Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-06-04
= Whatever be d,d

now unshrinkingly. Whatever he did.
he meant to act with his eyes open.
The night he asked her to marry him
they sat In Miss MerTiam's little IL
brary, where the hickering light of the
crate fell full upon her face. No man
worthy OF the name is voluble when
he lays his heart and life In the hol-
low OF a woman's hand. HOLSTER
stammered through his lovemaking
like a boy. As he went on Miss Mer-
RAM turned away her face so that the
profile was toward him. The light
OF the FIRE flashed on the scar, and IL
stood out In hvid relief. AS a rule.
HOLSTER was not fanciful, but for an
instant the cash seemed the hooking
mouth OF a demon.
Hollister waited a long time for an
answer to his question. Miss Mer-
RAMS face was averted, and he could
see that she was stirred by some strong
emotion. When he made n movement
to take her hand she turned toward
him suddenly, and he saw that her
eyes were trimming with tears.
'TYou are a brave man, Mr.. Hollis
ter" she said in a voice not quite
steady. Have you thought Of this?"
Her fingers touched the scar with
strange, half caressing gesture. Have
you thought what 1t will mean to have
every passerby look at your wife pity
ingly and whisper as you passT
81 love you" was HOLSTERS answer.
"If there is a hard thing In your life
1t is my right to share it." Then his
head whirled at the look OF sudden
alteration that leaped from her eyes.
"Oh, I wanted to find a man like
you," Miss Merriam whispered. IL
was sure there must be such a one In
the world" And then she was in his
arms, with the poor, SCARED cheek
pressed to him, sobbing out her heart
In q burst of exultant triumph that
enraptured him without his under
standing 1t In the least.
When they said good night Miss
Merriam chung to her lover as IL re-
luctant to let him out of her sight.
~ must see you in the morning, dear
est" she said you must spare me a
few moments" And Hollister, who
was looking forward to the separation
many weeks, agreed with a sudden
nghtness of heart.
He wondered little when he came
next morning that she should keep
him waiting. His heart leaped at ev-
cry footstep in the hall for the first
half hour. and when at last she stole
into the room, closing the door behind
her, she took him by surprise. Hol-
lister sprang to his feet, then stood
staring blankly.
An enchanting face smiled up at him,
a face rosy with bushes. He saw the
play Of the dimples and the curve of
the cheek as If he were looking on it
for the first time. The scar was gone.
"MyT said HOLSTER helplessly, and
he dropped into a chair, his own face
dead pale. Miss Merriam ran to him
and dropped on her knees beside his
chair, looking into his eyes with fas-
cinating mixture of timidity and con-
fdence.
Forgive me, dearest. Don't be an
CRY with me for deceiving you. If you
only knew how tired 1 grew of men
who couldn't see anything IN me to
love but my pretty faceI That little
accident with my automobile was too
good an opportunity to miss, and the
scar was easily put on. An actress
showed me how to do 1t, but flatter
myself that after a little 1 Improved
upon my teacher"
She smiled at Hollister shyly and did
not seem to find his silence discourag-
ing. please don't say you like me
better the other way. / almost grew
to hate my beauty when it blinded
people to all the rest In me, but now
I'm glad to have 1t to give to the man
who loved me for myself"
Several complexion specialists claim
ed the credit for removing the scar
that had ruined Miss Merriam's beau
ty and reaped golden harvests thereby.
But the beautiful Miss Merriam never
regained her title for the reason that
her identity was soon merged in that
of the beautiful Mrs. HOLSTER.