The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-25


his usual time. And by chance he
perched upon stool In the lunch
room next to Smith, whoawelcomed
/ him tovfaiiy.
Just the man." Smith remarked
Phillips, help me out. I'm hidden by
my cousin. Mrs. Best, you know, to go
out into the hedges and byways and
find presentabie man TO bring to
dinner--some one failed her at the
eleventh hour. You're neither maim-
ed nor halt-though / won't say
you're not blind. the way you knock
against people fn--cars, for instance"
He grtnned maliciousiy as he contin-
ued. But you'll do. I've intended
for long time past to ask you to
call there with me, but haven't got
round TO II. WIN you go tonight"
Phillips accepted, courteously, but
not too eagerly. He felt cross and
unit for soeiety---a sure sign that he
needed TO mix more with his fellows.
Smith went on talking.
You're to take out Constance Nor
ton, too. lucky dog. Guess you've not
been introduced to her" He gave
Phillips sly look. She came here
from New Hampshire--not SO far
from our sacred Boston. You ought
to know her. She's not been out
much because she's busy with the
Fairlie family portraits--has her
studio In Wellington. Great stun. to
be successful artist at barely twenty
ftvc.-t Wet, you'it see FOR yoursetr.
I'll call for you about 0. So long,"
At Gao, groomed within an inch of
/ his life. glad to get away from him
self and to be civilized for an evening,
and hoping to get the girl out of hts
mind, MIR. Henry Phillips entered the
Best home. He did wish that Smith
did not grin SO much, but others
seemed not to mind, Mrs. Best was
hospitality itself, and her three
pretty daughters welcomed him with
interest. But all this was nothing, for
after a moment his hostess led him
to a group near the fireplace. and his
head began to go round queerly and
his heart cut strange antics.
| For the girl. sweet and 1.-THE in her
rose-colored gown, gave him her slen-
| der hand n moment, and smiled con-
ventionally, quite as IL she had never
seen him before.
| He was conscious, too, of a great
joy, that her name was Constance
that was as 1t should be. And, thank
heaven, she surred her "rs"--he
could not abide the Western burning
1 OF that abused censenaHt- And pres
emily he took her out to dinner
| very good dinner.
! Fate was with him. The man on
er-otheE- side engaged TO his
dinner partner. And, afterward. she
was his partner at cards. And he ma
noeuvered until Mrs. Best asked him
to see the girl home. Then she her
self asked him to call.
Time slipped by after that, and
Phillips alternated between hope and
fear Sometimes she seemed very
near to caring; then for weeks at
time she would seem very far away.
Spring had come TO her full and
was gliding into early summer when,
as often happens In love matters. a
little thing brought the one great
thing to pass. The two were taking
walk in the early twilight. and as
they passed through ia small part he
began abruptly to tell her that he was
soon going back East for a long
vacation. At the moment he was pre-
ceding her down some steps that led
to the street and turned to offer her
a hand. should she need it. He saw,
surprised, that tears were running
down her cheeks and that she was un-
able to answer -trifiing question he
was asking.
why, Constance--why"--h un-
consciously used her name. why,
what lis it," Then, suddenly. her foot
slipped and she would have fallen
but that he caught her in his arms.
"Tm--ashamed." she finally muir
INJURED, but / think your talking of
going home made me homesick.
did not mean to be a--ba by--l--sup-
pose l wanted TO go home, too. T.
she stammered, but he at last found
his tongue and his courage. He be-
gan to tell her how he loved her, had
always loved her. always would love
her. 1t was not a new tale In the
world. but she listened with astonish-
ing interest.
Twilight had passed into soft dark
ness before she remembered that she
stood on the street letting a man make
love to her. Then she remembered
that her hands, though promised.
were vet her own. She withdrew
them.
Together these two with one heart
SO untnred homeward. 1t WAS all very
wonderful. They wondered why they
hid not realized 1t before For she
admitted that she had noticed bin
on the car. and had wormed much
Information out Of the grinning Smith.