The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-09-16
Excepting what the business was,
Margaret said incredulously.


| "The business was an uncut stone,
answered Logotheti with indifference.
He had one to sell, and I bought it.
HE was recommended to me by man
In Constantinople. He came to Mar
settles on a French steamer with two
Greek merchants who were coming to
Paris, and they brought him to my
door That is the whole story. And
here is the ruby. bought it for you,
because you like those things. Will
you take it?"
He held out what looked like little
ball of white tissue paper, but Marga-
ret turned her face from him.
"You treat me like q child" she
said.
To her own great surprise and indig-
nation, her voice was unsteady and
she felt something burning in her
eyes. She was almost frightened at
the thought that she might be going
to cry, out of sheer modification.
Logotheti said nothing for a mo-
ment. He began to unroll the paper
from the precious stone, but changed
his mind, wrapped it up again, and
put 1t back into his watch-pocket be-
fore he spoke.
81 did not mean it as you think" he
said softly.
She turned her eyes without moving
her head, till she could just see that
he was leaning forward, resting his
wrists on his knees, bending his head
and apparently looking down at his
loosely hanging hands. His attitude
expressed detection and disappoint-
ment. She was glad of it. He had no
right to think that he could make her
as angry as she still was, angry even
to tears, and then bribe her to smile
again when he was tired of teasing
her. Her eyes turned away again, and
she did not answer him.
81 make mistakes sometimes" he
said, speaking still lower, 81 know
do. When I am with you I cannot be
always thinking of what I say. It's
too much to ask, when a man is as far
gone as I ami"
81 should like to believe that" Mar
garet said, without looking at him.
rs it hard to believer" he asked SO
gently that she only just heard the
words.
you don't make it easy, you know"
said she with little defiance, for she
felt that she was going to yield before
long.
81 don't know how to. You're not
in the least capricisus-andy yet"
You're mistaken" Margaret an
swered, turning to him suddenly. I'm
the most capricious woman in the
world! Yesterday I wrote long let
ter to friend, and then I suddenly
tore it up-there were ever SO many
pages! I daresay that If I had writ
ten just the same letter this morning
I should have sent it. If that is not
caprice, what is it?"
1T may have been wisdom to tear
1t up," Logotheti suggested.
"Pm not sure. I never ask myself
questions about what do. I hate peo-
pie who are always measuring their
wretched little souls and then tinker
ing their consciences to make them
fit! I don't believe I wish to do any
thing really wrong, and so do exactly
what like, always!"
IF you will only go on doing what
you like" Logotheti answered, 1T will
give me the greatest pleasure in the
world to help you. l only ask one
kindness"
you have no right to ask me any
thing to-day. You've been quite the
most disagreeable person this after
noon that l ever met in my life"
81 know have" Logotheti answered
with admirable contrition. 'I'll wait
day or two before l ask anything; !;
perhaps you will have forgiven me by
that time"
I'm not sure. What was the thing
you were going to ask?"
He was silent now that she wished
to know his thought.
Have you forgotten it already?'
she inquired with a little laugh that
was encouraging rather than con-
temptuous, for her curiosity was
reused.
They looked at each other at last,
and all at once she felt the deeply dis
turbing sense of his near presence
which she had missed for three days,
though she was secretly little afraid
and ashamed of it; and to-day it had
not come while her anger had lasted.
But now it was stronger than ever be-
fore, perhaps because it came so un-
expectedly, and it drew her to him.
Their eyes met and they looked
lcng at one another in the shade of
the elm tree on the lawn, as the sun
was going down Only few minutes
had passed since Margaret had been
very angry, and had almost believed
that she was going to quarrel finally,
and break her engagement, and be
free; and now she could not even turn
her face away, and when her hand felt
his upon it, she let him draw it slowly
to him; and half unconsciously she
followed her hand, bending towards
him sideways, from her seat, nearer
and nearer. and very near.
And as she put up her lips to his,
he would that she might drink his
soul from him at one deep draught-
even as one of his peoples poets
wished, in the worlds spring time,