, 1908-05-07

OF Ulhlioo ~ - lhlCnt As SCdleS
we're pursued endlessly up and down
the keys. Two girls passing through
re hall made q pretext of looking for
. book and came in and exclaimed
cver their inability to And II with
much suppressed giggling that added
further to my rage.
The piano pounding continued and I
waited for what seemed an inter.
minable time. 1t was growing dark
and a maid brought lamps. 1 took a
book from the table. 1t was "The Life
of Benvenuto Cellini" and Marian Dew.
ereux was written on the hy leaf. by
Enthusiastically the same hand that had
penned the apology for Olivia's per.
formances. I saw in the clear, flowing
lines of the signature, in their lack of
superfiuity, her own ease, grace and
charm; and, in the deeper stroke with
which the Z was crossed. / felt a
challenge, a readiness to abide by con-
sequences ono her word was given.
Then my W inclination to think well
OF her angered me, and | dropped the
book impatiently as she crossed the
threshold.
q am sorry to have kept you wait
ing, Mr.. Glenarm. But this is my busy
hour"
81 shall not detain you long. | came"
i h%esitated. not knowing why I had
come.
She took a chair near the open door
and benz forward with an air Of atten-
ton that was disquieting. She wore
black-perhaps to At her the better
into the house Of a somber S~lsterhood.
| seemed suddenly to remember her
from a time long gone, and the effort
Of memory threw me OF guard. Stod-
dard had said there were seyera
Olivia Armstron8s; there were Ger.
tainly many Marian Devereuxs. The
silence grew intolerable; she was wait.
ing for me to speak. and blurted:
Il suppose you have come to take
charge Of the property"
ID your" she asked.
And you came back with the execu-
tor to facilitate matters. I'm glad to
see that you lose no time"
OH" she said lingeringly, as though
she were finding with difficulty the
note in which | wished to pitch the
onversation. Her calmness was mad
iening.
81 suppose you thought 1t unwise to
rait for the bluebird when you had be-
'guiled me into breaking q promise.
when I was trapped. defeated"
Her elbow on the arm Of the chair,
her hand resting against her cheek,
the light ripping goldenly in her hair.
her eyes bent upon me inquiringly,
nournfully.-mournfully. as l had seer
them-where ?-once before! My heart
leaped in that moment, with that
thought.
~ remember now the first time" I
said, more angry than / had ever been
before in my life.
That is quite remarkable" she said.
ind nodded her head ironically.
1T was at Sherry's; you were
with Pickering-you dropped your fan
|and he picked it up, and you turned
toward me for a moment. You were in
black that night: It was the unhappi-
ness in your face, in your eyes that
made me remember"
| was intent upon the recollection.
Eager to fx and establish 1t.
You are quite right. 1t was at
|Sherry's. l was wearing black then;
many things made me unhappy that
hight"
Her forehead contracted slightly and
,he pressed her lips together.
IT o,rrn.A that nuAp than tho rom
FPiracy was thoroughly arranged" l
said tauntingly. laughing a little per
laps, in my brutal impulse to wound
Der, to take vengeance upon her.
She rose and stood by her chair, one
land resting upon 1t. I faced her; her
Eyes were like violet seas. She spoke
very quietly.
Mr., Glenarm. has 1t occurred to you
hat when | talked to you there In the
park, when l risked unpleasant gossip
. receiving you in a house where you
lad no possible right to be, that ] was
bunting upon homething,-foolishly
md stupidly,-yet counting upon it?"
You probably thought l was = fool"
retorted.
"No,"-she smiled slightly Il
bought believe l have said this to
|ou before!-that you were a gentle
ian. l really did, Mr.. Glenarm. |
lust say 1t to Justify myself. relied
pom your chivalry,-I even thought.
hen l played being Olivia,-that you
ad a sense OF humor. But you are
Ot the one and you haven't the other.
even went 30 far. after you knew per
etly well who l was. to try to help
ou-to encourage you to prove your
BIZ the man your grandfather wished
ou to be. And now you come to me
a shocking bad humor,-l really
link you would like to be insulting.
u Glenarm. II you could"
Blu Pickering.-you came back