The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-05-08

II suppose Helen cares nothing for
him; he acted toward me as though
he'd been crushed. and IL tried to be
nice to him to make up for it."
That was nice Of you, very nice Of
you, Rosalind. hope you will keep
right on the way you've begun. Now
I must ask you not to leave here, and
not allow your father to leave unless
I know it,"
But you have your hands full with.
out lis. Your first obligation is to
Aunt Pat and Helen. My father and
I have merely stumbled in where We
were not invited. You and I had bet.
ter say good-by now"
II am not anxious to say good BY"
I answered. lamely, and she laughed
at me.
I'VE met under the star-r-rs, Mr..
Donovan" Nhis was impudent; my
own RS trll. they say). Eat the stone
seat and by the boathouse. and We
talked Shakespeare and had beauti.
full time-all because you thought
was Helen. In your anxiety to be with
her YOU couldn't see that I haven't
quite her noble height-Tm an inch
shorter. gave you every chance there
at the boathouse, to see your mistake;
but you wouldn't have It so. And you
let me leave YOU there while I went
back alone across the lake to Red
Gate. right by Battle Orchard. which
is haunted by Indian ghosts. You are
a most gallant gentleman"
When you are quite done, Rosa.
lind"
Il don't know when I shall have
chance again. Mr.. Donovan" she went
on. provokingly. II learned a good
deal from you in those interviews, but
I did have to do a lot Of guessing.
That was a real inspiration Of mine, ia
insist on playing that Helen by night
and Helen by day were different per.
sonalities. and that you must not
speak to the one OF the other That
saved complications. because you did
keep to the compact. didn't you?"
] assented. little srudgingly; and
my thoughts went back with reluctant
step to those early affairs of mine.
which I have already frankly disclosed
In this chronicle, and I wondered, with
her counterpart before me, how much
Helen really meant 10 me. RosalinN
studied me With her frank, merry .
eyes: then she bent forward and ad.
dressed ME with something of that
president air with which my sisters
used to lecture me.
Mr.. Donovan, fear you are little
mixed in your mind this morning, and
l propose to set you straight"
About what, II you please?"
II can tell you exactly why It is that
Helen has taken SO strong hold Of your
imagination--why. in fact, you are in
love with her"
Not that-not that"
She snatched the foil from the table
and out the air with IT several times
as I started toward her. Then she
stamped her foot and saluted me.
Stand where you are, sir! Your
race. Mr. Donovan. has a bad reputn-.
ton in matters of the heart For a.mo-
ment you thought you were in love
with me; but You are not, and you are
not going 10 be. You see, understand
you perfectly"
That's what my sisters used to tell
me-"
Precisely? And I'm another one of
your sisters---you must have scores OF
them!-and expect you to be increas-
ingly proud of me-"
"Of course l admire Helen" l be- 4.
gan, fear, little sheepishly.
And you admire most what you
don't understand about her! Now that
you examine me In the light of day
you see what tremendous difference
there is between us. l am altogether
obvious; l am not the least bit subtle.
but Helen puzzles and thwarts you.
You did me great service last night,
and you would serve me again, l am
confident of it, and ] hope, when all
these troubles are over, that we shall
continue--my father, and you and T.
the best friends in the world
cannot deny that was a good deal
abashed by this declaration spoken
without coqnetry, and with a sincerity
OF tone and manner that seemed con-
elusive.
! began stammering some reply, but
she required abruptly to the serious
business that hung over us.
81 know You will do what You can
for Aunt Pat ! wish you would tell
her. II you think II wise. that father is
here. They should understand each
other. And Helen, my splendid, cour-
ageous, beautiful cousin-you see
don't grudge her even her better looks,
or that intrepid heart that makes lis
so different. I am sure you can man.
age all these things in the best
possible way. And now I must find
my father and tell him that you are
going to arrange meeting with Aunt
Pat, and talk to him of our future"
She led the way up to the garden,
and as I struck off into the road she
waved her hand to me, standing under
the overhanging sign that proclaimed
Hartridge, the canoe-maker, at Red