Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-04-01

year is little enough" she said impa-.
tiently. 'I-what has happened to us
requires an interval-a decent interval
for its burial Stephen Siward. what
do you think OF me now?"
81 am learning" he replied simply.
"What, If you please?"
Learning n little about what l am
losing"
"You mean meT
Eyes"
She bent forward impulsively, bal
ancing her body on the pools rim
with both arms. dropping her knee un-
I'll her ankles swung interlocked above
the water. Listen" she said In low,
distinct voice. what you lose Is no
other mans gain. IL | warm and ex-
pand In your presence. II say clever
things sometimes. II | am intelligent
sympathetic and amusing. 1t is because
Of you. You inspire Is In me. Normal
~ I am the sort of girl you. first met
at the station. tell you that ! don't
know myself now; that have not
known myself since knew you. Quail
files of understanding. ability to APP
preciate, to express myself without
employing the commonplace. subtle
ties of intercourse-all. maybe. were
latent in me, but sterile until you came
into my life. And when you go. then.
lacking impulse and incentive, the new
facility, the new sensitive alertness,
the unconscious self confidence, all
Will smolder and die out in me- Shall
we take farewell plunge and dress?
You know we say goodby tomorrow"
where do you 60 from herer'
ITO Lenox. The Claymores have
asked us for q week. After that Hot
Springs for another two weeks or so.
After that to Oyster Bay. Mr.. Quar-
rier opens his house on Sedge point"
she added demurely, 'b6t don't think
he expects to invite you to The Sedges."
"How long do you stay thereY' ask
I'd Siward irritably.
until we go to town In December"
what will you fnd to do all that
time In Oyster BayY' he asked. more
irritably.
nat u QuCodOna nC
yacht is there. Besides, there's the
usual neighborhood hunting. with the
usual packs and inevitable set, the
usual steeple chasing. the usual ex-
change OF social amenities. the usual
driving and riding. the usual, my poor
friend, the usual. In all its uncompro-
missing certainty. And what are you
to doT"
I'm going TO town"
''And then?'
81 don't know"
"Oh, but haven't you been asked
You have OF course"
"Yes, and have declined"
MATTERS of business" she inferred.
TOO badr'
"Oh, no."
Then" she concluded, laughing.
you don't care to tell me where you
are going"
"No," he said thoughtfully; II don't
care to tell you"
She laughed again carelessly and.
placing one hand on the tiled pave
ment. sprang lightly to her feet.
"a last plunger' she asked as he
rose at her side.
"Yes. one last plunge together. Deep
Are you readyT"
She raised her white arms above her
bead, finger tips joined, poised an in
slant on the brink, swaying forward:
then, at his brief word, they flashed
together, cutting the crys-
talline sea water, shooting like great
nsh over the glass tiled bed, shoulder
to shoulder under the water. and. open
ing their eyes, they turned toward one
another with a swift outstretch Of
hands, an uncomfortable touch OF lips.
the very shadow OF contact; then
upward, rising to the surface
10 lie breathlessly floating. arms ex-
tended and the sun altering down
the ground glass roof above.
Eve are perfectly crazy" she
breathed. I'm quite mad: see that.
On land it's bad enough for us to mis-
behave. But submarine sentiment
Wen be growing scales and tails pres
entity. Shall we dress? Even with a
maid and the electric air blast 1t will
take time to dry my hair and dress It."
.
When he came out OF his dressing
room she was apparently still In the
hands of the maid. - he sauntered
through the house as far as the H.
brary and, drawing a check book from
one pocket, fished out memorandum
book from another and began to cast
mp totals with a view to learning some
thing about the various debts contract
Cd at shotover.
He seemed to owe everybody. For
tune had smitten him hip and thigh.
and. a trifie concerned. he began COW
f1 ering pad with
figures until he
I'LL knew where he
~ stood. Then he
drew a consider
~ able check to
REAA Major Belweth-
No. /< er's order. anoth-
l er to Alderdene.
II ~ Others followed
II M to other people
5WH for various
IL lMk amounta. and he