Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28

Olga shrugged effectively How should
| have known
"You have had time enough to study him,
should say. Why couldn't you let him be-
When there are SO many other men
Hear the child One might think that
had brought him to my knees purposely.
| didn't One can't always prevent the I'M
expected.
Hernia laughed dryly. "One doesn't
plan the unexpected quite SO carefully as you
do, Olga dear
1t was beneath Olga's dignity to reply.
AT any rate, continued Hernia, you've
driven him away from Wake Robin.
"Oh, he'll come back said Olga lightly.
"Do you think so''
"Of course
1--WE shall see, said the girl.
AT the end of three days the Countess
: realized that for the first time in her
life she had made a mistake in judgment;
for Markham did not return to Wake Robin.
And when she went to the island in the
launch to make her peace with him she
found the cabin deserted.
1t was not until some days later that she
received letter from him dated in New
York, and sent on the eve of his sailing for
Europe
My DEAR OLGA.-It is to Taught But you
can be sure that | was angry for day or two.
What is the use? have forgotten my misad-
venture, and will consider it warning against
gardens. III not venture into rose
garden by moonlight again unless quite alone.
It's dangerous. even with sworn friend. 1t
wasn't altogether your fault mine, and you
served me quite properly in cutting my self
esteem to ribbons. But it hurt. Olga. You
know the least of mortals thinks he's
heartbreaker, if he tries to be. You've put me
back upon my shelf among the cobwebs, and
there | will remain. I'm hopeless material to
work with socially, and deserve no better fate
than to be laid away and forgotten. People
must take me as | am, or not at all. | don't
mind rubbing elbows with the great unwashed.
They're human, somehow. But your world of
dissatisfied women and unsatished men-it
gets on my nerves. and so I've cut it and run!
I'm painting Anticipated Countess in
Havre and then m off for the open country
with a thumb box. a toothbrush. and smile.
and with this equipment | have all that the
world can offer. | shall live upon the fat of
the land at forty sous day, feast under the
trees, sound red wine to wash the dust from
ones throat, and an appetite and a thirst such
as Westport will never know.
Au revoir, cheye Olga! l could wish you with
me; but / shall be many honest klometers
from a limousine, which is not your idea of a
state of being.
With affectionate regards.
Faithfully. ]. M.
In the same mail was a note to Hernia:
My DEAR Miss CHALLoNER.-Your kind
ness deserves a better return than my abrupt
and rather churlsh departure from Wake
Robin, and if it isn't already too late to restore
myself to your graces | hope you will accept
my regrets and apologies. and the sketch from
Thimble Island that goes to you by express. l
hope you will like it. l do. That's why I'm
giving it to you. But it's hardly complete
without the wrecked monopane and the small
person who came with it.
Perhaps some day you'll drop in" on me
while please think seriously about the portrait.
/ don't believe I'm just the to do it. /
can't seem to you, somehow My bust
ness is to portray the social anachronism. That
is easy-a matter of clothes. But how shall a
mere mortal define in terms of paint the dwellers
of the air? You have me guessing, dear lady.
Imagine Ariel in the conventional broadcloth
of commerce! It's preposterous! | can't lend
myself to any such deception.
The rest of the letter was more formal and
finished, with a message of congratulation
to her and Armistead. and a word of thanks
for her own hospitality. And he hoped to
remain very cordially John Markham"
Hernia smiled as she finished it, and then
read it over again. The letter, with its
mixture of the formal and whimsical, both
pleased and treasured her. 1t represented
more the Markham of Thimble Island, a
person whose identity had lost something
of It's defniteneSS since her talks with OLGA