Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-12-02
MYSTERY Sol we'd

It was wheres there was acting rather
than music. All those ii the box with,
her were chatting during the; opera ia.
while she, resting. her cheek on her
hand and her arm on the rail, her fig
ure partly covered by a curtain, seem
ed to be absorbed by her own dreams.
The opera was z Faust /. During the
scene where Mephistoph and the
nurse are walking In the garden and.
Faust and Marguerite are singing their
love. she turned her eyes away, and
they fell on Whittemore In the parquet,
his head turned toward fler. his eyes
fixed ze intensely on hers. She blushed
slightly and looked again at The fg-
ures on the stage sa4SSs sEE2$
When the opera was endel and all
rose to- go Wlittemore was watching.
her box. p An elderly! man put q wrap
around her should ers, and the others
Of the party were also getting ready: to
leave. Whittemore watched to see
some of them speak to her:5but, though
they were chatting with each other,
no one said q word to her. Then they
ali went out, and ; It seemed AS IL the
electric lights had been turned of. "a
Winter passed into summer, and
Whittemore went to the seashore. The
morning after his arrival at bathing
time he strolled down to the beach.
There, sitting under a sun umbrella,
was the girl he had seen at the opera
She was peering far out where the wa
ter and the sky met, and here and
there CLINT Of sunshine on the hori-
zon bespoke sail. She. was alone.
Whittemore would have given worlds
for some one to take him to her and
introduce him, but he knew no one
there. He had come to be alone and
Tor rest. He waited, expecting that
some Of her friends would join her,
but they did not, and after the bath
ing she arose and went away. AS she
passed him she started, Evidently she
remembered him. <: =. g':s} = :,
The next morning he was at the
beach early. watching for her. When
she: came it was with party of girls
and an elderly man. all in bathing
suits. What symmetry! Her hair. In
stead Of being coiled under one of
those: unbecoming bathing caps, was
streaming down her back as it is
sometimes worn by very. young girls
while bathing. All the party save her
were talking and laughing; She alone
was quiet. Surely she must have some
sorrow. $50 90 8. a. g. s. .. z. 81. e.
The beach was shelving, and few
dared venture. beyond the breake: J.
The man Of the party took the fair Q le
by the hand and led her beyond til r
depth. Suddenly Whittemore saw h D
struggling in the water. The fairSone
had gone under. With all his cloth IS
on, Whittemore plunged in and brought
her out. NJ ~; 4 +. s5.., y y.
They stood on the beach, White
more presenting a poor appearance in
I his dripping clothes. The fair one
looked at him with an, expression SO
distressed that he thought she regret
ted that he had saved her. Then, with
out word Of thanks, she turned and
ran away to the bathing house. The
man who had taken her beyond her
depth had been dragged out Of the wa
ter, and Whittemore saw him coming
toward him. Whittemore, indignant,
turned his back nbons him and walked
away. The next evening he saw the
fair one being driven toward the rail-
road station. AS she passed him she
regarded him with the same panied
glance. 3 5:G < S:s :.,.y. @ ~ 3s
Winter. came again, and Whittemore,
who had detested society for its hol-
Iowness, plunged into the gay world,
hoping that he might meet the girl who
had absorbed his whole being. He ap-
peared at teas, receptions, balls; he
went to the opera, to concerts. every
where where music was to be heard.
AT last at q musical entertainment at
the home Of one OF his most intimate
friends he saw her, but where2 Sit
ting alone in a recess, 80 Immersed be-
1 hind curtains as almost to be indis-
finguishable Although he was look
Ing for her. when he found her he was
taken compl etely saback. He stood still
and trembled
V Pardon me- he said. # am per
mitted to speak to you here under our
mutual friend ROOF, but I will mot
avail myself Of the privilege. Remain
here for 81 few minutes, and VIII
bring him to- introduce me- I, 81
Ssf Without waiting for her consent ne
hurried away. found the fost and
brought him to the recess. 5.s sss5E.
VI It was empty &
n In vain ne dragged the man through
the rooms looking for her. She was
NOT ID any OF the; rooms below They
waited IL the hal. and presently she
came down, followed ~ her maid
9fs$.s IL. said the host. s. Vow I under
stand That 10 Clara Van Cleve, an
orphan She Is q deaf mute. &
hittemore went home In great dis
stfess. He was desp eratsly III love. hat
he was pract deal man and consid-
erred what II would be to DE lied %
zone upor whom there was such q
blight. For 81 week he suffered tor
ture. then made up his mind that 10
go on through life sun ring without
her would be worse than suffering