The Irish standard., 1912-09-21

having 20 tortured her eardrums,
the man sang a few well-chosen
songs. ...
Avis was thrown back into her
contentment as she listened to his
rich voice, and yet when he stopped
she was lonesome. The brooding quiet
Of the room no longer satisfied her.
The stiffness seemed to rob her Of
that unknown presenoe-the man
whose voice had enriched the passing
moment.
As the days wore on Avis was
haunted by desire to know the man
in the next house. Her every waking
thought was of him.
Il certainly must be losing my sane
mind" she smiled az she found
herself becoming prisoner to ideals
regarding him. "He is NO doubt
undersissd, and perhaps has q mole
on his chin or nose. Little men al
ways have big voices" she argued
with her intuitions, which had limited
at q big, broad. daxen-haired man with
gray eyes.
And when, In the course Of events
Avis met big. broad. faxen-haired
man with deep gray eyes that gazed
admiringly into her own, she had
not the slightest idea that he was
her next-docr neighbor.
The mutual friend who had intro
duced them left them together. It
had seemed to the friend that Avis
Miller and Hugh Wentworth were
noticeably delighted to meet each
other. Her company was in no way
necessary to their happiness and she
left them together with q smile in
her heart
Hugh Wentworth glanced down
at the dainty fragment from the
feminine world that it had been his
pleasure to meet.
Avis glanced up at the big giant
whom her good fortune had guided
across her path. Then. the imp of
admiration Haunted itself boldly In
the mans eyes, but in the girls 1t
was swiftly hidden. Heavy lashes
came to the rescue.
When she looked up again he was
still gazing at her. Despite her ef-
forts the color famed into her
cheeks.
what is it," she asked with q
catch in her breath.
The flaxen-haired man shook his
head whimsically. II don't know" he
said, II just seem to be happy
that's all. He turned and meas
ured his step to hers, IT will walk
home with you, If you will let me-"
Avis was silent, but her silence
was golden to Hugh Wentworth.
"This happens to be my direction
ALSO" he said by way Of breaking
the more or less disturbing moment.
! els it," Avis smiled, then laughed
outright. you surely must think
am void Of gray matter" she said
with an odd expression creeping into
her eyes. "But I don't know what IL
the matter with me. feel exactly
as II the world were suspended ir
mid air and we were waiting for II
to g.. continue on its way" Avis
laughed little nervous laugh ant
glanced up at him ~ If in apology
for her vagaries.
Wentworth assumed banterine
tone, but his gray eyes were shining
with Q new light. "The world will
take up it's revolutions-now that
you and I have met" he said. 81
understand the world has way Of
hanging In mid air on certain occa
sions. I have never before realized
It," he added.
"This is where I live" Avis put II
hurriedly with quickly beating heart.
Wentworth glanced up. He hat
been unconscious of direction or, ii
fact, Of anything save Avis.
"And there" he said, indicating thu
house next door, els where I live"
| The bushes famed defiantly nov
in the cheeks Of Avis. They wer'
no longer ashamed but gloried ii
their right to dance at the coming O
Hugh Wentworth.
"Then you-sing?" she questioned
happily.
II try" he told her.
"You sing beautifully" she sail
with sweetly serious eyes, "but yo'
need an accompanied"
I Hugh looked long and earnestly IN
to the eyes that did not hide them
selves from him, and he tried to &C
cept nationally the great thing tina
had come with startling suddennes
into his life. He only succeeded II
singing softly:
II need thee 80"
copyright, 1917, by Associated Lttarar
press.)