Evening star., 1911-01-15

he might be excited to love her anew, if her present
position and all the might dazzle, infatuate-
Her whred with chaotic possibilities and the
binding glare OF temptation. How deep and cogent
her temptation she could scarcely have measured
herself It was terrible, SO great was her wish to
continue as she was, SO abhorrent was the thought
of being utterly dethroned stripped of her nery and
mentary power and cast down headong from this
gorgeous elevation to be spurned as the merest i'm
poStor.
She cung to Stuyverant unconsciously with the help
less weakness of child. He thrilled receiving
sacred trust He understood sufficient of her mental
dilemma and oblivion to facts to realize that she
that of dstraught Her trust and helpessness
not to be seized and made his own and yet they
filled his being with pulsing joy that was worth the
price of kingdom.
SHE still in the whirl and daze of Cinderella,
facing the midnghts fatal stroke, when they came
to isolated bench, sequestered in the palms, and
halted This much Stuyverant had been wholly unable
to resist.
Shall sit here where the air is fresher3" he said.
MAY get you ice something to drink!
No-oh, no, thank you, she answered at last smile
lessy looking at him with her great brown eyes as full
Of eager qgsry S ehd lid hoao been
"A bit faint, should say he answered taking the
seat at her side. Perhaps you hurt, stepped
upon. never thought of that" He had suddenly
remembered his overpowering faintness when his
wrist was broken in the park
She too must have harked to that ncdent-and
thereby reused from the daze to her mind that the sight
of Gallard had developed
Il was little hurt she answered, family smiling
in his eyes. Isn't it odd that you should have been
the one to Gomez"
Someway, it seemed as if pretense had fallen away,
if only for the moment and evasons and oths of con-
versaton seemed sngulary Inappropriate If she must
be exposed as mere usurper of social eminence she
wished with sudden intensity, to be little guilty
possible in the eyes of this man.
The declaration in his eyes startling in its candor
1t a privilege, compensation perhaps for all
seem doomed to surrender. If could only feel had
been of the smallest service, it would make mmeas
uraby glad. But merely to force you to walk and talk
is absurd aid to anything Can't you let me do
something more get you something, show my Wiling
ness
If you knew how good it is just to sit down-with
friend she said, "you would not insist serving be-
yond my wishes
He smiled "Do you think may have forgotten the
heavenly relief of sinking to seat and giving up the
wheel to abler hands? Do you think shall ever forget
single instant of that experienced"
1t gave her joy to reflect in this hour that on that
day he had seemed to little for strange impul
sve girl who guilty of no pretense, girl whose
only appeal if she made at ALL that of one SOU!
to another. 1t likewise sweet, in the doubts and
fright of her heart to confess to herself that she had
wished from the first to be honest sincere anddferent
in every encounter and relationship with Robey Stuy-
verant. She knew she could not be otherwise than
strictly honest with him
Might it not be BETTER she said, with little pang
at her heart, to forget that afternoon!
But why?" he demanded suddenly prey to vague
alarms fears of her hopeless reoteness from HIM
self "Why forget when the Fates themselves arranged
the meeting invoked their powers so unexpectedly
threw me at Fortunes feet3"
It might be better" she repeated, IF we could.
She had not intended to add those final word but
someway her heart cried in protest. she half per-
ceived her fairy world retreatng from her vision.
Stuyverant felt mighty enginery lifting at his
heart and 1oo1gate burst by pent emotions, till the
warm tide engulfed his inner being. If could, he
murmured, leaning little nearer and barely re listing
hah he frao