The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-01-13

him. lie was reused from his survey
OF them BY the voice Of Miss Fairchlld
herself. and, springing to his feet, he
stood speechlesa before that lady as
she fastened her riding gauntlets.
"Lieut. La Frezio," she laughed out
at him, In seeming selfposaeaaI
though her heart hammered unpleas-
antly, u am going TO ride on the Via
Appia. am sure you would find il
pleasanter TO come with me than to
sit ON that hard stone bench an the
morning. Won't you conner
Lieut.. Count Ludiyico La Frezio
was robbed Of his supply Of very
perfect English, but his delight ana
eoquiescence showed in his eyes.
and. though his tongue was stln, his
thoughts ran on in the most beautiful
and fervid italian.
Though LudIyico loved this Amer
lean girl with all the fervor OF his
warm italian heart, she was a contln-
ual shock 10 him. Why. when he
quoted poetry TO her--verses which he
had laboriously memorized for her ben
eit-she laughed at him. He shud-
deringly listened while she advanced
the view that the beauty OF hundred
Helens Of Troy was not anfioient
cause for a great war. One day he
had told her the old story OF the lady
who threw her glove among the lions
that her lover might prove his affec-
tion BY returning Il to her. He had
extolled a love that would brave such
dangers for even a glove OF the be-
loved one, and more than intlmated
that had Miss Falrchild been that lady
and he that lover, he would have done
that same thing What was his con-
sternation TO have her turn on him:
4 am sure hope you wouldn't do
anything so silly. Lieut. La Frezio,"
she said.
"l-l-Miss Fairchild--can It be-
that you think It silly that one should
be so devoted TO the lady he adores?"
Yes, indeed ! do, think Il was
horrid OF her to throw her glove. sho
couldn't have cared a bit about him or
she would not, and Il was very silly
Of him to risk his life for a woman
who did not love him."
Poor Ludivico was again routed This
lady, whom he loved in spite Of him
self thought lightly Of the most sacred
right Of the lover-the right to sacri-
fee bis life to please the beloved-and
called IL silly" That night he SAT
with his head in his hands far into
the night, trying to understand. AL
the traditions of the generations be-
fore him-the songs his ancestors had
sung under Venetian windows, the sig.
nal lanterns they had hung In Floren-
tine balconies-had worn grooves in
his nature In which his emotion natu.
rally ran. He could not conceive OF
love In the cold western manner, and
he rev0lted at Miss Fairchild's theory
that such things we're silly" He
never dreamed that she had bitterly
regretted applying that epithet TO the
lover of the glove, and that she knew
IN her secret soul how she would value
such an act of devotion; that in real
ity the touehstone OF her heart was
some utterly irrational act of affection.
But this was really the case. Miss
Fairchild longed to put him to the test.
and half intended to try, If she could
only find the opportunity: and this in
to him to ride with her on the
Via Appia had behind It halfformed
Back of the happy face of the sol.
Tier very different resolution was in
lorce-to try and please this incom-
lrehensible girl BY refraining from alb
'omantic speeches or illusions. For
lent. Count LudivIco La Frezio's love
or Miss Mildred Fairchild was far
stronger than his aversion to her the
'ries. and he had made a vow
0 himself, backed by all the sumptn-
nus Italian 'Oaths Of which he was
master. that he would at least pre-
end to be the unromantie being she
eemed to think man should be. Noh
nee again would he repeat poetry in
er ear-not onceg Never again woula
e tell her tales OF lovel He didn'k
now just what he would talk 10 her
bout but he would make an effort ia
urb his tongue TIL she saw he was
OF the SILLY" she thought him. and
hen he would try and gather courage
ask her to marry him.
AS they rode on. the grooms clatter.
lg behind them, she could not helm
oticing the change In the lleutenant'a
ttitude toward her.
At the edge of little grove by the
yer they dismounted and stroIlen
own to the water
Suppose / should throw myself in
ere, Lieut.. La FTezio. how soon
ould you rescue me?" she laughed
ack at him.
The man bit back the reply that
'rang to his lips and braced himself
ernly against neighboring tree.
Mrs. Darcy has assured me that
iss Fairchild can swim. It would be
lily for me to attempt to helm
IT."
Mildred looked at him blanklv. tho
st hope Of the reality of romance dv-
~ vsssthsse kx...