The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-05

that crazy thing on. l Will go in' And in that inner chamber of the brain 1 which was close to Richards hear l ing he was saying to himself: "It will 1 be an excellent opportunity to study l that girl in state of nature. I shall l see her as she really is, without any deceptive g,oss-put on for my special heneft. No one can say am not dis posed to be fair. Like the Caliph 1 Harun al Raschid. I will adopt a dis l guise and learn the truth. I'll learn more in five minutes than in week Of formal visiting, when she would l be on her guard. It's a fortunate chance I came tonight" The gown was an ample one, and when the black muslin mask had been adjusted there was left nothing indt- vidual about the wearer except his l height.
 1 Now how do I get in?' ] Better come around to the front. l sir" said Richards. leading the way across the patch of clover which in- closed the cottage. He opened the screen door of large front porch. and l the monk stepped in and looked about. 5apanese lanters, gay hammocks ferns 1 in hanging baskets and a quantity of rugs gave this temporarily deserted | spot an air of dangerous luxury, and under his mask the monk drowned. l | the retreating Richards. Can you tell me which is Mrs Calvert"' l "The one with the high hair-coming this way" Richards answered, and with drew.
 It was not until the court lady, who had | marked his entrance, came out and swept i him a magnificent courtesy that sud- den qualm of fear struck the intrepid monk. Good heavens, my voice!' he said to himself.
 Good evening, holy father. Do you give absolution for sins?" she asked 1 saucily.
 q give penance, daughter he an swered with a severity that was percep- tiple even in his husky whisper. 1 What's the matter with your voice?" asked Betty, with quick concern in her own.
 "I'm trying to disguise 1t. of course. | What is a masquerade for?" demanded | the monk, with betrayal of unspiritual | irritabllity.
 Betty laughed, stared at him. and l laughed again.
 "Oh, of course' she said. Evidently 1 Harry had taken the statement that Mrs Calvert had thoughtfully remembered his | costume to imply that she, Betty, knew I nothing about It.
 | You are a monk, are'nt you? l may l safely guess as far as that?'
 I'm a Trappist. That means I can't 1 talk except when it is absolutely neces- sary."
 | Betty laughed again. She had pretty frank laugh, and the monk began to take a relish in his adventure and to ad- | mire his own ceverness in retort
 Every well, I'll do the talking. Isn't 1t nice party?"
 | You do the talking?"
 | "Oh, yes. We'll 1t is a nice party. And fun. It's curious how much more you I find out about people when you don't l know who they are than you do when 1 you do.'
 That was my idea, exactly" Our everyday faces are masks and the reptuations our friends give us are masks ! and behind them our real selves may be | as different as-as you are from what you seem to be. That's why our own families are always making such blunders about l us''
 DO you think so?" asked the monk with interest He was recalling instances wherein his immediate friends and rela- | lives had shown themselves incompre- ! hensibly blind to his real merits, when the lady's next words startled him.
 Do you know anything about Edwards s uncle, Judge Griffin"
 "More or less" he said. suardedly.
 well, he is an instance in point. He | hro,,gbt Edward up. and yet he under | stood him so little that he thought Ed | would give up the girl he loved if he was told to, and he was so angry at Ed 1 obstinacy in marrying against ms Wlshes that he has never spoken to any or us since-as though that were not 'ie 'e9s | example of obstinacy.'
 ssWhat nonsense" said the monk, with 1 husky energy. a.,,
 "Of course it was nonsense. He is dry | as-dust old lawyer, and he wanted hu 70 | he his partner in the dry y-as-oustness as well as in the law, and never never so xryif1 a 1l. 1,hot,s worse. he particularly disapproved os the narticular little girl Ed chose. | cho -lauehed again in the light-nearted wav he had thought rather pleasant lew minutes before "TIe said Ed niarrleo in, a frivolous family. | s.xvell didn't he?" demanded the hiohh 1or inc life of him he couldn't help IL.
 s.t5e says we are extravagant.
 .Ilauen't a chance to be under present conditions. And he thinks we-hirt. | "Well-don't you? r. not
 Ard altogether he thlnks we arc 'oe ht.eU a1Weil are you? Candidly now, are you?' ,uhad She had taken | ee bar mask and was flaming her husiiou ] face with it. It was an attrac,i.e ,,4t,s | with a dancing eye ana resoiu'o 'i''ie l chin. ,s ,x,e myself the
  1 m s nr indorsement that Judge Grllnn l .',o,,,d demand" she said, dehureS.
 ,i,oe hetter to laugh than to weep wnen Pm in a fix; so, maybe, m irlso,oun ,, ha And r like to talk to intelligent ilehune .ie .,,1,,,d nrobably think was nirtiis lilis ,,in,,tei And if he knew we were IiaNins
 nartv and really dancing ana uriuh,s ,t,ts l @ha festive lemonade, he would prooaois 1 eno, that his worst apprehenslons weie noeiived It's lucky he doesn't khow'
 "I dare say there are many tniiss no 1 ,. i,rovvn remarked the monk gloom l fly. oia Betty cheerfully o,,ya o,,sbt to remember that In extenua t,on He probably doesn't reaiize d. a,, uoi tat ha is a very selfish and opstiha'e oi The monk gurgled inarticulately'
 aNo one would ever tell him that eo ,t l,s face" continued Betty. Peopie oon > | you know ,,,
 "Not generally. .,o,,,a iust l .I have often thought l shoulu Just ,,,a +o nave an opportunity to tell nm
 iN Na+ think of him. Ed Is haVing an
 .,e,,,,,, hard time You see the 1udge Sad nromised to take him into partner shin when he graduated, and Ed coun.eu i''n1 slip Then he broke his promise. just | pn,ousa Ed wouldn't break his. Don you | t,s;nlr if was horrid and mean or nm 1 Ut sounds bad when you pu. ., .''a' | way" said the monk stiffly' p9t- ,.
 '1rhat's the way it was. Wasn u l mean2' . , s,, ,,,e9"