The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-20


gers cynicism reminded her of the
night when she first met him. She
remembered how Leicester domnat-
ed the gathering at her fathers
house ami that she had found her
self admrng him, even while she
had disagreed with everything he
had said. The same thing was
happening now. Herbert Briarfield.
OF whom she had thought a great
deal during the last few days, seem.
ed to have sunk in the background.
He was one who did not matter,
while the man who was a stranger
blotted him out Perhaps this was
because she found herself putting
a double meaning on everything he
said. OF course. this might be be-
cause, owing to. his Eastern associa-
lions, he would regard things DIFF
ferently from tre way an English.
man would regard them; but she
had spoken to men from the Orient
before, and they had not impressed
her in the same way. Still. she felt
a kind Of pleasure in matching her
wits with his. even although she
felt she might not come off best
in the encounter.
But would lot your attitude of
mind be fatal If it were universal
signore?" she asked.
Pardon me, think it is univer-
sal"
You mean that we are not anx.
ious to find the truth?'
Exactly. Mind you, do not say
that you English people. who boasl
of your honesty do not in theory
hold that truth is the great thing
to be sought after. but in action,
in life, no. Let a man be true to
truth and he is put down as
madman, fool"
Would you mind giving an exam
rle?"
"A dozen, if you like. Here is
one. 1t is commonly accepted the
ory that well-being, happiness, de
pends not on what we possess, but
on what We are. That to be- is
more than to have How many are
true to their creed? One in a mil
lion? Where one spends his ener
giles in enriching his life, million
spend theirs in seeking to obtain
what by common consent Is eyanes.
cent If half the energy were spent
on beautifying character that is
spent in getting on in the ordi.
nary acceptance of the term, what
Christians call the millennium would
come"
Are you not assuming a great
deal, sgnore?"
But what, signorina?"
That you understand the motives
of the human heart?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"One judges by what one sees"
he said. and it is best to content
oneself with that. The man who
looks beneath the surface goes mad"
And yet you are not mad?" and
she laughed gaily.
II am not sure" he said, and
there was quiet intensity in his
tones-"no, l am not sure. Some.
times | think | am. But what then,
signorina? We have our little lives
to live, our little part to play on
the worlds stage"
Again she was reminded of Leices.
ter, and as she thought of him
kind of shiver passed through her
This was Leicester over again: but
another Leicester-a Leicester with
difference.
But why play it. if it is so
bad?"
An. signorina, do you not think
| have asked that question a thous.
and times? But then / have lived
in the East. What can a man do
| against fate? The Arabians have got
| hold of a great truth: Kismet Is
not all philosophy centered in that?"
No, she said, Il do not think
So If that is true. then every bal
deed done would be the expression
of Gods will. Every murder, out.
rage, and abomination has His sane.
tion, His benediction."
'Signorina has never lived in the
East"
Il do not see that that matters"