The Washington herald., 1909-06-20

dead as II he had seen a ghost. ''You
remember. you mean. when I used to be
in love with you." she said steadily
sGuirmed and prayed for help.
I am not blaming YOU" she protested
politely. 7 said al first I took you au
pied de la lettre And when YOU didn't
write and the boys spoke in their letters
Of how popular and gay YOU were-that
YOU were engaged TO some petty girl
cared Yes, 7 cared good deal" She
spoke rehectively and casually. and
wondered just now COnyers felt
I had a good deal Of faith In human
nature" Miss Dean went on, "and it took
some time for me 10 understand how lit
tie 4 all had meant 10 you. 7 had two or
three letters and a ring you'd given me.
hut knew i would be silly 10 send them
back 10 YOU when you'd forgotten the
whole episode. so I dropped them IN the
lake" She was talking as quietly as you
please in that slow. rich voice Of hers
and I didn't lose a word. Margaret
COnyers tried to speak. but she interrupt
ed. Wait. please, I want TO explain 10
you why It isn't necessary. as told you
the other day, for you TO feel that you
owe me an apology" Her voice stung
You've been OF such service 10 me, I m
grateful. It's enabled me TO grow beyond
myself OF that time-my very crude and
impressionable self. could no more care
for you now" her voice rang with a de-
cision than I could be that girl again.
I thought Conyers deserved an uncom-
mon kicking. but I felt a Iittle sorry for
him. Il didn't know I had entirely got
ten over it," Miss Dean continued I'm
I'll I saw you flirting with Agatha I had
supposed I'd always care for yOU-that
one couldn't put such a thing. when Il
had meant something, aside; but when
saw you passing on TO her what you had
given me. why, then I knew just what
had been saved from, what you'd saved
me FROM so I have been your pre-
server from the fate Of being my wife"
he said. laughing disaSreeably- From
being a very unhappy woman" she cor
rected There was a long silence, and
then I heard her walk across the room
TO the door. Wait Just one mOment."
he begged. and I could hear his quick
steps as ne got in front OF her. You
say you are not the same woman; that
you couldn't be the one you used 70 be-.
Couldn't you, can't you. look at my side
and see that 1 have changed. that I'm
not the same person / was?" He spoke
persuasively, gently, as IL things still
hung in the balance, though it seemed to
me they had been very carefully weighed
and found wanting. NO. You're older.
It's rather habit with you now: before
IL was an impulse" THE one impulse
can't outgrow, Margaret"
Apparently she shrugged her shoulders,
for he said quickly: If you are thinking
OF Agatha he broke of impatienfly.
she's outside the question-merely a
pretty. silly sort Of a girl I'D Ike to
give him one for thatD ~and Of a type
that could no more be interested in me
than I in her One could flirt with a girl
like her for each others amusement, but
when ones in love with woman and has
been cad to her and can't apologize
without being more so and IS so bitterly
ashamed that he'd like for her TO trample
on him-thaes different"
My nerves were so unstrung between a
sneaking sort OF symapthy for Conyers
and hearty wish that he would get out
before I was discovered that I felt per-
feet wreck.
I've been ashamed TO the dust for six
years Conyers went on. AT first I
thought less and less about It and meant
merely a summer Irritation, each Of US
would forget, and then, just before I
graduated. something happened to put a
new light on things-too late for it 10
make any difference. One Of my class
mates-a fellow whose father had made a
lot OF money as ward politician and had
handed down the money and the manners
o. the ward to his son-got to talking
about a girl he'd met during his last va
cation out West and been engaged TO.
He went back 10 college and forgot all
about her. he said; saw somebody else he