The Irish standard., 1909-09-18

right to think that he could make her
as angry as she still was, angry even
to tears, and then bribe her to smile
again when he was tired of teasing
her. Her eyes turned away again, and
she did not answer him.
II make mistakes sometimes" he
said, speaking still lower, 81 know
do. When l am with you cannot be
always thinking of what say. It's
too much to ask, when man is as far
gone as l ami" -.. ~.
| II should like to believe that, Mar
garet said, without. looking at him.
"1s it hard to believer" he asked so
gently that she only Just heard the
words. " ."
You don't make it easy, you know"
said she with a little Defiance, for she
felt that she was going to yield before
long. =
81 don't know how to. You're not
In the least capricious-and yet"
You're mistaken" Margaret an
swered turning to him suddenly: I'm
the most capricious woman in the
world! ID. Yesterday l wrote long let
ter to a friend, and then suddenly
tore it up-there were ever so many
pages! daresay that If had writ
ten just the same letter this morning
should have sent it. If that is not
caprice, what is it?'
1T may have been wisdom to tear
| it up" Logotheti suggested. -.
"rm not sure. never ask myself
! questions about what do. hate peo-
pie who are always measuring their
wretched little souls and then tinker
| ing their consciences to make them
fit! I don't believe wish to do any
thing really wrong, and so do exactly
what like. always!"
If you will only go on doing what
/ you like" Logotheti answered, at will
give me the greatest pleasure in the
world tos help you. I only ask one
Kindness; a. -.
you have no right to ask me any.
thing to-day, You've been quite the
most. disagreeah!e person this after
noon that ever met. in. my life"
II know have" Logotheti answered
with admirable contrition. I'LL wait
day or two before ask anything;
perhaps you will have forgiven me by
that time" ' &C.,
I'm not sure. What was the thing
you were going. to- ask?"
| He was silent now thateshe wished
to know his thought.
"Have you forgotten 1t already?"
she inquired. with little laugh that
was; encouraging rather than con-
temptuous, for her curiosity was
reused. r. e. ~.
They. looked at; each other at last,
and all at once she felt the deeply dis
turbing, sense of his near presence
which she had missed for three days,
though she, was secretly a little afraid
and ashamed of it; and to-day IT had
not come while her anger had lasted.
But now it was stronger than ever be-
fore, perhaps because 1t. came so I'M
expectedly. and it>drew her to him.
Their eyes. met and they looked
Icing at one another in the shade Of
the elm. tree on the lawn, as the sun
was goings down Only a. few minutes
fhad passed since Margaret had been
very angry, and had almost believed
that she was going to quarrel finally,
and break. her engagement, and be
free; and now she could not even turn
her face away, and when her hand felt.
his upon it, she let him draw It. slowly.
to him; and half unconsciouslyy she
followed her hand, bending towards
him sideways. from her seat, nearer
and nearer, and very near. .,...ss ,
And as she, put up her lips to. his,
he would, that she might drink his
soul from him at one deep draught-
even, as one of his peoples poets
wished, in the worlds spring time,
long ago. y. az ..,.sl-. - s.,
Ityhad been. strange love.makink.
They. had been engaged during more
than two months, they were young,
vital, passionate; yet they had never
kissed before that. evening hour under
the elm, tree at Versailles. Perhaps 1t
was. for this that Konstaptin" had
played. or at least, for the; certainty
1t meant to him, il he had. doubted
that she was sincere
1 =