The Springfield herald., 1913-03-21

And besides. hoped you would think
of some way!"
And you escape quite unpunished?"
said Miss Wing gently.
At which the black head sank low
er. while a smothered voice mumbled:
DO you think liked 1t. coming to
tell?"
Miss Wing smoothed her hair. "It
would have pained me very much II
you had not come. Tell me; whether
he sees you or not, will he not write
to your father? Do you think his
feeling is SO slight that disappoint-
ment will turn it?"
The black head threw itself up
bravely and the fearless young eyes
met Miss Wings pensive brown ones.
mo, Miss Wing know 1t will make
no difference"
l Miss Wing stifled sigh; 1t may be
that she was not SO sure OF the firm
purpose of lover; she spoke more
gently: ut is only the disappoint'
ment, then, If you can't see him?"
The girls face quivered little.
| TtTudpb du lOOlleus bdiu Nlipn
Wing. but think 1t would be dis
appointment very hard to bear. Still.
you must admit that parents do not
send their children to school expecting
them to become engaged to be mar
ried; on the contrary, there is tacit
pledge that We shall protect our-wards
from any ENHANCEMENT. But this did
not happen at school; the only ques-
tion Is, ought l to prevent 1t going any
farther? My dear, do you have conf
dence in me?"
Yes, Miss Wing" said the girl.
"Of course, l do not think that l
ought to consent to your driving alone
together"
The girl drew a long sigh. Il sup
pose not" she breathed, In dismal
resignation.
But l should like him to come
here, to see me; and then, II l find
him to be what your father would ap-
prove. you may see him here; and we
shall all have to explain things to-
gether, l fancy, to your father"
The girl drew another, very DIFF
ferent, sigh. and impulsively kissed
Miss Wings hand. She tried to speak.
and could only murmur, "Oh, l do love
you'll"
And SO, II you will tell Graf Won
Butler-what is his Christian name.
Florence?"
Max" said the girl, very low, for
she felt the presence of the picture.
on which she had not once turned her
eyes. Before she spoke. under pre-
tense of a pull at her skirt. she
slipped her hand out of the hand with
the sapphire ring. Yet her excited
young nerves vibrated at the slight
cough which came as the principal
changed her position, before she said,
in her usual tone: "It is a fine name.
Well, Florence. you will tell Count
Max Won Butler that l shall hope to
see him. And-will you trust me?"
The girl told her that she would
trust her utterly. and she knew that 1t
would be right; and oh. she was so
happy. And she came back NO say,
with the tears in her eyes. 81 shall be
grateful to you as long as l live"
Miss Wing stood in the center Of
the room, smiling. until the door
closed. But then in a second she was
at the door, almost fiercely. but noise
lessly. twisting the key in the lock.
From the door she passed to the win
dows and dropped the shades. At
last. safe from every chance of espial.
she sat down again in her chair be-
fore the desk. leaned her elbows on
the desk, and looked desperately. mis-
erably, ihte the joyous face of the pic
| h,,k har
thoughts took on words and sank like
hot lead into her heart. Max But
ler! Max Butler! The little nephew
he told me about. And he has been
alive all these years; and happy; with
little sons, while IL have lied to
these trusting girls. 1t was wicked
and shameless. l deceived myself;
then l deceived them. l wonder why.
l knew what they were thinking. How
dared I look that honest child in the
face! I suppose she wonders like the
rest why have not told anyone of my
romance. And 1t is simply that there
was nothing to tell. Nothing" She
looked into the soldiers happy eyes
while her lips curled and she muir
INJURED, drearily and bitterly, ~ haven't
even the right to be angry with you,
poor lad. What did you do? You are
not my Max; only made him up out
of my heart-like children playing a
camel" Her mind drifted dizzily
through shapeless and inconsequent
visions of the past. She was seeing
again the grim pile of the ruined cas-
tie, the masses OF broken shadow, the
intricate carving on arch and archi-
trave and plinth, the wavering mass
of limbs and tree-trunks on the green
sward; and she, with her twisted
ankle. was kneeling, trying to peer
through the shrubbery for her lost
companions. Did he come by chance
She had seen the handsome young Of
ficer daily, for week. His great
aunt was Margaret's rghtshand neigh
Dor at the pension table d'hote. a
withered relic of Polish nobility with
fine, black eyes In face like hick-
ory nut; who wore shabby gowns and
magnificent jewels. frankly smoked
cigarettes. and seemed to have a
venomous tale ready to At any name
mentioned In conversation-with one
exception, her nephew's. Margar-
o,rot,, arut a{0ht of hin, uyos mot nm