The Irish standard., 1908-04-18

You're so good to me-" Stella said.
and the swish of her silken skirt as
she crossed to Sally Is. reached AL.
fred's ear.
"shucks: Good for nuthin'! ben
young myself oncet."
An instance of silence followed. an
audible kiss and Sally b, tramped out
Of the room by side door. while
Stella descended to the kitchen.
Alfred was grateful for the still.
ness. glad that, for the moment. even
Stella was unaware of his nearness.
He would not speak till there was no
danger of interruption.
Vic Nah came in and put out all the
lights save the one in the screened
corner of the stage. Alfred heard him
leave the room and pass through the
kitchen, giving Stella an elaborate
good might before he shut and locked
the outer door.
With the grating Of the key and the
assurance of no further intruding. Al.
fred slipped from the actual, the sor.
did. into the love-land his Romeos
dress recalled. The darkness was vel.
come. Not even yet would he call
Stella. For moment he would dream.
No need Of lamp or candle; the re-
splendence Of his visions illumined
him. The song in his heart throbbed
yet it was only minutes, and but few,
when the rustic of skirts and second
light appearing behind the screen
aroused him. The rustling went and
came again. and faint tinkle OF
china struck his ear. Then he heard
his name!
"Mr. vincert!" softly; and after .
breath. hesitatingly, Romeo"
Alfred sprang out of his nook. but
did not speak. There she stood, above
him on the high stage. the light from
behind the screen flaring sidewise
upon her; next him the cheek he had
longed to kiss in the play, but did
not. A little pale she was now, yet
80 fair and sweet! Her lips were apart.
her hand lifted as If to catch the
sound of his coming. How beautiful
she was! How sweet and womanly!
! And in the lonely darkness how near
and intimate-his own! his own!
She leaned forward little, her
draperies flowing softly about her
feet behind the graceful stage-edging
/ Of fir tips. her dear. wistful eyes peering
into the gloom. He knew she thought
! him out there somewhere in the dark:
hungry, weary, waiting for her. He
was not hungry, he was not weary:
but he needed her-she little knew
how he needed her. And no matter
how far asunder lay their future. to-
night he would have her. love her. &C
! cept the service of those dear hands.
Impulsively she called again: "Oh,
Romeo. Romeo, won't you Gomez"
The tender voice with the heart.
ache in 1t thrilled him. chided his 81
lence; startled him with apprehension
also, lest the association Of the name
lead her to say those other too true
words:
i "Tis but thy name that is my
enemy"
3 1t should be her enemy no longer!
"Here l am Stella-sweetheart." He
whispered the last word as he caught
her down-reached hand and sprang up
beside her.
AS in baby's face fresh-waked
from sleep. the warm color swept up.
rose-tipped cheek and lip. veined the
white lids and paled off to the softly
waving hair. Her eyes opened wide.
frank and joy.fooded as a child's. She
turned to him. Doubts and questions
fled. He was there! He called her
Sweetheart"
In the sheltered. spicy nook behind
the screen, prudence. business. duty,
all slept forgotten, while a nameless
youth pledged lifelong love and de-
votion to a dowerless, homeless, un-
worldly woman.
It was Stella. remembering his long
fast. who cut short the precious mo-
ments and lured Alfred from his loves
empyrean submits to his daily bread.
She rearranged the dishes and went to
the kitchen to make fresh tea, he fol-
! lowing that no dear breath Of her
should be lost to him. Back to the
table again they went. stepping lightly
that they might wake no ear above;