Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-11-09

plauding nor dissenting. yet with
what differencel He leaned back in
his chair, and leaned his head little
back. as if, for WEAKNESS. he wished
there were a rest behind Il; and how
indifferently, how critically. how lev
ely he surveyed the futtered house.
and the figures in the box beside himl
How foreign he appeared to the ardent
spirit who had dominated the dark;
how emptied of the heat OF magma
ton, how worn. how dry; and even in
his salience. how singularly pathetioi
She felt lump in her throat, an
ache Of the cruelest disappointment.
as though some nasker. masking as
the Gre of life. be d suddenly removed
the coverings OF lis face and showed
her the burnt-out bones beneath. She
found herself looking at him through
a mist Of tears-there in the heart OF
publicity, in the middle of the circle
of velvet curtains'
He turned and saw her. She watch.
ed a smile OF the frankest pleasure
rising, as 1t were. to the surface Of
his weary preoccupation, Something
had delighted him. Why, 1t was her
self-just her being there! And she
could only helplessly blink at him.
Was ever anything so stupid as to be
caught in tears over nothingl He
Strengthened and leaned forward.
Really" he said, you must re-
member that little man has only gone
out for glass of beer"
So he thought It was the tenor who
had brought her to the point of tears.
"Ah. why do you say that?" she pro
tested.
He continued to smile in6ilgently
uVon her. Would you really rather
believe Il true?''
81 don't know. But wish you
hadn't thought of the beer"
He brought the glace of his monoele
to bear fun upon her. why not? II
is all we make sure Of !"
"oh, If to be sure is all you want"
she burst out; "but you don't mean
Il! Wouldn't you rather have some.
thing beautiful you weren't sure OF,
than something certain that didn't
matter?"
He nodded to this quite casually, as
II II we're an old acquaintance.
"oh. yes; but the time comes round
when you want TO be sure OF some
thing. The sun rever sets twice alike
over Mont Pelee but you can always
get the same brand OF lager to-day
that you had the week before" He
looked at her with a faint amusement.
mo. mol won't believe YOU" she
stoutly denied him. There is more
in life than you can touch. You're
not like yourself to say there is not. "
lie laughed, but rather shortly.
my 1Sar child. forgive me; I'm sulky
tonight. feel. as | felt at IS, that
the world has treated me badly. I've
| lost my luck"
"Pm sorry" Her tone was sweetly
vague. What could be the matter
with him? Then. half timidly. she
rallied him. IF you go on like this.
shall have to show you my tails.
man"
ooh, have you indeed a talIsman?''
he humored her. And II was as II he
said. "Oh, have you doll?" lie did
not even turn his head to look at her,
She was chilled. She felt the disap.
pointment, that his quick smile had
I lghtened. return upon her. She hard.
1 ly noticed the rise OF the curtain on
the second little play, and the sing.
ing voices did not reach her with
any poignancy She was vaguely
aware OF movements In the box-oi
Harry's coming In. of Clara's little
rustic making room for him, OF the
shift OF ELIAS chair away from the
business OF listening, toward him, and
her husky whisper going on with
some prolonged tale of duh escspade.
but TO Flora they all made only a
banal background for the broodiag 81
lence of her companion.
ITO RE CoNT1NuED)