Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-26


was handsome fellow, this Lucian Malvln an
ambitious one too, in some degree, and very near
ly as proud as Lucifer. He used to feel many
pang in the association with those so much wealth.
Ter than himself to which certain circumstances
had subjected him. He had had an important
case accidentally thrown into his hands, and had
acquitted himself so well that the wealthy client
took him up and would not let MIN down; anu
when Lucian demonstrated that it was out of his
power to keep up such association, and was NOR
ifying his pride BESIDES the client had assured
him it was not pride, but vanity that was moru-
fed and that the way to be as wealthy as those
he met was to keep their company and get their
cases; and he had thought on the whole, that
perhaps his friend right, and II he began TO
yield with an ignoble motive, had nevertheless be-
come very fond of the ways of people to whom
wealth had given every opportunity OF culture
and grace and who knew how to treat life like
work of art. Moreover, it was not little that ne
was petted by various of these good people, Ger
tanly motherly ladies made him at home with
them, and won his confidence and MS aHectlon
notably Mrs Barnetta Parents with good rent
rolls of their own, as Mrs. Barnetta USED 10 tell
him. were not so insstent in the matter of rent
rolls as of virtue and talent in their daughters
husbands; and he was invited here and invited
there, and given to understand great deal more
than he chose to understand. Proud as LucIer'
as it was previously stated, he was going to mar
ry heiress of them all and be the thrall OF her
money; he would not marry rich woman, ne
could not marry a poor one When he mar
ried, he was going to give, not take and at pres
ent he had nothing to give. Perhaps he would
have been nobler person If he had not been
quite so strenuous in this matter of obligation;
but then as Mrs Barnetta said he would not
have been Lucian Malvin, and Lucian Malvin was
a very good fellow, after ALL and there are few
of us but have our faults.
It was among these people that he happened
to meet Rosa MERCER. She had come from a
distant place, and visiting his pleasantest
acquaintance; and certainly the house was pleas
anter still after her sunshiny little presence dawn
ed on it, 1t seemed if, for instance there
had heen flowers mouse
although it had always been overfow1ng; II seem
ed as if there had been no music there, no hghC'
color, or cheer; and now the place was 100
dangerously delightful for young man VINO uld
not want to marry too frequent. She was such
lovely little thing not exactly beautiful that is,
she would not have been beautiful in picture,
but in flesh and blood and in Luc1an Malvln
eyes, she was exceedingly beautiful, with her soft
color her clear dark gaze and her bright hair that
broke into a cloud of sunny rings about her
sweet face; such gentle gayety went with her
wherever she did, such tender grace of manner,
too in the intervals of her buoyant spirits, her
voice was such warbng voice, her ways were
such winsome ways. Lucian Malvin felt that he
must forswear her presence unless ne wanted 10
make life burden to himself; and he ceased 60
ing to Mrs Barnetta's, where she was staying,
almost as suddenly day forsakes the horizon
in that dreary season when twilights are not
But if he could shut himself out from the Bar
Metals, he could not shut Miss Rosa out from
general society; and go where he would, he met
her almost nightly laughing gayly, singing sweet
w. dancing lightly, till he declared to himself that
if this was going to last, he must indeed cease 60
ing out at all. But that was little too much ;
he did not know how positively to deny himself
the mere sight of her. Yet things were growing
very precarous when he could not take book
but he saw that blushing god-enringed face slide
in between the pages, when he could not make
out a writ without being in danger of slipping
her name into the blanks, when he heard the de-
licious voice murmuring in his ears when he
walked, and walked all night with the little spirit
when he slept. He made a compromise with
himself-it was all he coud-and declared that