Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-07-08
Copyright. by Daily Story Pub.

when he saw her nod and smile to his
friend, Florence Catherwood, and ac-
cept seat at her table. The woman
might have been on the shady side of
40, but she looked scarcely so in her
pale gray costume with chinchilla
trappings. Her face was rarely beau
tiful under the soft dark waves of hair,
dropped mouth with every pathetic
line accumulated. She opened her coat,
displaying fascinating glimpses of a
lace-befrilled blouse, and from her
neck dangled barbaric jeweled chain.
There was something singularly at
tractive in this woman, with her tragic
dark eyes and sorrowful mouth, and
Trescott's languid interest in the sur
rounding hustle was awakened, so he
rose and crossed swiftly to Mrs. Cath
erwoods table.
She introduced him TO her friend,
Mrs. Fox of New Orleans, and Trescott
sat down without invitation. only con-
scious of meeting pair of beautiful
gray eyes. Then he began to wonder
IL ne had been asleep the last few
months. for Mrs. Fox, to his eager,
earnest question replied that she had
been in New York since early fall
Florence Catherwood smiled in
diligently at Trescott's undisguised
admiration and attention. Trescott
was always on the lookout for
20 in h hAI Ia
life he had never been seriously
IN love. He was, however, young, Mrs.
Catherwood reflected, and she slipped
her tea and idly listened to their genial
prattle.
The next night they met in Mrs.
Catherwood's box at the opera. Mrs.
Fox was radiantly beautiful in mauve
satin with amethysts about her splen.
did neck and in her dark hair. The
brilliant light was indulgent: she
looked young and fresh, and her eyes
smiled a happy welcome as Trescott
took a seat directly behind her. The
opera was Faust" but they heard
scarcely any, so engrossed were they
in each other. 1t seemed to Prescott
that something he had lost had come
back to him again. And as he listened
to her low, sweet voice, telling him of
herself, her southern home. surround
ed with the fragrance of magnolia
trees, he felt instinctively that she had
already entered the radius of his life.
When Marguerite was singing the
hn in,n lei al fnr
word. world of ardent sincerity in his
tone: II am going TO see YOU so much !;
| want TO know you SO WE'LL
And you SHALL" she answered soft
ly.
After that they met everywhere. 1t
annoyed him when he learned she was
divorced He had an intense aversion
to divorced women and always avoided
them Nevertheless, his interest in
Mrs. Fox did not waver. She was a
constant surprise to him. and he frank.
ly liked her more than any woman he
had ever known. He visited places he
had never gone before in the hopes OF
meeting her, and gradually began TO
hold her in closer relationship than
he had ever drifted with woman At
length it becSpe a necessity TO be
with her and ask her advice upon mat.
ters that heretofore he would have
scoffed at the mere idea of consulting
with a woman. He could not account
for II, but the experience was at least
novel, and he persuaded himself to be-
liava 10 xtac a rara hoaufff,,l fr;op =, III,
between two congenial souls.
One late afternoon in February he
met her descending Mrs. Catherwood's
steps. She looked unusually lovely in
velvet and soft dark furs, and there
was glad recognition in her eyes as
she extended her hand from a huge
muff.
Il thought you were going to pass
me by she said reproachfully.
mo, no." he told her quickly; Il
wasn't sure 1t was you for the fraction
of a second. Where are YOU going?"
Home she answered. will YOU
Gomez"
II was the first invitation she had
given him. and Trescott, with boyish
impetuosity, bounded to the small blue
brougham to assist her in. II thank
you" he said. as they whirled over the
smooth asphalt.
Her apartments were as beautiful
and luxurious as he had supposed.
everything denoting her exquisite taste
and personality. She removed her
wraps, and they sat before the fire un.
I'll only the Goals lighted the room.
Prescott, with the witchery of the twi.
light hour upon him and her soothing
presence. talked necessarily, unbur-
dening the most sacred of his thoughts,
feelings, and dreams. She exerted a
most curious charm over him, this
singularly sweet yet worldly wise. lit
tie woman, and being extremely young,
the novelty OF their close intimacy ap-
pealed more deeply to him.
After that he called regularly twice
week. Now and then he sent her
exquisite white roses, because she had
mentioned her preference for them.
and he likened her to the purity of
such flowers. There seemed nothing