The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-03-15

know that want It. I'm talking like
an idiot, 1 suppose, but Pm sure of
what mean"
81 understand you," said Ives, with
a slow smile. "Well, l think / will
be going up to my rooms now. If you
would dine with me here one evening
soon, Mr. Forster, I'd be glad"
"Thursday?" suggested Forster.
"At Z If it's convenient" answered
Ives
Seven goes" assented Forster.
At half past Ives got into cab
and was driven to number in one OF
the correct West Seventies. His card
admitted him to the reception room
of an old fashioned house into which
the spirits Of Fortune, Chance and Ad-
venture had never dared to enter. A
clock on the mantel licked loudly,
with a warning click at five minutes
to o.
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 this
much-youth and health and slmplici-
ty end 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, "to have you drop in once
every three years or So"
! For half an hour they talked. l 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 abroadT
"What l wanted?" said Ives.
"Yes. You know you were always
I queer Even as boy you wouldn't
| play marbles or baseball or any game
! with rules. We've often talked about
your peculiar ways"
81 suppose I am an incorrigible.'
! said Ives. 81 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 a funny thing you did. 1t was
when you and he were on a train in
the south, and you got off at town
where you hadn't intended to stop
! Just because the brakeman hung up a
sign in the end of the car with the
name of the next station on it."
II remember" said Ives. THAT next
station has been the thing I've always
tried to get away from"
81 know st." said Mary. "And you've
been very foolish. | hope you didn't
find what you wanted not to find or
get off at the station where there
wasn't any or whatever it 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 looked in his eyes clearly with
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
vividIy 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 decay. 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
would never perceive the change.
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