Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-04-02

ut Is your. lead" said the admiral
patiently.
Pardon me" contritely. The gen.
tie reproach brought her back to the
surroundings. ut is the motion Of the
boat" hazarded Cathewe as he saw
her lead the ace. Il often find myself
losing count In waiting for the next
roll"
"Mr Cathewe Is very kind" she re-
Piled. THE truth is. however. am
simply stupid tonight"
Breitmann continued to speak lowly
to Laura. He was evidently amusing
for she smiled frequently. Neverthe-
less she smiled as often upon Fitz-
gerald never IL glance toward the wo
man who held his fortunes. as they
both believed. In the hollow Of her
hand. Breitmann appeared to have
forgotten her existence.
When the rubber was finished Ca
thewe came into the breach by sug.
gesting that they two. he and his part.
ner. should take the air for awhile.
and Hildegarde thanked him with her
eyes They tramped the port side. say
Ing nothing. but thinking much. His
arm was under hers to steady her. and
he could feel the catch each time she
breat he'd. as when one stiles sobs that
are fearless. Ah. to hold her close
and to shield her. but thousand arms
may not intervene between the heart
and the pain that stabs 1t. He knew
be knew all about 1t. and there was
murder In his thought whenever his
thought was Of Breitmann. TO be
alone with him somewhere and to fight
II out with their bare hands!
She had been schooled in the art OF
acting. but not In the art OF dissimu'
lation She had been OF the world
without huvlng been worldly. and
sometimes she was ms frank and sim.
pie as a child. And wordliness makes
buffer In times like these Cathewe
thanked God for his own she'll. tough.
ened nv It had been In the war OF
life.
They paused by the rail. Without
warming she bent swiftly and kissed
his hand. which lay upon the rail.
How kind you are to meg'
"Oh. pshaw" But the touch Of her
lips shook his soul.
Cathewe was one Of those sure.
quiet men. u staff to lean on. that
woman may find once In lifetime.
They are as usual thing always lov-
ing deeply and without success. but
always invariably cheerful and buoy.
ant-genuine philosophers. He knew
that the whole heart Of Hildegarde
von Mitter had yielded to another.
But II had been thrown. as It were.
against q wall There was this one
hope. dimly burning. that some day
he might catch 1t on the rebound
why are not all men like your she
asked
1.-THE world would not be half 80 In.
teresting. Some men shall be fortu.
nate and others shall not. Everything
has to balance in some way"
ITO have met YOU" childishly.
Don't talk like that It always
makes me less sad than furious.
Well go on as We have done In the
past, good friends. Call me when you
need me. and wherever ] am ! shall
come"
"How pitifully weak I must seem to
your
"You would be no happier If you
wore a mask. Hildegarde. what has
happenedl What power has this ad-
venturer over your cannot under.
stand. He was man enough to say
that you were guiltless Of any wrong"
He said thatT turning upon him
sharply. She could forgive much.
He could not see her face. but BY
the tone Of her voice he knew II bad
Frightened. "Hildegarde." and he
pressed his hand down hard over
hers, II could and priest the day
we land II you would love me. You
will always remember that"
"As II I could ever forget your kind
ness. Much az I know him there are
still some untitled pages. ] would
call him a scoundrel did ! not know
that in parts be has been q hero.
What sacrifices the man has made
and with what pauencsr
ITO what endr' quietly.
mo. no. Arthurl ! have promised
him"
He took her BY the arm. roughly.
Let 10 make two o. three rounds
and 70 back. We shan't srow any
more cheerful talking this way"
He loves her. saw It in bis eyes.
and must stand aside and watchr'
$50 must l." be said AREN'T you
Just a little selfish. HildegardsT
ri am wrerched. Arthur. and ] am
fool besides. oh. that wsrs cold
bloodsd IKE your woman tat I sesid