Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-22

Probably she wouldn't come. She
had kept her fluffy skirts clear Of him
since cup day, which simply cOrrobo-
rated his vague estimate Of her. Had
she done the contrary his estimate
would have been the same, for uncon-
sciously, but naturally, he had pre-
judged her. A girl who could capture
Quarter at full noontide and in the
face OF all Manhattan was girl equip
ped for anything she dared, though she
was probably too clever to dare too
much; a girl to be interested in, to
amuse and be amused by; a girl to be
reckoned with. His restlessness and
his fever subdued by the Icy water, he
stood drying his hands, thinking cool
" how close he had come to being
seriously in love with this young girl,
whose attitude was always a curious
temptation, whose smile was charm
ing provocation, whose youth and
beauty were to him a perpetual chal-
lenge. He admitted to himself calmly
that he had never seen a woman he
cared as much for; that for the brief
moment Of his declaration he had
known an utterly new emotion, which
inevitably must have become the love
he had so quietly declared it to be-.
He had never before felt as he felt
then, cared as he cared then. Any
thing had been possible for him at that
time-any degree Of love, any devotion,
any generous remuneration. Clear
sighted, master OF himself, he saw love
before him and knew 1t when he saw
it-recognized 1t, was ready for it. Of
fered it, emboldened by her soft hands
so eloquent In his.
And In his arms he held it for an in
slant, he thought, spite of the sudden
inertia, spite Of the according Of cold
lips and hands still colder, relaxed, In
ert-held it until he doubted.
Then she had become intelligent
again, with little laughter. little
malice, q becoming tint Of hesitation
and confusion. All the sense. all the
arts, all the friendly sweetness Of a
woman thorough IN training. schooled
In self possession, clear enough to be
audacious and perverse without danger
to herself, to the man or to the main
chance.
He leisurely and mentally took the
measure Of his own state Of mind and
found all well, all intact, found him
self still master Of his affections and
probably clear minded enough to re-
main so under the circumstances.
BY instinct and experience normally
temperate, only what was abnormal
and Inherited might work a mischief
in this man. His listlessness, his easy
acquiescence, were but consequent up
on the self knowledge Of self control,
but mastery Of the master vice re-
CURED something different. He was
sick of sickness, and because In this
sickness will. mind and body are faint
ed, too, reason and logic lack charity,
and to the signals of danger his reply
had always been either overconfdent
or weak, and it had been always the
same reply: mot yet. There is time"
And now, this last week, it had come
upon him that the time was now. The
skirmish was already on, and it had
alarmed him suddenly to find that the
skirmish was already a battle, and o
rough one.
As he stood there he heard voices on
to retire. because late cards and point
shooting at dawn do not agree. And
a point shooting picnic in snugly elab-
crate blinds was popular with women,
or was supposed to be.
Little by little the tumult died away.
He turned and looked grimly at his
bed; then. shutting off the lights, he
opened his door and went out into the
deserted corridor, where the elevator
shaft was dark and only the dim night
lights burned at angles In the passage
ways.
He had his rain coat and cap with
him, not being certain of what he
might be driven to, but for the present
he found the bay window overlooking
the swimming tank sufficient to begin
the vigil.
Secure from intrusion, as there were
no bedrooms on that corridor, he toss
ed coat and cap into the window seat,
walked to and fro for awhile listening
to the rain, then sat down, his we'll
shaped head between his hands, and in
silence he faced the enemy.
How long he had sat there he did
not know. When he raised his face,
all gray and drawn with the tension
Of conflict, his eyes were not very
clear, nor did the figure standing there
in the dim light from the hall mean
anything for a moment.
''Mr. Siward? % in an uncertain voice,
almost whisper.
He stood up mechanically, and she
saw his face.
"Are you Ill? What is itr'
'Tll? No" He passed his hand over
his eyes. II fancy was close to the
edge of Sleep" Some color came back
into his face. He stood smiling now,
the significance Of her presence dawn
ing on him.
''Did you really Gomez" hi asked.
''This isn't a very lovely but NIpalpa-
BILE astral vision, is it?'
o.