The Delta independent., 1910-07-01


"Perhaps am. You made me so!
How do you like your work?' And
she fed from the room.
Wilfrid found his hat and then the
street in dazed surprise. He never
dreamed that the sweet and even
tempered Eunice could harbor or give
vent to such intensity of feeling. Too
late he saw what he had lost. Was
1t too late to retrieve that loss?
He made his way uptown to the
rooms which had been retained for
him during his absence, and where
by this time his man might be ex-
pected to have everything in order.
Here too he found his secretary with
a sheaf of letters wanting replies, es-
pecially a lengthy communication
from Carboy, Passavant & Cozine be-
seeching his personal attention to
sundry matters connected with his
vast properties. Despite his lavish ex-
penditure, he had not disbursed half
his income: consequently there was
always surplus of cash on hand de-
manding investment Mr.. Passavant
had evidently seen his name among
the arrivals and lost no time in try
ing to get at him.
Tell old Passavant to go to the
devil!" exclaimed Stennis irritably.
"Or-no-I'll go there myself mean,
I'll run downtown in the morning
Write and tell him so. please. l want
to be alone this evening"
Thus left to himself, he extin-
guished the lights and went to the
balconied open window commanding
view of the Riverside drive and
the silver Hudson. Here he sat smo-
king and taking stock" of himself un-
til the night was far spent.
The inventory was not a very salts
factory one from any point of view.
On the whole, as he frankly owned
Unexpectedly. reverting to the
phraseology of the old commercial
days. there were too many bad or
doubtful accounts on the ledger.
Taking the giddy whirl of the past
three years in review. he was fain to
confess that he had been considerable
OF failure.
Where were his former roseate
dreams of serene and supreme hap
piness which were to become con-
crete realities with the possession of
boundless wealth? True, he had
achieved many things which none but
spoiled darling of fortune could
have accomplished. He had quaffed
the cup of pleasure to the dregs; he
had seen and tasted-merely tasted
gilded vice; there his innate clean
ness of nature and clarity of mind
had kept him from any great damage
to health or reputation. But that
sort of thing was only negative virtue.
and he knew 1t.
If he had wrought no serious harm
to others or to himself, he had, of an
equal surety, accomplished no good.
There must be something in life for
him beyond mere spending. eating.
drinking. and wearing fine clothes.
But where and how to find IT? Not
among the fashionable and frivolous
folk with whom he had cast his lot
hitherto, nor among women of the
type of Clara Passavant-though she
was not by any means the worst
| product of her guild. Indeed, come
to think of 1t, she was the best OF
the bunch" Her influence, on the
whole, had made for good; looking
backward. he could see how much he
really owed her: she had nodded him
and made man of him in those early
days of his new-found riches. when,
without her aid. or in the hands of
woman OF commoner clay, he might
have gone to perdition.
Yes. he had every reason to think
kindly of Clara Passavant He might
have married her-he could now IL
he chose to say the word. Perhaps
that would be the best thing that
could happen to him! Eunice had
cast him off-unjustly, of course
weakly ready, in his chagrin. to blame
| someone else for his own short sight
| edness.
He had said that he did not love
Clara, which was perfectly true Was
there in the world any such thing az
love-real, pure, disinterested love?
Once upon time he had thought So
but now?
Too late he discerned that In let
ting Eunice Trevecca slip through his
fingers he had lost what might have
proved sheet-anchor for happiness
With her by his side as guide, coun-
selor, friend. and wife, what might
he not have accomplished! Was 1t
too late? 1t looked that way.
Nevertheless. the next night found
him in Greenwich village again. This
time old John Trevecca was at home,
and the evening passed in recounting
his adventures and in going over
some choice photographs he had
gathered together for Eunice But
not for an instant did she permit her.
self to be alone with him; and al
though he called again and again, on
many successive days and nights, he
never succeeded In seeing her tete-a-
tete.