The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1910-07-21
Gid DINA'S RUBY

/
Tell me-" she said suddenly.
TITS this. / don't know how long
the performance lasted, but while II
was going on l forgot you we're close
beside me. You might Just as well
not have been there. It's the first
time since | ever knew you that I've
been near you without thinking about
you all the tine, and / hadn't realized
II till l was sitting there by myself. I
hope you don't mind my telling your"
1T only makes me more glad that
brought you" Margaret said quietly.
Thank you" he answered; but he
was quite sure that the same thing
could not happen again during the
second part
Nevertheless, II happened. For q
little while, they were man and wom-
an. sitting side by side and very near,
two in a silent multitude OF other
men and women; but before long he
was quite motionlcss, his eyes were
fixed again and he had forgotten her.
She saw II and wondered, for she
knew how her presence moved him,
and as his hands lay folded on his
knee. a mischievous girlish impulse
almost made her. the great artist. for
get that she was listening to the
greatest music in the world and near
ly made her lay her hand on his, Just
to see what he would do. She was
ashamed OF II, and a little disguised
with herself. The part Of her that
was Margaret Dome felt the disgust;
the part that was Cordova folt the
shame, and each side of her nature
Yet when the Good Friday" music
began, she was thinking of Van Torp
and he was unconscious of her pres
ence.
1t could not last. and soon she, too.
was taken up into the artificial para
disc OF the master-musician and borne
along in the gale OF golden wings, and
there was no passing Of time till the
very end; and the people rose in ST.
lence and went out under the summer
stars; and all those whom nature had
gifted to hear rightly, took with them
memories that years would scarcely
dim.
The two walked slowly back to the
town as the crowd scattered on foot
and In carriages. II was warm, and
there was no moon. and one could
smell the dust, for many people we're
moving in the same direction, though
some stopped at almost every house
and went II, and most of them were
beginning to talk in quiet tones.
Margaret stepped aside from the
road and entered narrow lane, and
Van Torp followed her in silence.
This leads out to the fields" she
said. Il must breath the fresh air.
Do you mind?"
ION the contrary"
He said nothing more, and she did
not speak, but walked on without
haste, dilating her nostrils TO the
sweet smell Of grass that reached her
already. In a little while they had
left the houses behind them, and they
came to a gate that led into a field.
Van Torp was going to undo the
fastening, for there was no lock.
NO" she said, I'VE won't go
through. love to lean on a gate"
She rested her crossed arms on the
upper rail and Van Torp did the
same, careful that his elbow should
not touch hers, and they both stared
into the dim, sweet-scented meadow.
He felt her presence now and II al
most hurt him; he could hear his
slow pulse in his ears, hard and regu-
lar. She did not speak, but the night
was so still that he could hear her
breathing. and at last he could not
bear the warm silence any longer.
What were you thinking about?"
he asked, trying to speak lightly.
She waited, or hesitatsd, before she
answered him.
YOU" she said, after a time.
He moved involuntarily, and then
drew a little further away from her,
as he might have withdrawn a foot
from the edge OF a precipice, out OF
common caution. She was aware of
his slight change OF position without
turning her eyes.
What made you say what you did
to Mrs. Rushmore yesterday after
noon?" she asked.
About your"
yes"
"She asked me. point-blank, what
I thought Of Logotheti," Van Torp an
swered. II told her that I couldn't
give her an unbiased opinion Of the
man you meant to marry, because
had always hoped to marry you my
self"
"oh-was that the way II hap
pened?
Mrs. Rushmore could hardly have
misunderstood me-" said Van Torp,
gathering the reins of himself, so to
say. for anything that might happen.
mo. But II sounds differently when
you say 1t yourself"
THAT was just what ! said, any
how" answered Van Torp. Il didn't
think she'd go and tell you right away,
but since she has, l don't regret hav.
ing said that much"
1T was Straightforward at all
events-if It was all truel" There was
the faintest laugh in her tone as she
spoke the last words
Its true, right enough, though /
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