The Cairo bulletin., 1909-06-15

| hau NOT neard Tor IL years, seemed &c
tread on her heart. She stopped. try
| ing to assume genial air--if possible
to make him forget that her hair was
stright, her skin colorless. her face
thin. She thanked God for the dim
light in the hall
This is indeed Fortunate said HIS
polite voice, with well-bred interest
Won't you tell me the pleasant things
you have been doing since we last saw
| each other?"
She wished TO evince a quiet pleas.
| ure at seeing him again, and she was
| resolved not to be plaintive or yoluble.
Faithful to your old acquaintances. as
| usual" she said. glancing towards the
books OF the library.
My old friends. you should say,
he responded, with polite meaning. II
there had only been In his tone one
shade OF real "reminiscences. the pity
over sweet triie dead! In her
despair she wanted to save herself by
the role of gentle calm, but her voice
faltered.
Il am spending the winter in New
York for change-in faet-I--I--am
teaching school. It's great fun" She
hurried sensitively on: Il enjoy II i'm.
mensely. May inquire for Mrs. Mark
ham?"
Thank you, she is extremely we'll.
and Phil is fine lad"
What. is there Phil7"
There u.s." he said, laughing boyish.
ly. Junior is five years old"
"Mercy!" she exclaimed, In astonish,
ment. Something cut her to the quick
as the child's image rose before her,
Il am distressed" she said, with
mock seriousness; lit is rainy day,
and one has more than ever old
maidish look in rainy-day gown"
She laughed trying to make it sound
the old. frank note. Markham, being
dulled by the happiness in his own life.
scarcely needed her sorry little play.
She was an old Irritation good girl
well, she had faded, as they always
do, The pathetic dowdiness, the I'M
disguised getting old that was so evil
him, because to him 1t was of such
small moment. In her mind his idea
of her had been everything. She had
sacrificed herself stoically to IT, She
had had the feeling that their &C.
quaintance was like an unbroken idyl,
covered by dust and cobwebs, per
chance, but, brush them off, and the
idyl, like fragile vase, would be there
beautiful as ever He had known
her young, full of blithe grace. He
must remember her so. This ideal
was broken now irretrievably.
May have your address, he
asked. cordially. We shall doubtless
not meet again by accident"
Il know where you live" she an
swered, with brightness not intensi-
fed, as OF old. by her cheeks and eyes.
but my address is so far away, and
long distances are such discouragers OF
good Intentions" she answered. eva
sively "Au revoir"-she nodded
gracefully and kept her eyes on his
face until she had whirled her awk.
ward skirt out OF the door. Then
she took a cross'town car in an
alarmed hurry, lest he might follow
her and find out where she lived.
Markham, however, had scarcely re-
marked the girl. He strolled to the
club and dined later at home. His
wife, in a pale velvet dinner-gown that
became her languid grace, greeted him
In the salon. Standing In the chas.
tening light of Venetian lamps, she
was very gratifying to any mans
pride. Philip Markham bowed to her
CALAMITY.
How appropriate you are, Helen.
Yos are not day over 20, my dear
None OF us keep spring that way How
do you do it?"
She leaned playfully towards him
You do It; you make me happy. and
| look so-viola tout! What have you
done to-day?"
Nothing much; lounged about the
knickerbocker, bought some horses,
and, oh, yes, dropped into the library
the Lenox. BY the way, ran across
a girl used TO know, teacher; that
is, she wasn't teacher when / knew
her; we said Hello TO each other"
At this instant Junior ran into the
room. BLESS the boy, Come to
papa, Phil" cried Markham love.
what a lad! He'll soon be sailing the
yacht for pape--I say he's trim chap
"a kiss-there. run back to NJ Gull.
lsume The infant can hardly speak
an English word decently. You know.
Helen, I'm In favor of sending him to
Oxford"
He never remembered afterwards
that he had asked Leila to send him
her address and that she had not done
it. That evening the Markhams en-.
gagged a table at Sherry's. where they
drove after the opera. Plsncon was
singing in the "Huguenots.
As for the school teacher, she OK.
cused her silence at dinner under plea
OF headache. Indeed. her cheeks
were flushed. II they had but been
pink when I met him." she thought, bit.
terly IF had worn my macintosh
that is stylish, at least-and my hest
IL