The Washington herald., 1913-07-27
CHAPTER v-Continued.

saw a man killed once, down
riyer. A woman stabbed him and h
tell on the deck right where l wa
PLAYING. / don't know why, eh?" Sh
looked at him with her alert challenge
But l can guess! She loved him
Why, even when was child / didn'
blame her. Harlan, l suppose Pm
savage now, amt I-going to schoo
with all those nice girls in whit
dressesp
Aurelie," he answered, slowly, 'T'n
gong away tomorrow to school. Ant
was going TO take you to mother to
night Tell her everything-ask her tc
protect you, help you-make of yot
the sort of woman you can be if yol
had a chance. / thought you'd b,
waiting for me-and trying, alwaysP
Her eyes were quick with tears. Be
meath her laughter they were never far
away.
Il wanted yon to know my mother,
he went on patiently. But | wanted
you to be yourself always, too. Coco
and fine-the best in Your gay little
this ghastly thing of Wiley's-the furol
puDlIIltN Vi IL WHY,
she couldn't stand itr'
She watched him long; her finger:
plucked slowly at a tattered leaf upor
his shoulder. well. then" she NUT.
terel, humbly, q won't. I'll give it all
up-the prize and everything-if you
ask me to-"
ITS too late for that"
No, il isn't | won't have a thing
TO do with 'em! My picture in the
paper-or anythingp
He smiled at her simplicity. "Oh
Aurelie, ! wish they'd never have dis
covered your
From the path they were descending
she watched a distant patch of water
touched by mist of light Beyond ii
was the East, the radiant land; over
the silent hills of the river was some
unknown glory beckoning her. She
sighed and put by the undreamed al
lurement; it seemed that since she had
known Harlan she was always putting
something 'by, renouncing, struggling
trying to do or be something quite un-
attained. That was love, she answered
to renounce and not be embittered,
TO try for something better than one
had, TO be better than one truly was
That was it. Love meant trying
Nobody will have me-" she went on,
slowly. Il won't pay any attention to
'em. 1 love you that way, Harlan.
Just TO wish my face was ugly if it
pleased you. To scratch my cheeks
and eyes, if you wanted me to! Just
to live on here and be the bootlegger's
girl from the bottoms, and never have
a pretty dress. l will, if you want me
to-"
He did not answer for a time. She
could not tell that he was conquering
the lump in his throat at the pathos of
her passion For me!' he whispered,
and she nodded; and so they went on
through the moonlight to his home.
They crossed the wide lawn where
Palf, the great, friendly Saint Bernard.
came to greet them. Some one was
singing in the parlors 1t was Elise
Dickinson, and a Schumann song; and
Harlan slowly remembered that this
was their last night at home before he
went 10 Harvard and Elise to Bryn
Mawr, and that all the boys he had
grown up with, played football and de-
bated with, and all the girls he had
danced with his life long. had gathered
to speed him well. Elise was going,
too; ii was partly in her honor.
He felt Aurelic falter at the music,
then after his steadying glance at her
she tensed in her petite independence
and went with him through the door
to the library. His father and mother
were there alone The Van Hart house
was the rendezvous of all the High
Street 1,o,,,,o ,,eoDIa +I,ara ,,-,e ~ ,.aJ
of bidding to its fine, open, careless
while the guests amused themselves in
the parlor the judge sat at his paper
and Mrs. Van Hart was before book
case. the wall light upon her contour
of hair and brow. There was about
her the inescapable inference of breed
ing. that same charm of assurance, of
power. OF books and gentle ways, which
the room itself disengaged-the grace
of right living and of love. that splen-
did wholesomeneSs of the American
home.
Mrs. Van Hart looked up at them
in surprise. She did not recognize
Aurelie But Harlan's arm was about
the stranger. The lady arose with an
exclamation. "My dear, have you been
hurt"
No" said Aurelie
Mother" the boy began. and
dropped Aurelie's hand and stood apart
in quiet dignity, she's not hurt" His
father had lowered the paper and turned
his kindly eye upon them. I'VE came
to tell you. mother, we're engaged"
He saw his mothers blue eyes mar
row. heard the rustic of the newspaper
in the Judges hand. From the other
room the Schumann song went on.
Mrs. Van Hart checked the fiutter in
her voice. "Engaged-Harlan?
Yes. To Aurelie Lindstrom."
There was silence, courteous, even
kindly. Harlan Hnew al all costs they
would be kindly. If the Van Harts
had sent a culprit to the gallows, it
would be done without scene-and
kindly. His mother was looking at
them keenly; then she laughed, briefly,
so naturally that for a moment even
Harlan was deceived. Then to Aure-
lie: My dear--be seated"
The girl did So in a sort of dream
They had welcomed her! They had
called her dear T. 1t was all so un-
utterably different, so beautifully diff
terent! Her day of the jinnee had
dawned-the most beautiful girl in all
Americal Harlan's home opened to
her with love. Love, that was it-l
love graced and opened everything. |
Love counted nothing of her simple |
gown, love asked nothing of her brown !
hands, her want of manner. her lack |
T,t aagt, >