The Virginia enterprise., 1913-04-18
Copyright BY tho Bobbs- Merrill Oo.)

LQelr percept1On tQat Sle QaQ uVeQ
deeply, that she had suffered, that she
had been loved and had loved eternal
ly, opened their hearts. They would
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 perplexities
Of the heart. Wives came to her with
cruel dilemmas which they shrank
from revealing to their own mothers
perhaps because the mothers could
not be trusted to plead for the erring
husband so well; 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 with the same eegerness 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.
To-Day, however, Miss Wing sat be-
fore the picture which so many young
eyes had studied with such vague, yet
ardent, sympathy. and pondered over
a confidence that had not come. The
lack Of it's 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 on her 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
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
roughen. She sat down when her guest
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 it's beauty ga real
Cashmere, you know, and because
whether she wore other rings or not,
this always kept its place.
Nov, tell me-" said Miss Wing.
Il had letter from him this morn.
ing: it was Just note in one of Helen
Grier's"-the girls 1.-the form was
erect in the chair, every muscle 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 with
ing nerves-"all he said was that he
had been called back to Germany"
rs he German? Miss Parker said
his name was Cutler"
1T is Butler" the girl said, flingine
her head back, while a spark crept in
to her liquid. troubled. dark eyes, but
| he is German. Don't you know the
Buffers in 'Wallenstein?' You know
he was real man; and he founded q
family. He-my-my friend is the
Count Won Butler" Miss Wings chair
like other desk chairs, was set on g
pivot; she turned very slightly and
slowly, at the same time resting he1
elbow on the desk. The girl ventured
/ timid glance at her, and thought
that she looked sterner, wherefore hel
heart sank; but she only continued
the faster: He isn't in America just
to travel; he was sent by his govern
ment to watch the Cuban war. He's
very brave; and he isn't a bit like 9
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-s
kind of knight"
Where did you meet him?"
"At Helen's last summer. And he
was going out to Minneapolis to SCI
papa, IL think. But he got 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 G1
Helen's letter, because he is $3.50
awfully properly asking to let hin
come here and take me to drive-i1
the American fashion. know who
put him up to that scheme; it was
Helen. l had to ask Miss Parker, be
cause you We're out: and she said II
he wasn't relation or the man l was
going to marry couldn't 20. 'O1
course, If he were the man you expec,
to marry she said. and-and IL said
But he is!' Just like that. l CAM
fancy how l came to say such
thing, but when it was said l didn',
know how to explain; and l was SC
awfully ashamed; and, besides"-sh<
lifted her eyes in the frank and direc,
gaze that Miss Wing always liked
besides, do want to see him."
And do you expect him to ask 70,
to marry him." said Miss Wing, will
a deepening of the color on her cheek
which went out suddenly like thu
flame Of a lamp In the wind.
Florence Raimund blushed again
but this time she laughed: II dom
know. He is so awfully proper" sale
she, "and he hasn't had a chance tt
ask papa; butt think he wants to-"