The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-16

Perhaps Miss Castlemaine is in?"
Yes. sir"
The servant recognized him again
and took his card to Olive with a
smile.
will you walk in, sir" he said
presently. and then Leicester having
dismissed the cabman, entered the
house for the third time.
Everything was strangely quiet.
The house might have been in the
heart OF the country. To the young
man it fel. almost like temple
so different from the gaily decorated
club where he spent So much of
his time When the servant left him,
and he looked around the room into
which he had been shown. he felt
like a man in a dream. II seemed
to him as though he had entered
a new world. The air of refinement
and culture which he had realized
when he first entered this room
seemed more than ever present
Then a great pain shot through his
heart. Why was he there? What
had led to his being there?
He heard a rustic of garments
outside, and Olive Castlemaine en-
tered. He felt as though this was
the first time he had seen her at
home. Evidently she had expected
no visitors. and she was dressed
for no functions. He noticed ,Hat
she looed younger now than when
lie had sea- her on other occasions.
more sUiish, more than ever 4
child OF nature He preferred to see
her in this way. 1t had always
seemed to him that wome nappeared
at their worst in attire which s.
ciety demands for evening func
tions II gave the impression OF
artificiality. of being dressed for
show" But now all was different.
She stood before him in simple,
close fitting dress, which perfectly
harmonized with her q .ssy @ar"
brown hair and perfect complexion,
AID also revealed to adyJntnse her
finely moulded form.
Il make no apology for taking a
great liberty, Miss Castlemaine, he
said. Il have called this afternoon
on the chance of seeing you, because
| could do no other
She gave him quick glance, but
quick as it was, it revealed that
Leicesters knocking cynical manner
was gone. The flash of his eyes,
the stern set features showed that
he was deadly in earnest.
You frighten me, she sail with
a laugh. Il hope you have brought
no bad news
Il have not the slightest idea how
you will regard it," he said. 'but
have come to ask you a favor
What is it," she said, still
smiling. is it 10 give a subscription
to some charity which you have
been in the habit of condemning?'
No" he replied, Il have come to
ask you to listen to me patiently
for few moments?'
She froze somewhat at this. Per
haps the look in his eyes made her
feel somewhat uncomfortable. She
realized that it was somewhat unu-
sual for a comparative stranger to
come in such a way.
q am afraid am a poor listener,
she said, and what is more, am
at loss to conceive how can
advantage you by doing so
Still, you will hear me out, won't
you?"
q have no choice, have -" she
said almost neryously.
Il want to be frankly egotstic, ~
he said; 81 want to speak about a
worthless subject-myself.'
She felt her heart fluttering, but
she spoke composedly.
Then think We had better sit
1 down. she said
She suited the action to the word,
but Leicester remained standing. He
laid his hat and gloves on a chair,
but stood before her, his body al
most rigid.
Il have seldom been in earnes.
during the last few years he said,
but when ] have been, | always
wanted to stand up. I am in earnest
now"
Olive Castlemaine did not reply,
but she sat watching him. There was
no longer a tone Of mockery in his
voice. and his pale and earnes,
eyes gave no suggestion of the cyn