The Washington herald., 1910-11-30
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

were covered with an old-faShiOned INF
tation tapestry paper whose fanciful pat
terms consisted of consecutive scenes
from THE Lady OF the Lake" Every
thing about the table was heavy. spot
less, valuable, and old from the yellow
linen to the handmade forks and spoons.
We were waited upon by King. smil
ing, round-faeed Cinnamon with a queue
cOiled up on top OF his head, and wearing
a snowy white uniform. He moved like
ghost in and out Leah and Uncle Jer-
don I noticed. when the door was opened.
eating at a table in the kitchen.
Miss Fielding and ! spent the afternoon
together IN the library. She worked and
talked alternately; it appeared that she
could not do both at once. and always
had 10 stop with her tool in hand when
she spoke to me like a child Occasion
ally she would come over 10 my chair
and seat herself Familiarity upon the arm
as she ioked with me. Then she would
spring up TO galumph up and down the
room. sidewise, running her hand mis-
chevously through my hair as she
passed. / took no notice of the liberty.
but ] was a little surprised at H. 1t be-
gan 20 rain that afternoon. and by .
O'Clock IL was so dark that Leah came in
10 light the candles in the silver sconces
on the walls Miss Fieldings spirits
were gradually tanned. ] asked her to
play the violin for me, but she refused
mOodily without excuses
Our talk fell 20 hooks. and ! went back
10 LEANS surprising love for Browning.
"Oh, Leah knows more than is good
for her" Miss Fielding said. She was on
the window seat, looking out at the
steadily falling rain. her feet curled up
under her, LEANS so educated that
she's unhappy; it's great mistake. that
can't seem 70 keep her in her place any
more. But really, ! don't see any poetry
In Browning, do your
why 7 said, Il thought YOU were
fond OF Browning-that you felt him,
even II you didn't see him. Didn't Leah
do that for yOu?"
Leah! Fancy What dyou mean by
seeing and feeling him. anyway" She
turned to me with her chin resting on
the curled back OF her hand
They're your own words. I answered
testify perhaps
She opened her eyes wider. "Oh, I
mean What do you mean?'
didn't answer.
If / said It," she continued slowly, as
II searching for a plausible excuse, and
then giving II up, 81 suppose / was try
Ing TO impress you. You mustn't expect
me TO be consistent all the time"
IN never expect YOU TO be again" /
said, now irritated by her cOntrariness.
] suppose I showed it IN my tone
She came right over 10 me and took my
hand, sitting on the arm of my chair.
IA s,Ta IND
me. I'm fool, and / know H. / know
YOU don't approve Of me any more. but I
can't stand II to have you cross with me.
can't blum you any longer, so I might
as Well tell you The fact Is, my mem
Org is bad. It's really disease. Anne
STA is the name of H. Now do you see?
IL isn't my fault, IS il? l can't depend
upon myself for anything Sometimes !
absolutely forget all about a thing that
happened only yesterday, / have great
blank spaces in my life when I don't
know what has happened. It's perfectly
awful Did YOU ever hear OF any one
like that?'
DO YOU really mean TO tell me that
YOU forget what you said TO me about
Browning" asked her. taking her
hand for / was filed with a sudden pity.
Yes. Chef sure / do" She rolled my
seal ring between her fingers as she
looked down
And about preferrins joy TO Edna.
too2"
oh, did I say that, too? Yes; I for
get"
1t doesn't seem possible"' / exclaimed
Then, tentatively. almost fearfully. for
it seemed the crux; And about the
island?' " ! held my breath.
What 1slandY"
for me, "Oh. never mind" / sighed
I'm very sorry. But l don't quite see
yet Has this anything to do with your
refusal to play for me?"
She rose now and tossed her head
hack with that shake l had noticed be-
fore. The gesture seemed TO be the only
link between her two moods. and for
moment she seemed 30 be again the mel
ancholy princess. But the phase passed
instantly and she grew petulant
I don't know how to play well enough.
It bores me-"
I refused to let her of. however.
Then how about playing chess?"
She shrugged her shoulders and said:
''Oh. ] haven't got the kind of brain for
chess"
Ny mind leaped over the remark, obvi-
Ously untrue, 10 get 10 the other side of
clearly.
But it's incredible" I cried How do
you get alongs How do YOU account for
things Do you mean TO tell NE that
YOU can't remember yesterday, for in
stance? Not even what you dido"
She was growing more and more impa-
tent. NO: sometimes / don't know how
much time I've lost at all You see. it's
like being asleep, that's all. That's what
Dr. Copin comes down here for"
"Oh. / seer I exclaimed.
That and other things" she limited
coquettlshly.
"Ah?" / raised my eyebrows. among
the other things. | suppose is the fact
that you're perfectly charming"
oh, don't think he quite ignores
that" she laughed. and then. her mood
changing, as il II had been pent up by
such serious discussion and sought relief
she bounded away and galumphed madly
up and down the room. waving her
hands.
After dinner we spent the evening by
the fire. She had put on an evening
gown OF black net over silver tissue, In
which she looked more like a princess
than ever. But IL was only the costume
now: her demeanor was far from royal
She snuggled herself into a bunch on the
fur rug by the hearth, disclosing one
slender ankle and stocking of snaky
silver silk. Had she not been so slender
and petite 1 might almost say she
sprawled. though her hoidenish abandon
was not quite immodest. She had her
coffee and a cigarette or two. chatting a
steady stream meanwhile. I could get no
more about her malady out OF her; the
subject seemed 20 annoy her. But I could
not get Il out OF my mind I went back
over what had passed and found that
her explanation accounted for much that
had baffiad me Still Il ala ,o4 oooos,v,t