Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-01-09
CHAPTER l.
Twilight in the Park.

W. may wall, ueHduu
The voice was firm, but the lady
herself hesitated as she stepped from
the tonneau. There was no answer
Holding the tapping ends of her veil
away from her face, she turned and
looked fairly at the driver of the
machine
He seemed a businesslike, CT able
man, though certain minor details OF
his chauffeur's rig were bit unusual,
and now that he had been obliged, by
some discomfort, to remove his Cog
giles, his face appeared pleasant ana
quite untanned His passenger noted
these things. remarking: oh it isn't
Renaud!"
mo, Mademoiselle: Renaud hadn't
showed up at the office when you tel
ephoned, SO they put me on in his
place"
"Ah. I see" Accent seemed to i'm
ply. however, that she was not quite
pleased. The manager sent you. And
your name is-?"
MY name-rather odd name
Hand"
The face half hidden behind the veil
remained impassive A moments hes
itation, and then the lady turned
away with a short. You will waltz"
AS mademoiselle wishes Or shall
/ perhaps follow slowly along the
driver"
mo, wait here, l shall return
soon"
The young woman walked away.
erect, well-poised, lifting skirts skill
fully as she paused moment at the
top of the stone steps leading down
into the tiny park. The driver of the
machine, free from observation, al
lowed a perplexed look to occupy his
countenance What the devil is to
pay If she doesn't return-soon!"
The avenue lifts a camels hump
toward the sky in the space of fifteen
blocks, and on the top, secure as the
howdah of a chieftain, stands the
noble portico of the old college To
the westward as every one knows
lie the river and the more pretentious
park; on the east an abrupt descent
offers space for small grassy play
ground for children, who may be seen,
during the sunny hours of the day
romping over the slope.
AS the gaze of the woman swept
over the charming little pleasance, and
beyond, over the miles of sign boards,
roofs. chimneys and intersecting
streets, the serious look disappeared
from her face. Summer haze and dis
lance shed a gentle beauty over what
she knew to be a clamoring city
New York. Angles were softened,
noises subdued, sensational scenes
lost in the dimmed perspective. To
a chance observer, the prospect would
have been deeply suggestive in the
woman it stirred many memories. She
put back her veil; her face glowed "a
long sigh escaped her lips. Slowly
she walked down the steps. along the
sloping path to turn, where she sank
down on bench. A rosy. tired child
rather the worse for mud-pies, and
hanging reluctantly at the hand of a
nonchalant nurse, brought a bit of
the woman's emotion to the surface
She smiled radiantly at the tagging
infant
The face revealed by the uplifted
veil was of type to accompany the
youthful but womanly figure and the
spirited tread. Beautiful she would
be counted, without doubt, by many
an observer; those who loved her
would call her beautiful without stint
But more appealing than her beauty
was the fine spirit-a strong. free
spirit. loving honesty and courage
which glowed like fame behind her
beauty. Best of all, perhaps. was a
touch of quaintness, slightly comic
twist to her lips. an imperceptibIe
alertness of manner, which revealed
to the initiated that she had a sense
of humor in excellent running order.
1t was evident that the little excur-
sion was of the nature of pilgrimage.
The idle hour, the bit of holiday. be-
came a memorial, as recollection
brought back to her the days of child
hood spent down yonder, few squares
away. in this very city. They seemed
bright in retrospect, like the pleasant
paths of a quiet garden, but they had
ended abruptly, and had been followed
by years Of activity and colorful expe-
rience in another country Through it
all what anticipations had been lodged
in her return to Home! Something
there would complete the story-the
story with its secret ecstasies and as.
pirations-the story of the ardent
springs of youth.
Withdrawing her gazs from the
scene below though with apparent re
luctanee. she took from the pocket OF
her coat an opened envelope which
she regarded moment with thought
su.ness, before drawing forth the ca