The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-28
Page of
Interest
When a Man MarrleS.
MARY ROBERTS RINEHART
AUTHOR OF THE CIRCULAR STAIRCASE. THE
TEN,
MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

and Anne and ] went up-s stairs togeth-
err to take off our wraps in what had
been Bella's dressing room. 1t was
Anne who noticed the violets,
Look at that" she nudged me.
when the maid was examining her
wrap before she laid it down What
Ola / tell you. Kit? He's still quite
mad about her
Jim had painted Beilas portrait
while they were going up the Nile on
their wedding trip. Ii looked quite
like her, If you stood well on in the
middle OF the room and II the light
came from the right. And just be-
meath it, IN a silver vase, was Ii bunch
Of yiolets. IL was really touching, and
viUicts were fabulous. II made me
want TO cry, and TO shake Bella sound
ly and to go down and pat Jim on his
generous shoulder, and tell HIM what
good fellow / thought him. and that
Bella wasn't worth the dust under his
feet. / don't know much about psy~
chology, but ii would be interesting to
know just what effect those vioIets
and my sympathy for Jim had la in
3uenCing my decision half hour lat
er. 1t is not surprising, under the
circumstances, that for some time al
Ter the odor of violets made me ill.,
We all met down stairs in the living
room, quite Informally, and Dallas was
banging away at the piauola, tramp
Ing the pedals with the deiicacy and
feeling OF a foot ball center rush kick
Ing a goal. MIR. HARRISON was standing
near the fire little away from the
others, and he was all that Anne had
said and more in appearance, lie was
taIl-not too tall. and very straight
And after one got past the oddly of
his face being bronze colored above
his white callar, and OF his brown
hair being sun bleached on top until
II was almost yellow, one realized
that he was very handsome. He had
what one might call resolute nose
and chin, and a pleasant. rather hum
orous. mouth. And he had blue eyes
that were. at that moment. wandering
with interest over the lot OF US. Some
body shouted his name to me above
the Tristan and Isolde music, and /
held out my hand.
Instantly l had the feeling one some
times has. OF having done just that
same thing, with the same surround
ings. IN the same place, years before
was looking up at him. and he was
staring down at me and holding my
hand. And then the music stopped and
he was saying
Where was it,"
Where was what?" 1 asked, The
feeling was stronger than ever with
his voice.
Il beg your pardon" he said. and let
nay hand drop, Just for a second /
had an idea that we had met before
somewhere, a long time ago l sup
pose-no. 1t couldn't have happened, or
should remember" He was smiling.
half at himself.
No" / smiled back at him. TT
didn't happen, I'm afraid--anless we
dreamed it,"
We"
Il felt that way, too, for moment"
THE Brushwood Boy" he said with
conviction. Perhaps we win find
common dream life. where we knew
each other. You remember the Brush
wood Boy loved the girl for years be-
fore they really met" But this was
little too rapid, even FOR me.
Nothing so sentimental. I'm afraid"
retorted. Il have had exactly the
same sensation c-.netimes when
have sueezed."
Betty Mercer captured him then and
took him off to see Jim's newest pic
ture. Anne pounced on me at once.
isn't he deiicious?" she demanded.
Did YOU ever see such shoulders? And
such nose2 And he thinks we are
parasites, cumberers of the earth,
Heaven knows what, He says every
woman ought to know how to earn her
living, in case OF necessity | said |
could make enough at bridge and he
thought was joking! He's dear
Anne was enthusiastic.
/ lunked after him oddly enough the
feeling that we had met before stuck
10 me Which was ridiculous, of course,
for we learned afterward that the
nearest we ever came to meeting was
that our mothers had been school
friends Just then saw Jim beckon-
ing to me crafty from the den. He
looked quite yellow, and he had been
running his fingers through his hair.
For Heavens sake. come in KIT"
he said. Il need IA cool head Didn't
tell you this Is my calamity day.
Cook gone ," | asked with interest.
] was starving.
He closed the door and took up a
tragic attitude in front of the fire. Did
you ever hear OF Aunt Selma he de-
manded,
Il knew there was one l Ventured.
mindful Of certain gossip as to whence
Jimmy derived the Wilson income.
! Jim himself was too worried to be
cautious. He waved "A brazen hand
AT the snug room. at the japanese
prints on the walls, at the rugs, at the
teakwood cabinets and the screen In
laid with pearl and ivory.
ITO Be Cor..nIed.)
DTTZZV