The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1912-06-29

Of medal and that you have cared
so little as to throw it away?"
What good did a golden bauble do
me?" she asked, with a mockery of
laughter in her voice, when l have
struggled for the $4,000 prize? What
good is the sign of genius If you have
not the food with which to keep the
body alive What irony to give a
starving sculptor a medal with a red
ribbon attached" She laughed dis
cordantiy, but there was tragedy IN
derneath it all that could not pass I'M
noticed. Trevor paced the length Of
the stone steps.
After moment of restless move
ment he returned to the side Of the
girl. Her head had again fallen on
her outstretched arms.
Be it said Of Trevor that he had
not once doubted the girls honesty.
Tonight" he began hesitatingly,
Il won three times the amount you
have lost. Every night at the club
like sums pass from one to the other
Of us, and it is, as it were, a farth-
ing exchanging hands-so horribly
wealthy we all are. VIII you let me
give you the sum I won tonight?"
An unusual, pleasurable sensation
swept over Trevor. After the halt
ing words had left his lips he realized
how seldom was he given the oppor-
tunity of rendering a service
The girl looked up through the
darkness, her eyes straining toward
Treyor's face.
che I.1F
breathed 1T would give me an
other lease of life! I will work and
slave with every atom of my power,
and in the end-I will wini l know
l will win" She had risen in this mo-
ment of great expectation and stood
facing Trevor, her figure slim and
wraithlike.
Trevor caught at his breath. The
girl had slipped her fingers into his
and the pressure was of so compel
ling a nature that the man gripped
himself. Afterward he reasoned that
sculptors' fingers would of necessity
be masterful. Every trace Of tragedy
had vanished from her voice, leaving
in its wake a trail of untold depths.
Trevor dragged his thoughts from
import of her next words.
Il could have had friends in the
city upon whom 1 would have called,
but have sacrificed everything and
everyone for my art!" The girl was
breathless; the great temperament Of
genius had responded quickly to a
new inspiration. IN a years time
will no doubt be in a position to re-
pay"
Trevor stopped her with a gesture.
I'VE will not talk of repaying any
thing. The money is nothing to me
sometimes 1 am ashamed of having
so much" He laughed a trif1e I'M
steadily. He turned abruptly and took
up a position under the light. Whom
shall 1 make out the check to?" he
questioned, as he drew out his book.
"Myra Collins" the girl told him,
and stood near watching with eager
eyes while he made out the check for
So 900.
Trevor folded the slip once across
and put it into her hand. IF there
should be the slightest difficulty at
the bank" he said, Just tell the
cashier to telephone me-" By way
of afterthought he put a bill within
the check You may need money
tonight"
The girl was trembling and be-
cause she was incapable of speech |
she bent, before he could stop her,
and touched his hand lightly with her
lips.
1t was many days, many months |
before Trevor came to realize that the !
incident beside the fountain had in |
reality occurred. In a measure he !
looked upon the whole affair as
trick of Imagination.
Some eighteen months later, while |
he was smoking his pipe, vivid men,
DRY of the girl swept over him. The !
cIinging touch of her fingers seemed |
very real and he laughed half i'm !
patient laugh as he glanced at his /
empty hands.
The door bell rang and a moment /
later Trevor was opening a package |
to him. He knew suddenly, /
intuitiveIy, that he had been expect |
ing something big to happen-some- |
thing that would give him the won
drous love he had vainly longed for /
The package revealed a statuette. /
It was first rough modelling Of an /
afterward famous art treasure
Trevor drew a long, happy breath .
and gazed at the figure of a girl in /
an abandonment of faiIureI She was
huddled at the base of a statue.
Trevor laughed aloud in the Joy of .
the revelation. The girl then was
living in his world and was breath
ing the air he breathed She was
not a wrath but a flesh and blood
woman, who had sent him a message
IN. her statuette.
He glanced at the clock and
jumped quickly to his feet With
haste and a swift taxi he could be
with her inside Of an hour
He lost but a moment in converse
ton with his valet.
Telephone Miss Myra Collins at
the Arts club and tell her that James
Trevor is on his way"
Very good, sir" said Peters.
And Myra Collins was waiting.