New-York tribune., 1910-11-20
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR NOVEMBER 20. 1910

little girl. L m SOTr[-SOTTE ABOUT every
thing. Goodbv" His voice broke and,
dropping her hand he started hastily toward
the door.
phil. Phil, come back! You don't know,
YOU can't know. what YOU are doing. Her
voice. in which was concentrated the love OF
a lifetime. compelled him. and unwilllnglyE
he turned toward her again ''Oh, Phil.
have hungered, | have starved. for YOU all
these years. Don't YOU know what | mean,
don't YOU see that | 10
Stop" Numbered Philip. He would
have saved her from her own wild words: but
she paid no more heed to him than If he had
not spoken.
Il will say it," and she sprang from her
chair and drew herself up proudly to her full
height i love YOU, love you, Phil. and
glory in it. All, forget the past.'' and her
voice dropped to the tender. pleading tones
of little child. Forget everything but
that the woman whom YOU once loved loves
YOU with her whole soul! All she asks is TO
be with YOU Do YOU remember. Wen
pick those viOlets Vet, Cosse'? When | saw
that play and heard those words, | said to
myself. Yes perhaps that Is the way it will
be with Phil and me some day. Well pick
those viOletS vet those flowers OF our love
and happiness which | once passed by
Phil, you don't say anything You
stand like a man OF StOnel You do not come
near me. YOU do not touch me. YOU DO not
take me in Your arms and tell me the only
thing in the world | want to hear, Oh. my
love. my dearest, what is it? Is there's
there" she whispered, some one else?'
NO, Dear, there Is no one else He stood
as she had said, like man of stone.
There never has been anyone else. | think
there never will be. | loved YOU" Betty
caught her breath sharply. Il love you
now"
Phil she cried joyously.
In a way
I'm wayl" she echoed DULY.
Yes, as a memory. as the sweetest men,
DRY of my youth; but that is all There Is
no present in this love. no future. only a
past,-the happieSt, sweetest. saddest past
man could know. Had | dimlv guessed
even half of all that YOU have lust said. |
should never have come here to-day |
heSitated about coming. Something seemed
to hold me back. | shall never cease TO re
greet that | did not obey my first impulse
There was infinite sadness IN his voice
." | think too wish that YOU had. There
is nothing left me now, not even memory"
There was no rcproach in her voice. only
regret as eternal as the sea.
:" think my heart is dead he said SLOWLY
QedQ at the naTdS OF the woman | loved.
Little girl. don't YOU know that for such
death there Is no resurrection? Even now.
when YOU were saying words should have.
given my hearts blood to have heard YOU
say years ago, my chief feeling was a wound
ed pride that the woman whom had loved
should so humilatc herself Ii was harder
for me to hear those words than for YOU to
say them. did not cxult in them, triumph
in them. | should give my very life To be
able to love YOU as | once did But that's
all over and done with. love YOUR beauty
and your charm-it Is iov To find YOU un-
changed in that respect. Ii hurts me. cruelty
to think that anyone was ever anvthiug but
kind and good To YOU. But it is all in a
vague, imperSonal sort of way-it is entirely
out of myself. can't explain it, Over and
done with. over and done With He shook
his head regretfully.
'Goodby. Betty. There Is nothing left TO
say but goodby and God bless vou," He
knclt beside her and. taking her face in his
hands, kissed her on the lips Then. without
another word, he walked swiftly TO the door.
opened It, and closed ii behind HIM softly.