The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1910-01-14

ROW. a. ueEldL6. DCllCNC NC ~ DSOh
wasting on pity-your look as cool
as a cucumber, doesn't she, joss
lyn +? II shall be dead soon, and
you Ill have to bury a grease spot.
You can t cremate that, can you !?
But come right ia at once and sit
down; and, let me introduce my
cousin. '
The introduction was duly az
knowledged.
1t was gay and animated scene
that Ruth Bentley and Josslyn sur
veyed from their chairs under q big
tree that cast a grateful shadow.
The tennis and croquet grounds OF
the Albion club were spacious and
altogether admirable. All the ten
mis- nets were occupied and girls 10
short skirts and rolled UP sleeves
were playing as vigorously as
though it were not so in the shade.
Ruth could see Ena Spencer, her
feet twinkling from one side Of the
court to the other, laughing and
shouting directions to her partner,
and hammering away at the balls
for all she was worth.
"Oh for a book and.a shady
nook, +" quoted Josslyn.
Ruth smiled. All well, you
know. we all have our own way Of
translating old Omar words
n All make the most of what we
may yet spend,
Before we, too, into the dust de-
scend.
You and I may be wrong. Ena
may be right. -
"You don't really think so,' he
said. ......
She laughed merrily. "No, not
really. Ena s meat would certainly
be my poison. But there's one adj
vantage that accrues to us by Ena s
energy. 1t makes us feel all the
cooler, dOesn t it?'
He nodded absently, his eyes fix
ed on the bunch Of beautiful red
roses that she wore in an antique
silver belt. He had given them to
her just as they were about to start
for the club. She took them with
slight yet perceptible hesitation
and a faint word Of thanks he could
not hear. Did their red glowing
hearts whisper any message to her
Did their red glowing hearts whis-
per any message to her? Did their
perfume breathe his love? He
could not tell.
II am going away at the end of
the week." he said abruptly.
"Must you ?" she said. "I
thought you were enjoying the
rest.
II know, but / have been very
lazy the last few weeks. My pub
fishers are beginning to stir me up
about a book I have promised them
for the autumn. I can It write here
my mind is too distracted. I
|, who laughed at Ena-I am be-
coming restless. Curious, ism t it ?
Let's strole homcward. :" They
started in silence.
The pause was broken by a COM
monplace rmark from him. "You
don't want your parasol here
there s no sun. :"
II forgot" she said, with little
nervous laugh. The roses in her
belt were fading rapidly. He had
sworn to speak before they were
dead.
Ruth, ''he said not noticing that
he was using the name which was
always in the thoughts, "may a
man speak to you Of love 20
She made no answer, only the
color came and went in her cheeks
and she clasped the handle of her
parasol tightly in her hand.
Il think unconsciously all my
life T have been waiting for you. I
often wondered why I didn't fall
in love as other men do. I
tried to do 20. / began
to think that love would never
come. T grew despairing. I tried
to dethrone an ideal and be con-
tent with common clay, but some
how I couldn't, I am glad now
I couldn't because you were
living all the time, only I didn t
meet you until recently. You are
my ideal woman" he concluded
simply.
'No-no,' she said hurriedly,
with evident distress, "don t think
that To- she trembled violent
ly. :
He drew her down beside him ON
a fallen tree trunk. "Do you know
7 have curious theory about you
if there are any theories III love.
Shall L tell you ? We were talk
ing the other evening about having
possible known Lamb in a pre-ex-
istence. Well T think / have al
ways loved you. L think, by some
strange telepathy you saw my long
ing and drew my heart to you.