The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-11-08

Ing It."
81 used to think you were rather
fond of Anna" said Rutherford, with
more feeling than the simple words
seemed to call for.
II was and am and ever shall be-
answered Barring, ''but my hopes ex-
tend no further than that she may
marry a good man." And he looked
straight into Rutherford's eyes.
Rutherford laughed in an embar-
raised fashion as he shifted his
glance.
"Confound your parlor magic" said
he. 1--WE seen so much of it that |
can't bear to have you look at me.'
Il don't see anything that you need
be ashamed Of" responded Barring.
''Then wish me WELL" said Ruther-
ford. wish me well tomorrow"
Barring understood Miss Clarendon
was to be at the Stuarts' for the week
end, and Rutherford had resolved to
try the hazard of his happiness.
'Pm to meet Anna on the platform
below" said Rutherford after a pause.
''She has been at her fathers office.
We're going uptown together and then
to the Stuarts on the o'clock train
with some others Of the party. /
must hurry. l should not have de-
layed SO long. 1t is possible that
Anna may be already on the platform.
Walk along down with me-"
They went down the stairs together
and as far as the ticket Office, where
Barring babe his friend goodby. AS he
turned back toward the stairs he saw
Miss Clarendon descending.
He was not in the mood to meet
her, and so he stepped aside into the
mouth Of a gallery that opens from
the main passage. She passed close
to him, but did not see him, though
for moment she seemed to look al
most straight into his face. He OBJ
served her keenly An overmastering
impulse had taken possession of him.
singular gift. developed by years of
patient study. She was on her way
to meet Willis Rutherford, Of whose
love for her it was impossible that she
should be unaware. Unless she lacked
the intuition Of her sex she must
know that he was on the very verge
Of a declaration. The next few hours
would bring her the happiness of love
confessed. If indeed she loved Could
she carry this knowledge in her heart
and not reveal it to such an observer
as Barring? In mere sport he had read
trivial secrets in her face. Could be
fail to read a secret which is often
amusingly clear even to unframed
eyes?
Experience whispered to him that
the moment was exceptionally oppor-
tune. The girl was hurrying to meet
Rutherford. Surely If she cared for
him his image would be clear in her
mind. And haste itself relaxes the
habitual control whereby we overlap
what is simple and natural with what
is conventional.
Unconscious Of his presence, she
passed him and was gone. Barring
put up his hands to his eyes and lean
ed for moment against the tiled wall
swept over him like bitter food. He
had spied upon the woman he loved.
The long INDUCED habit Of his pc
culiar study had tempted him with
the sudden thought of an achievement
difficult to the verge Of impossibility,
and at the trial 1t had proved to be
far easier than the simplest Of those
tricks with which he was accustomed
to astonish his intimates. If Anna
Clarendon had confessed her love for
Rutherford in the most precise terms
which the language affords she could
have added nothing to Baring's GER
tainty His bad angel. who had led
him into this dishonorable experiment,
had chosen a moment for it when the
girls secret was written in every fea-
ture
Barring found his way to a little
workroom of his high up in the tow
ering structure. and there he sat down
by the window and gazed out over the
city. He hated every inch of it. The
erightful ugliness and preposterous
cost of the vast structures spread out
before his eyes were typical of the
frantic effort and hideous. worthless re-
suits of modern life. Contact with this
life had deformed his soul. and he
knew it. He had permitted the hob
goblin of wealth to brighten him away
from the girl he loved, and now b.
had lost her. He beheld himself a
coward, weakling and fool.
From these reflections he was sum-
moned by ring Of the telephone bell.
1t was the voice of Rutherford that
answered his hello.
II say, old man, can't you reconsid-
erY' said the voice. "I've just had
Charlie Stuart on the phone, and he
insists on your going along"
Barring declined to be persuaded, and
as he spoke with his friend there
came a note of hatred into his voice,
and he recognized it with shame
Rutherford" said he by way OF
atonement, 81 congratulate you in ad-
vance,"
"Do-do you really think so?'
mot a doubt of it," responded Bar.
ing, with laugh that may have sound
ed all right at the other end of the
wire. "Kneel and receive my bless
ing"
On Monday, about noon, Barring was
seated again by the high window
There came a knock at the door, q
pattering, rafting, crazy knock. Ruth
erford entered, his face drawn and old
his sun Drowned skin showing a vel
lowish pallor. Barring stared at him
no special skill was required to read
that face.
"T'm going west this afternoon
said Rutherford Japan or there
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