The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-11

NCcpyright. 1910, by Associated Liter
AIRY Press
As he reached her In the stream of
L quests. mostly feminine. Emile Fem
ten gave him her hand and her best
smile Thomas Townsend at her mu-
sirale was better than she had hoped
he seldom bothered himself with
afternoon functions And this was
small and seIect--for a purpose. too.
which she thought he did not suspect.
She suddenly had q horrid fear that
he had been interested in Natalie.
Who had said so. She could not re-
member.
II know you're surprised to sec
nae, !" he submitted impudentiy.
Yes. ! asked YOU because was
so sure OF your absencel What does
bring you?"
die light in broad day, ot-house
flowers and dollhouse ladies'" He
parted her question.
II shall tell Natalie You'll be
sorry. suppose you move on. You're
quite too big for an ordinary door
way, you know" He laughed and
passed into the dim, flower bedecked,
cardIe~lit parlors, deliberately sought
chair that seemed able to endure
his weight for the space of an hour
and then looked about him at the
other guests who were chattering with
the zeat which nothing but the pros
pect OF music gives company.
Presently Maude Borely trailed in
and came briskly over to sit by him.
HE DID wish +laeTe-sEas- g. time l!Ess4.
to TIC kittenish in woman's man
ner. but he listened good-temperedly
to her gossip. Gossip. in fact, was
what he came for. He had heard
some rnrnors about Natalie that had
stirred him 10 q grim determination.
Natalie Norris is to play" she I'm
formed him. She's been abroad
seven years. They say she sleeps
with q violin Of hers. hear she's
awfuily pretty, though / haven't seen
her since she was a mere child. Let's
see~-didnt they live next door to
you go
Il believe they did, he answered,
"But was ct school and all seem
to remember is a black eyed romp
with caris 10 her knees"
He did not say that in his after
college European vocation few years
since he had spent q summer In a
German town where she was,
Maude continued; They say hei
mothers desperate because she's re-
fused all sorts of lords and things
Her playing has taken her TO courts
The girl says she doesn't want any
body. but II she has 10 marry at all
wants an American. You see theyfr.
none too veil off and the old lady
knows that fnoney---rny wordH" She
uudTru- MIN rxrttrrty auti -strnirrra
her near-sighted eyes at a fat, hiatt
bald, wholly blase- looking oId-young
man Sinking before the hostess in
the doorway Thomas Townsend
squared his big shoulders and looked,
toe. So his suspicious were verified.
Chris Kirk" whispered Maude.
Tiles followed her like a dog for two
years. And they say her mother has
fairly bullicd the girl into tacitly ae-
cepting him, though II is not yet an
nounced. DO you know, it's whis-
pEr1d that IL is to be announced this
afternoon Emile Ii a cousin, their
only relative, ! believe. But it's
Gather a pity, isn't IL. after allo None,
IL not everything" she said sentl-
mentally. and the world knows
Ghristonher Kirk
4 I'D 1--we to---ki X him" he sala
through his teeth.
The man took a seat in front OF
them, IL being near the piano ami
tas- it-T-tf4t s444isie44tsa
Ihe nun and chatter continued till
q Haaavss Al1tfsts tftsTrf- far,eerfscrst. rt,r1k
uT. Its glance fcll ilto the hall
where. remsng almost shay down the
winding stairway. "A lovely amber
cfad silhouette against the stained
glass windows he saw N1tais Norris
with fier violin. iihe Young nan
steady blne eyes lolkel with a sort
OF hunger II the grit she was worry
pale. aud a set ;drta sulls wdS stl
that lif'ed her fac, from a lork Of
TRAGEDY
She stamped to speak t. ETrIlie IN
the doorway Kirk gave Ii movement.
hut ToAa iaenA Na4-iA has fe,I AInss
the room, md oss;d= the girl in an
instant Offering her hts arm M
ETenting ia Eed net veen them. bat a
surprise r1#rYelousiy nike rslief light
ed her fare to glowing beauty for
an inns SAINT. He led TER 10 a reat.
and Naul 1 have gene back 10 hlc own
place save that her glance tadc. nay
begged. MIN - stav. iie sa do,vn ~
hSs.
4 After tit!s. tt WITS tte t'st4af thifts,~--
q soprano sang. mostly on the key.
a tenor KING. mnttI7 OFT.