The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-30
DECLINED
WITH THANKS.
A Rejected Love Story and the
Letter That Came After.
BY e. J. BURKE.


club Saunders afterwaFd spoke Of
him as ''the hand of fate" But then
he was under the sway of the blind
god and so not responsible for either
his remarks or his eyesight.
1t was certainly case of love at
first sight-on the part of Saunders.
When he looked down into the dark
eyes raised so frankly to his own he
gave up his heart unconditionally. In
all his thirty-tive years nothing had
sent the blood rushing so riotously
through his veins as the firm, warm
clasp of her hand.
But he was quiet, self controlled
fellow. with a composure born OF years
of struggle up the uncertain literary
ladder. So he did not hold the little
hand second longer that politeness
demanded There was no trace OF
eagerness in his manner as he sat
down on the divan beside her and be-
gan to talk as few men and fewer
women had heard him talk-brilliant-
ly, with flashes of wit and sarcasm re-
leving the underlying earncstness OF
thought.
Cecil Travers was quite unconscious
of the metamorphosis she was produc-
ing. She only thought that this big
blond man was not nearly as unap-
proachable as he looked. He was real
ly charming And, what was the more
remarkable, he did not talk about him
self.
The girl found this an unusual expe-
rience. AS reader for one Of the maya
zines and writer Of short stories she
had met many men Of many minds.
yet" as she had said pathetically to
herself, 'the minds always seem to
turn inward. How can they write
about the world around them when
they are so absorbed In self?"
Her wonder grew when she discov-
cred that he, too was an author. She
remembered now seeing his name
signed to several clever sketches. He
had never tried any with the Sympo-
SUM. AS he talked the desire to read
some of his stories became overmas-
tering.
"Why don't you send something to
me at the Symposium she asked at
length frankly.
He flushed up to the roots of his
hair as he said hesitatingly. Il have
been busy about something else, but
will-some time
1t was his first trace of awkward
ness. Cecil could not know that the
.'soIneihing else'' was the novel which
was the work of many months and
which was even then seeking a pub
Usher. Not even to her dared he trust
himself to speak of this child of his
hopes. If the world gave 1t q welcome
-ah, then! His thoughts We're busy
weaving a beautiful day dream. and
its central figure was this dark eyed
girl who was almost stranger to him.
He awoke to realities with a start,
Miss Travers. puzzled at his silence,
had risen and was holding out her
hand in goodby.
"You will come TO see me some time,
will you not. Mr. Saunders" she
asked, with the frank smile that was
her especial charm. 81 have enjoyed
my talk with you so very much that
would like to repeat it. I am always
at home on Tuesdays and Thursdays "
Her tone was so cordial that he
blushed and stammered over his
thanks. He called himself fool a
minute afterward when he found him
self standing stupidity staring at the
doorway through which she had dis
appeared. But that did not prevent
his going home in a strangely excited
and exhilarated mood. The glamour OF
his day dream seemed still around
him. And she, the lady Of his dream
he loved her.
He whispered it to himself as he
strode across the park, half fearful
that the pickering lamps and the
swaying branches might guess his Sc
cret, but in the silence of his room he
said 1t boldly, and the confident ring
of the words seemed to echo the mad
beating of his heart.
1t was inevitable that the next
Thursday night should find him in the
parlor of Miss Travers' fiat. 1t was
equally inevitable that he should bend
all his energies to hide his love from
the smiling eyes of this girl, who
treated him with an air Of bon CANA
raderie fatal to sentiment.
1t is doubtful whether even encour
agement would have wrung the secret
from his lips. The first Joy of loving
was past, and in its place had come {
food Of self distrust, of self deprecia
ton. To his tortured mind an un
bridgeable gulf Of training and tradi
tions seemed to sweep between them
She had been the petted child Of ricl
parents, and on her had been lavishe
the gifts Of college education ant
years Of foreign travel. This attemp
at independence and self support ha,
been treated as her latest whim ant
humored accordingly. He had scram
bled from a common school education
into the pitfalls that beset the path O
a newspaper reporter. Every upwar
step had been bought at the price o
hard work. 1t was but short tim
since the problem Of meeting his boar
bill had been an all important one.
That was the first of many call
but the succeeding visits. while the
9trenQthpned hts love gave no cOura q