The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-04-18
CHAPTER |.
Twilight In the Park

The voice was firm, but the LADY
herself hesitated as she stepped lrohl
the tonneau. There was no answer,
Holding the tapping ends OF her vel,
away from her face, she turned anu
looked fairly at the driver OF 'he
machine
He seemed a businesslike, capapie
man though certain minor details OF
his chauffeur's rig were bit unusual
and now that he had been Obliged os
some discomfort, to remove MS sos
giles, his face appeared pleasant anu
quite untanned His passenger noteu
these things, remarking: "Oh, 1t ish
Renaud"
mo, Mademoiselle; Renaud haon
showed up at the Office when you tei-
ephoned, SO they put me on IN MS
place."
"Ah, see" Accent seemed to I'M
ply, however, that she was not auile
pleased. 1.-THE manager sent you. ana
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 wat!
"As mademoiselle wishes. Or shall
| perhaps follow slowly along the
driver"
mo, wait here. 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 MS
countenance. What the devil IS TO
pay IL she doesn't return-soon!
The avenue lifts camel's hump
toward the sky in the space OF fifteen
blocks, and on the top, secure as the
howdah of chieftain. stands the
noble portico of the old college. To
the westward, as every one knows,
lie the river and the more pretentlous
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 clamoring city
New York. Angles were softened
noises subdued, sensational scenes
lost in the dimmed perspective. TIC
chance observer, the prospect would
have been deeply suggestive; in the
woman it stirred many memories. She
put back her veil; her face glowed: 9
long sigh escaped her lips. Slowly
she walked down the steps, along this
sloping path to turn, where she sanl
down on bench. A rosy, tired child
rather the worse for mud-pies, anl
hanging reluctantly at the hand of ;
nonchalant nurse, brought a bit o
the woman's emotion to the surface
She smiled radiantly at the lagginl
infant
The face revealed by the upliftet
veil was of type to accompany thu
youthful but womanly figure and tn,
spirited tread, Beautiful she woul,
be counted, without doubt, by man,
an observer: those who loved he
would call her beautiful without stint
But more appealing than her beaut,
was the fine spirit--a strong. fire.,
, spirit. loving honesty and courage
, which glowed like fame behind he
beauty. Best Of ALL perhaps, was
touch Of quaintness, a slightly conf
twist to her lips. an imperceptibl
, alertness of manner, which reveale
to the initiated that she had sens
of humor In excellent running orde,
II was evident that the little excm
sion was of the nature of pilgrimage
, The idle hour. the bit of holiday. bt
came memorial. as recollectio
brought back to her the days OF chile
hood spent down yonder, a few square
away. in this very city. They SCENE
bright in retrospect. like the pleasan
, paths of quiet garden, but they ha
, ended abruptly. and had been followe
by years OF activity and colorful exp,
rience In another country Through
all what aHtieipations had been lodge
In her return to Home! Somethin
there would complete the story--tb
story with its secret ecstasies and a
. pirations the story OF the arder
springs of youth.
Withdrawing her gaze from III
scene belaw. though with apparent r
iuctance, she took from the socket
her coat an opened envelope whic
she regarded nomant with though
fnlness. hefsra drawing forth the q