Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-22

years ago" said ~. Ferraud.
Yes" Hildegarde Won Mitter won
dered who this little man could be.
And you sing no more?"
mo. The bird has flown. Only the
woman remains" They were at the
table now. and she absenty plucksd
the flowers beside her plate.
"Ah. to sing as you did and then to
disappear, to vanish. You had no
right to do so. You belonged to the
public" animatedly.
The public is always selfish. II a.
ways demands more than any single
person can give to II. Pardonf" she,
said as Cathewe leaned TO speak tol
her. II did not hear" ~
u. Ferraud nlbbled his crisp celery. |
81 asked what will you do" repeated
Cathewe for her ear only.
What do you mean?" ..'- &
did you know that be was herefi |
Il should not have been seated at
this table had known"
Some day you are going to tell me
all about it" he asserted, and you
are going TO smile when you answerl
me-"
Thank You. forgot Ny dear
friend, | am never going to tell you |
oil about 1t. Why did you not come
first:" her voice vibrating.
you still love him."
THAT is not kind" striving hard to
keep the smile on her trembling lips.
"0h. | beg Of you, do not make this
friendship impossible. Do not rob me
Of the one man | trust"
Cathewe mOlioned aside the fish and
reached for his sauterne. 81 have
loved you faithfully and loyalty for
seven years. have tried to win you
by all those roads man may honor
ably traverse in quest Of the one wo-
man. For seven years and for some
thing like three | have stayed away
at your command. VIII you believe
it? Sometimes my hands ache for his
throat Smile; they are looking"
1t was a crooked smile. why did l
ever tell you?"
why did you ever tell me-only
part? 1t is the other part wish to
know. Till learn what that Is l shall
never leave you. You will find that
there is a difference between love and
infatuation."
"As / have never known infatuation
| cannot tell the difference. Now, no
more. unless you care to see me break
down before them. For II you tell me
that you have loved me seven years /.
have loved him eight" cruelty, for
Cathewe was pressing her cruelty.
"Devil take him. What do you find
in the man."
"What do you find in me?" her eyes
filed with anger
Forgive me, Hildemrde. I am blind
and mad tonight. | did not expect to
find him here either"
Breitmann had tried Intellectually to
read their lips. She had given her
word, and, once given, he knew Of old
that she never broke 1t. But he was
keenly alive that in some way he was
the topic Of the inaudlble converse
ton. As he sat here tonight he knew
why he had never loved Hildegarde,
why, in fact. he had never loved any
woman. The one great passion which
comes in the span Of life was centered
in the girl beside him, dividing her mo-
ments between him and Fitzgerald.
Strange, but he had not known II ill
he saw the two women together. For
once his nice calculations had ceased
to run smoothly. There appeared now
a knot in the thread for which he saw
no untying.
you do not sing now" asked Laura
across the table.
NO" Hlldegarde answered. my
voice is gone"
"Oh, | am so sorry"
1T does not matter. | can hum q
little TO myself. There is yet some
pleasure in that. But in opera, no,
never again. Has not Mrs. Coldfeld
told you? No? Imagine. One night
in Dresden in the middle Of the aria
my voice broke miserably, and could
not 90 on"
And her heart nearly broke with
it," interpOsed Mrs. Cold6eld. with the
best intentions. nearer the truth than
she knew. Il am sorry. Laura, that
never told you before"
Hildegarde laughed. Sooner or
later this must happen. | worked too
hard perhaps. At any rate, the opera
| VIII huOW me 40 mOTe.
There was the hard blue Of flint In =,
Cathewe's eyes as they met and held
Breitmann's There was a duel, and
the latter was routed. But hate burn.
ed fercely in the breast against the
man who could compel him to lower
his eyes. Some day he would pay
back that glance.
Now, NJ. Ferraud had missed moth
ing. He twisted the talk into other
channels with his usual adroitness,
but all the while there was bubbling
In his mind the news that these two
men had met before. The history Of
Hildegarde Won Mltter was known to
him. But bow much did she know