The Springfield herald., 1913-03-21

|
have admired her. now they adored
her. BY degrees. and insensibly to
herself. she became the confessor OF
her little world. After they left school,
her girls brought her their perplexitics
of the heart. Wives came to her with
cruel dilemmas which they shrank
from revealing to their own mothers
perhsps because the mothers could
not be trusted to plead for the erring
husband so we'll; for woman who
lives complains. not to be justified
| herself, but to hear her lovers mis-
conduct excused and his love proved
against her doubts. Before they left
school, the girls confessed their faults
and failings and strivings of con-
science wi h the same eagerness with
which they asked counsel in their in
nocent romances of friendship or the
sorrows of trigonometry. and they ac-
cepted any penance directed, not only
| with patience, but a kind of exalta-
ton natural to youth, which finds a
secret joy In the exercise of its own
fortitude.
Today, however, Miss Wing sat be-
fore the picture which SO many young
eyes had studied with such vague, yet
ardent. sympathy, and pondered over
confidence that had not come. The
lack of its coming hurt her; and the
tap on her door was welcome, for she
thought, 1T is she-coming to tell me.
Oh, hope he is the right man.
At her response. the door swung
open with jerk, and the dark-eyed
girl who entered was catching her
breath. although she tried to make the
quick intakes noiseless. There was a
look of pale resolution onher features.
! Have you come to let me congrat-
ulate you. my dear?" said the princi-
pal. rising. The girl colored scarlet
I've come because had to. because 1
couldn't deceive you." she blurted.
Miss Wing, it isn't SO. let Miss
Parker think so; but I'm not engaged
to him."
"Sit down. dear" said Miss Wing.
The soft cadence of her voice did not
sat, and leaned back in her desk chair,
folding her slim, white hands. There
were flashing rings on her hands; and
the girls used to wonder which ring
Max" had given her. They favored
the sapphire, set between two dia-
monds. because of its beauty Ca real
Cashmere. you know'O. and because.
whether she wore other rings or not,
this always kept its place.
Now, tell me-" said Miss Wing.
II had letter from him this morn
! to- 4 t., - IL
Grier's"-the girls 1.-the form was
erect in the chair, everymuscle tense !:
she looked past Miss Wing to the wall
and spoke in toneless voice; no one
could see that she was driving straight
on to her purpose. over her own writh-
ing nerves-"all he said was that he
had been called back to Germany
"Is he German? Miss Parker said
his name was Cutler"
"It is Butler" the girl said, fiinging
her head back. while spark crept In
to her liquid, troubled, dark eyes. but
he is German. Don't you know the
Buffers in 'Wallenstein?' You know
he Yas a real man; and he founded a
\ faAily. He-my-my friend is the
Count Won Butler" Miss Wings chair.
like other desk chairs. was set on a
pivot; she turned very slightly and
slowly, at the same time resting her
elbow on the desk. The girl ventured
/, a timid glance at her. and thought
that she looked sterner, wherefore her
heart sank; but she onls continued
the faster: He isn't in America just
| to travel; he was sent by his govern
toy, C,,I>o ~
very brave; and he isn't bit like a
foreigner and hasn't any nasty super.
cilious notions about women. Mr.
Grier says he has future. And real
ly, Miss Wing. he is just like a-a-a
kind of knight
Where did you meet him?"
| "At Helen's last summer And he
was going out to Minneapolis to see
papa, IL think. But he got a cable
of his uncle's death. And his two lit
tie cousins died last year; SO now he
is the head of the family: and he must
go to Germany at once. For his father
is dead. you know. So he wrote Tin
Helen's letter, because he Is so-sc
awfully properly asking to let him
come here and take me to drive-in
the American fashion. know who
put him up to that scheme; 1t was
Helen. had to ask Miss Parker, be
cause you were out; and she said II
he wasn't relation or the man l was
going to marry couldn't go. 'Oi
course, II he were the man you expect
to marry she said. and-and IL said
But he isl Just like that can't
fancy how I came to say such a
thing. but when 1t was said 1 didn't
know how to explain; and was &c
] awfully ashamed; and. besides"-she
lifted her eyes in the frank and direct
gaze that Miss Wing always liked
besides, do want to see him."
And do you expect him to ask you
to marry him?" said Miss Wing, with
a deepening of the color on her cheek
which went out suddenly like the
flame of a lamp in the wind
Florence Raimund blushed again
but this time she laughed: II don't
know. He is SO awfully proper" said
she, "and he hasn't had chance to
ask papa; butt think he wants to-"
"In that case. isn't he the man whom
you expect to marry?" asked Miss
Wing dryly. But 1t was deceiving
her Just the same. / am glad YOU