Evening star., 1909-06-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
] THE FIGHTER \
81 By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE. II
s1l Copyright 1909, by Albert Payson Terhune. N
Bv ALBERT PAYSON TEL
Copyright, 1909, BY Albert Payson Terhune.
xTfa1

one Sousa march and Summer Noon"
| with a somewhat hazy idea as to which
was which,, lounged. sprawling on cush-
| ion by her feet; listening in ignorant ad-
mration to the snatches Of melody. That
any one could coax a tune out of so COM
| plex an instrument was to him a mystery
to be greeted with silent respect.
He had come to her, In the long spring
| twilight, to show with naive pride an
! invitation he had Just received. An in
vitation to the musical-dinner at the
Standishes, three nights hence. He volun-
teered no information as to how 1t had
dering queries with the guilty embarrass-
ment that was always his when she
CHANGED to corner him in a fault. From
Conover's manner DeSiree gathered that
the invitation was In a way an effort on
Standishs part to repay the courtesy of
| the various large loans she knew Caleb
had made to the banker. Nor would she
| spoil the Fighters very evident delight by
| closer cross-questioning. Caleb had said.
| days ago, that he was going to be invited
to the dinner. And. despite her invariable
SCOTS at his boasts, she had long since
learned that such vaunts had an odd way
| of coming true.
The June dusk lay velvetlike over the
| little music room. From the yard outside
| came the bitter-sweet breath Of syrngas.
| Far off sounded the bells of Billy Shev-
| lin and some of his fellow street boys;
their racket mellowed by distance.
| had crossed to the piano. She sat
! playing scraps of music. was her
| wont, pausing now and then to speak.
| then letting her fingers run into new
| She had scant technique. and played
| almost wholly by ear, using the piano
! only as the amateur music-worshiper' S
medium for recalling and reproducing
| some cherished fragments of song
But to Caleb, lolling at her side, the
| performance was sublime. That any one
could talk while playing the piano was
| to him nothing short of marvellous he
was firmly convinced it was a gift
vouchsafed to Desiree alone. Music it
self was wholly unintelligible to him.
Except from Desiree's lips or fingers,
| he found it actively dista steful. But all
| fell upon his as a meaningless tumble
of sounds, he at least found the sounds
| sweet.
What's that thing you just did with
the low notes with the otler?' he asked.
after spell Of watching the busy white
fingers shining through the dusk.
That queried Desiree. It's just
ing Dutchman.' And i used to be able
to play the whole Spinning Song, but
I've forgotten most of it."
I HIM murmured Caleb. who found
her words as unmeaning as her music
Il thought remembered that one. Spin
ming Song hey?'
Yes. she said. absently. 1T starts
out with lots of bizzy. purry little
notes too fast for to play. l never
could learn the piano."
| You bet you could!' cried Caleb, at
| once afire with contradiction. I've heard
lot of crackajack piano players. an
never one of EN- could hold a candle
to you. Why, there was Blink Snesham-
the feller they called Ragtime King
| down to kerrigan's. You've got nm
beat block
You dear old loyal idiot"' laughed
| Desiree, lifting one hand from the keys
to rumple his stiff red hair with a
| gesture as affectionate as it was discom-
| fitting. Il believe you think I'm the
wonderfulest person on earth"
II know you are" he answered simply
his big body a-thril with half holy JOY
at her touch. What's the one you re
| playing now Will your other hand Amt
SO very long, but It's kind of sprightly.'
Its Segfried's horn call See how 1t
changes to four-time and loses all it's
hbuoyancy, in the Goetterdaemmerung
funeral march,"
Solemnly, hopelessly the transformed
distorted horn-call crashed out.
Go be continued tomorrow)