The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-02-11

gaze, you ana your DequeSt go OUT
of my life for ever. To win her
without hurting Bob-to become
worthy of her love and his friend
.ship-if I'm to do that, l can't
have you to remind me of my tenn
peramental defects. Confidence is
half the battle. as Bob says"
For a minute or SO the heat
made no impression on the minia-
ture. Then the paint began to
swell and carck. To Paul's fancy
1t seemed that the somber face on
the Goals changed it's expression,
that over it spread a hooking, ma
licious leer.
"Ah! I know what you mean
by that. That / can throw you
into the flames, but that here in
my face is a likeness l can't de-
stroy-and here in my heart, too.
Well, We'll see."
He snatched up the poker and
savagely jabbed the miniature I'M
til it's fragments were buried in
the Goals. But when this was
done, he continued to stare into
the fire, as though fascinated. His
grasp relaxed and the poker fell
to the hearth with a sharp clang.
His bent attitude Strengthened.
''It's true" he groaned, Its
true! This isn't cowardice, but
knowledge. I'm a traitor at heart
already. If it came to a final
choice between him and her, he
might burn in hell before / would
leave her."
A half-hour later Paul was ush-
cred into the Sanger drawing
room. Eleanor not appearing at
once, he wandered through an
open door into the mushroom,
at one end of which had been in
stalled small pipe-organ. Now
modern science has perfected the
organ that the souls of men
might find expression.
And Paul, of the many talents,
without being great musician,
know how to make the organ re-
|spond to his souls mood. He seat
ed himself and began to play. His
idle lingering gradually took form
in passionate, florid gust of
melody that filled the big house.
Then the stormy mood died away
and the organ sang a weird, min
or refrain. Eleanor, entering I'M
observed by the player, stood lean
ing against chair near him, re-
|garding him with an odd look, in
which admiration and pity-per-
haps a shade of contempt
mingled. For several minutes he
played on, apparently not noticing
her presence.
AT last. without turning or ceas-
ing his playing, he spoke. 81 can't
see you, but l know you are
there"
Lawyer, politician, orator, mu-
sician! The gods have been good
to you" she murmured Guizzi-
cally.
YES" he answered, with a
trace of bitterness. Jack Of all
trades and master of none. But
first and above all, Mrs. Gilbert's
most sincere devotee."
rs being Mrs. Gilbert's devo-
tee a trade, them" she queried
idly.
cat least, it's more than a pro-
|fession."
Come, that is beneath you. A
pun, you know"
Yes, and my spirits are as low
as my wit today" He ceased to
play and began to examine a pile
of music lying beside him.
She struck the back of the
chair. in vexation half pretended,
half real. Are you ever in the
same mood for two consecutive
days? Your moods are as various
AS NINE"
I'm constant in at least one
thing--but you won't let me speak
of that" he responded gloomily
To-day I'm possessed of a thous-
and devils. Sing"
He opened sheet of music be-
fore him and struck into the ac-
And Eleanor,
standing where she was, sang.
Eleanor Gilbert could sing. And
that afternoon she sang as she
had neversung before. For in her
singing that day she found express
sion for what she had never quite
dared to put into words, the long
ing for something higher and bet
ter than had yet come into her
life, to fulfill the ultimate wom-
ans mission longing which of