Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-26
The Mischief Maker
By E. PHILLIPS OPPEN4ELM

I did you. It began, in fact, when we
were little more than children. 1t
fnished-tc day. There is only one thing
I want to say to you about it and that
is this. Our frindship was of that sort
which is faily well recognized and even
approved Of by the world in which we
live. 1t contained, Of course, certain
elements of f1irtation-I am not deny
ing that. There was never at any time,
however, anything in that friendship
which made 1t an error even Of taste
on my part to ask you to become my
wife"
She took his face between her hands
and deliberately kissed him.
That's just what I wanted to know
Julien" she declared. Now shake
hands be off, and DO the best you can
for yourself. wish you the best of
luck, the very best. That's all we can
say to ane another isn't it,"
'Quite ALL he admitted.
You are a dear, good fellow" she went
on, "and I have been quite fond of you,
although I think that 1 bored you now
and then. 1 should have made you an
excellent wife, perhaps a better one than
I shall the next man who comes along.
Don't stay any longer, there's a dear,
because although / never pretended to
have much heart. this sort Of thing does
upset one, you know, and want to look
my best tonight. Write me sometimes, If
YOU will. I'd love to hear that you'd
found some interest in life to help you
gather up the threads. And here-this is
for luck"
She took a little turquoise pin from her
waistband and stuck It in his black tie.
Then, before he could stop her, she
touched the bell with one hand and gave
him the other.
Please kiss my fingers, Julien, and tell
me I've behaved nicely"
He looked steadily into her eyes and
then away out of the window, across the
square. It was such a natural ending,
this 1t was foolish that his heart should
shake, even for a second: And yet there
had been one 0ccasion-at Clonarty-
when she had lain very close to him in
his arms, and the moonlight had been
falling through the pine trees in little
dappled places around Them and the wind
had been making faint music among the
swinging boughs--for these few moments,
at any rate, the other things had shone
in her face. Were they illusions really,
those moments of agitation, he wondered
simply one long, sensuous period pass
ing like breath from a looking-gla and
leaving nothing behind? He looked into
her face. There was no sign there. Then
he dropped the fingers which he had been
holding. Women were wonderful!
''Do write" she begged. as she walked
into the hall with him. Dear me,
what strengthening person you have
with you in the taxicab!''
He is a friend" julien said quietly, "a
journalist. / might say the same Of the
young man who Is watching us from the
drawing room, Anne. Who is herr
She made little face at him and whts-
pered in his ear.
Ixy ~
palIing He is entirely mothers choice.
He arrived ten minutes after the evening
papers were out, but somehow or other I
don't fancy that we shall make anything
OF him. It's young Harbord, you know"
Julien made his effort. He touched her
fingers once more In conventional fash
ion. He leaned towards her earnestly.
my dear Anne" he said, that young
man has an income of at least a hundred
thousand year. Have you ever consid-
cred what a wonderful thing it is to pos-
sess an income like that? You eouid sur
round yourself with IT like halo. You
could eat 1t, wear 1t, and breathe it every
second of your life. You could even use
1t as means OF escaping as often as
possible from the somewhat inevitable
but highly Objectionable adjunct who
seems now to be peerinG at us through
the door. Be wise girl, Anne. An in
come ike that doesn't depend upon dis
cretions or indiscretions. Besides. as a
matter of fact. I really do not think that
that young man knows what IL is TO be
inolscreet Remember, am quite seri-
Gus. A hundred thousand year should
lift any man beyond the pale of criti-
ctsm."
''Yesl" the girl replied, looking at him
as he walked down the steps. 81 shall
remember. Goodbye!'
I'VE are getting on Julien declared
lightly, as he took his place in the taxi
cab. Really, 1t is astonishing how
much man can get through in a day
| IL he sets his mind to it. rs there any
place where we could get drink do you
think, Hendricks? I have just passed
through a trying and affecting inter-
view. I have said farewell to the lady
who was to have been my wife. That
sort OF thing upsets one
You are behaving, my dear Julien"
Hendricks admitted, like a man of
sense In a moment or two we shall
pass Very's, on our way to the restau-