New-York tribune., 1911-01-15

bort tatfD
herself. It was terrible 50 great was her wish TO
no,t;r,,o ae che was so abhorent was the thought
of being utterly dethrOned stripped OF her hnery ana mo
mcntarv power, and cast down headlong from THIS
gorgeous elevation to be Spurned as the fnereSI IN
pOStOr. III H. Ill
less weakness Of child. He thrilled as one receiving
sacred trust He understood sufficient OF her mental
dilemma and oblivion TO facts 10 reaze that Sne was
not nrcciscIv herself that her dependence on his arm
was that of one dstraught Her trust and hcpcssnes
were not to be seized and made his own, and yet they
filled his being with pulsng JOY that was worth the
price Of kingdom
CHE was still in the whirl and daze Of Cinderella
facing the nidnights fatal stroke, when they came
70 an iseIated bench seauestered in the palms. and
halted This much Stuyveran had been wholly unable
to resist. .,,,-.,
NAV oct Won an ice or something TO drink
"No-oh no thank you," she answered at last smile.
essv looking at him with her great brown eyes as full
OF eager query as a child s H ia'e oe'i' a''s very
"A bit faint should say he answered, taking the
seat at her side. Perhaps you were hurt, stepped
upon. never thought of that. lie had suddenly
remembered his own overpowenng fantneSS "hen MS
wrist was broken in the park.
She too must have harked to that ncident-and
thereby reused from the daze to her mind that the sight
of Ciailard had developed. -,
Il was little hurt" she answered, family smiling
in his eyes Isn't 1t ODD that you Should nave oeeh
the one TO Gomez"
Someway, it seemed as if pretcnse had fallen away
only for the moment, and evaSons and trohS OF con
vcrsaon seemed singuary inappropriate II She must
hc eyDOsed as mere uSurpcr OF social cmlncnCe Sne
wished with sudden intensity, to be as little guilty as
possible in the eyes of this one man.
The declaration in his eyes was startling IN It's candoT
"It was privilege, compensation, perhaps iQr al
| seem doomed to surrender If could only feel had
been of the smallest service it would make me ntneaS-
urabv glad But merely to force you to walk and talk
IS absurd as an aid to anything. Can't you let me DO
something more, get you something show my wiling
If YOU knew how good it is Just to sit down-with
friend she said you would not insist on serving be-
yond my wishes
lie smiled "Do you think may have forgotten the
heavenly relief Of sinking to seat and-glvng up the
wheel to ADLER hands? Do you think shall ever forget
a single instant of that experience
1t gave her Joy reflect in this hour that on that
day he had seemed TO little for strange impuI-
sve girl who was guilty of pretenSc, girl whose
ONLY appeal if she made at all, was that OF one sou!
TO another 1t was likewise sweet, in the doubts ana
FRIGHT of her heart to confess TO herself that she had
wished from the first to be honest sincere
in every encounter and relationship with Robley Stuy
verant She knew she could not be otherwise than
strictly honest with him now.
Might it not be better" she said with little pang
at her heart ito forget that afternoOn!
but whv?' he demanded, suddenly prey to vague
alarms even fears of her HOPELESS remotencS from him
self "Whv forget when the Fates themS Ives arranged
the meeting their powers 50 unexpectedly
threw me at Fortunes fcet?'
1T might be better" she repeated If we could.
She had not intended to add those final word; but
someway her heart cried out in protest she half per-
ceivcd her fairy world retreating from her vision
Stuvvcrant felt some mighty englnery lifting at his
heart and foolgate burst by pent emotion, till the
warm tide englfed his inner being. II we could, he
murmured leaning little nearer and barely re istng
the impulse to lift her hand to his lip. Perhaps 1t
might be better also for the fragrance desert the rose
for hope to withdraw from life. You have no real
wish for these diSa ter;?
why no, I But what have the e to do with-any-
IL.