The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-10-22

know that I want 1t. I'm talking like
an idiot, suppose. but I'm sure OF
what | mean"
Il understand you said Ives, with
a slow smile. well, / think l will
I've going up to my rooms no@ If You
would dine with me here one evening
soon. MI Forster, I'd be glad.
"Thursday?" suggested Forster.
at : If its convenient" answered
Ives
seven goes" aSseuted Forster
At half past \ Ives got into 4 cab
and was driven 10 Il number III one of
the correct West Seventies His card
admitted hipr' TO the reception room
of an Old fashioned house iuto which
the spirits of Fortune, Chance and Ad-
| venture had never. dared 60 enter. a
clock on the mautel licked loudly,
with warning click at five minutes
to ..
And then down the stairs and into
the room came Mary Marsden. She
was twenty four, and | leave her to
your Imagination. But | must say fills
much-youth and health and simplici-
ty.' and courage and greenish violet
eyes are beautiful, and she had all
these. She gave Ives her hand with
the sweet cordiality of an old friend
ship
You can't think what a pleasure it
is" she said. ito have you drop 10 once
every three years or So"
| For half an hour they talked | con
fess that cannot repeat the CONVERSE
ton. You will find it in books in the
circulating library. When that part
of it was over Mary said:
"And did you find what you wanted
| while you were abroad?
what / wanted?" said Ives.
Eyes You know you were always
queer. Even as boy you wouldn't
play marbles or baseball or any game
with rules. We've often talked about
| your peculiar ways a4a-~--
Il suppose am an ineorrigible, y
said Ives Il am opposed to the doc
trine of predestination. to the rule of
three, gravitation taxes and every
| thing, of the kind.
| Mary laughed merrily..
Bob 'Ames told us once she said
"of funny thing yon did 1t was
when you and he were lon train in
| the south. and you got off at, town
where. you hadn't intended to stop
just because the brakeman hung up 4
! sign in the end of the car with the
name of the. next station on it,"
81 remember" said Ives. That next
station has been the thing I've always
tried to get away from"
! Il know it," said Mary. and you We
been very foolish. | hope you didn't
| find what you wanted not to iiud or
get off at the station where there
wasn't any or whatever Il was You ex
pected wouldn't happen to you during
the three years you've been away"
There was something l wanted be
fore went away" said Ives.
Mary locked in, his eyes clearly witt
a slight but perfectly sweet smile.
There was, she said. You want
ed me- And you could have had me, as
you very we'll know"
Without replying Ives let his gaze
wander slowly about the room. There
| had been no change in it since last he
+! had been in it three years before He
wildly recalled the thoughts that had
/ been in his mind then. The contents
/ of that room were as fixed. in their
/ way, as the everlasting hills. No
change would ever come there except
the inevitable ones wrought by time
and decays One coming from and GO
| ing back to that house would never
need to forecast or doubt He would
| find what he left and leave what he
found The yelled lady Chance would
never lift her hand to the knocker on
the outer door.
And before him sat the lady who
belonged in the room. Cool and sweet
and interchangeable she was. She of
fered no surprises. If one should pass
! his life with her, though she might
grow white haired and wrinkled, he
| WOulu ucNCI pclCSiNC thC ShohSC
Three years he had been away from
her, and she was still waiting for him
as established and constant as the
house itself. He was sure that she
| had once cared for him. 1t was the
knowledge that she would always do
so that had driven him away. Thus
his thoughts ran.
81 am going to be married SOON"
said Mary.
On the next Thursday afternoon
Forster came hurriedly to Ives hotel.
"Old man." said he. well have to
put that dinner off for a year or SO.
I'm going abroad. The steamer sails
at 4. That was great talk we had
the other night and 1t decided me.
I'm going to knock around the world
and get rid Of that incubus that has
been weighing on both you and me
the terrible dread of knowing what's
going to happen I've done one thing
that hurts my conscience little, but
l know it's best for both of us. I've