three wonderful days
with YOU Tomorrow at this time you may
| be thinking very hard things OF me That's
| why this is a stolen hour: that's why have
no right to tell you the thing l want to tell.
Will you hear it, nevertheless? Will you allow
what is not right as simple act OF grace!
YES" she said. you may tell ME.
HE did not begin speaking at once. When
IL he did, his speech was slow and his air re-
Elective;
1T is not that you have enchanted these
three days for me, he said: there would be
no wonder in that. l think you know you
have done it. without the telling. The mir
four years for me. You told me little
while back that l had been happy all these
four years; and l replied. that hadn't
known it until now That is quite literally
difficulties and acknowledgements, all the
petty little rnakeshifts and struggles that to-
gether made up my job, have assumed sort OF
dignity. just the way that you look at them
it didn't week ago and that's your doing
You have made this little island kingdom
| for me It's true l have to fight for it; l have
to begin fighting for it tonight: But even
II your father beats me, Sha n be broken. 1
shall feel even in defeat. that / have done a
mans work That is your miracle. l should
have had chance after tonight to tell you,
and ! wanted you to know Thank you for
listening to me-"
| 81 am glad you told me-, she said quite simply.
He thought she was going to say something
more. for something in the quality of her
silence suggested that she had more to say.
But suddenly she turned to him rather abruptly
and held out her hand Il mustn't let you
stay any longer"
| Good night" he said. Her hand was still
in the clasp Of his own. Before he let it go, he
bent over it and touched it lightly with his
lips, And good by" he added. Then he
went slowly down the path toward the town.
| She stood quite still where she was. until
the brow of the hill cut him off from her view.
Then she walked across the dew spanged turf
to the house.
IN the library she found her father. He's
gone. has he?" said Beaumont, with smile.
She nodded, without speaking.
Good" said he: It's time he did-.just
about time. My dear, your maid has been
| packing your things. | want you to go up
now and change your frock. am sorry to
deprive you of nights sleep; but We are leav
ing for Georgetown in about half hour
Her face flushed suddenly and her eyes
widened little. "To-night' she said. is