Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1910-01-14

By SARA CONE BRYANT
Copyright. BY Short Stories Co. Ltd.)

Anne Gregory sat in corner OF
frau baumgarten's library listening
10 the snatches of talk and music
which penetrated the heavy draperies
between her retreat and the salon,
ana enjoying the moments stolen
respite from social duties all the more
LOT ner uncertainty as to how long II
would last. Through the small gap
IN the portieres she caught fugitive
glimpses Of passing guests. One tall,
square-shouldered. in the Prussian
UNIFORM, paused briefly. just in view.
Two charming English girls passed,
ana then second tall mans figure. In
evening clothes.
And then the draperies were gen.
thy pushed aside. and Mr.. John Dur
ham came quietly in through the open
ing.
You'd much better 60 away, Jack,"
the girl murmured. lazily.
Thanks. awfully." was the cheer
ful response. since you are SO press.
Ing, ! will stay a bit" And he pro-
ceeded to settle himself on a chair
arm opposite the window-seat where
Anne had curled herself up.
Anne tapped her foot on the wood.
en- edge Of the window.seat: finally
she lauehted. Mr.. Durham looked gen.
tiy surprised. Then his face grew
quite serious. DO you like these Ger
mans, Anne?" he said.
TOO abstract. Make 1t concrete,
Jackie. and I'll tell you"
Well. Won Hammerstein. for in
stance?"
Certainty do" promptly: don't
yoE!"
i don't think know him quite as
we'll as you do"
IT you did, you would" said Anne,
enthusiastically. He is-so inter-
esting."
Out of the corner of her eye she
observed that her enthusiasm awak.
ened no response.
When Jack spoke it was on another
subject, though not unconnected
with the former: Pretty swell VIC.
lets you have on" he said. Made in
Germany"
What do you mean?"
i mean. am the only man who
isn't allowed to send you violets?
You are wearing some tonight"
Why, Jack!-Jack. don't you see,
you are the only man / know well
enough to ~ we'll - to advise for his
own good?"
Anne's face wavered between re-
sentiment and guilty amusement;
finally reluctant smile crept toward
the dimple in her left cheek, and she
lifted reproachful eyes to his.
"Ah. Jackie. how mean you are!',
she said. in small voice she re-
served for him. I. .,,.
"Anne!" Her heart Jumped with
the startle of It. The voice was no
more Jacks familiar voice than the
stern white face was his face.
you have called me a boy a good
many times in the past. Anne" he
said. Il am not a boy. The time
has come when you must understand
that"
Something in the low depressed
tones hurried the girls heart-beats
and made 1t hard to hold her eyes
level on his. She found her eyes
dropping till she could see rothing but
her own tightly clasped hands: at
that she was both angry and ashamed;
1t had never happened to her before.
1T means something to me-" she
heard him saying, that you should
not think Of me as boy. / find cant
stand 1t any longer. Anne, will you
look at me. please?"
Anne's ears were full at pounding
noises, and her heart was doing un-
comfortable things out Of due local
ity; as for looking at him!-she real
lied suddenly that she was afraid to
look. Then she considered; afraid
of Jack-Jack? That was plainly ridi-
culous. She would not yield to such
folly; she would look at him coolly
and say: "Well?" But she did not.
And then through the pounding the
voice came again, still lower, but
with quiet incomprehensible author
ity in it: Look at me, Anne!"
He had not moved, but 1t seemed to
her that he had taken her face in
his two hands and was lifting it; and
the rebellious eyes followed the same |
imperious power. A long minute She
looked with eyes that could not e.
cape the passionate holding of his.
while he gave her his soul to read as
q man holds out his palm to friend.
And when the minute was over, the
had crept through every
fiber of her that the face was indeed
not the face of boy, but Of man.
Queen Anne-my queen!" he
breathed.
The girl made a hasty, tremulous
motion, slipping to her feet as II to es-
cape some danger. The movement
brought her gown against him, and
both his hands closed round the one
which hung at her side. The clasp
was so unlike the friendly grasp Of
the hand she knew as Jacks that she
thought she did not like It; a little
gasp came from her lips with the in
words: "Oh, please oh,
lon't, Jack; you make me very uncom-
.ortable-I don't want"
IT must speak, Anne. How long do
you suppose a man can bear this sort
# thing? If you have any mercy in
,ou, tell me now"
4 "Tell- you-what?"
whether there is any hope for
ne or not. l have waited till can't
Walt any longer, little girl; I've got
= have you-or-lose you, now. r.