The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-26

me. You to forget
Everything! Except this avalanche OF light
and music that blinds me, deafens me, browns
thank God!'
1t struck her oddly that it sounded more pas
sionately a prayer than anything she had ever
heard before. The next moment She rebnked
herself sharply and spoke: Don't. mat bias-
phemy."
standing Don't you suppose | know it isn't
yon that says it? Not the self that feel-the
self | of? There are two OF you.:.;
and one Won strive to keep safeSuarded behind
conventional phrases; but ! tell you, its useless
with me, because
, GI-SH of music from the orchestra cut short
n his words Disarmed she let her eyes drink ms
for a beautiful second of terror Then STRIVING
to recover herself she glanced away from nm
across the iridescent rim that 1rlnged thelr
world into the faces of that outer circle.
lie knew the instant the change came
What is it?"
people are looking at us" She said it in
bushed horror. as if the scandal of it were
something not TO be survived: .,
People" He laughed. immensely amused
Her words came waited TO him from far coun-
trv with which he longer had anything IN
common-a realm of shamS and counterfeit emo
ton whose bored inhabitants Knocked at love
as a deusiOn of the senses. Was ii strange that
they had completely misinterpreted this girl?
cold, Why the fire of her temperament was so
fine, so keen, it altogether eluded their SLOW per
ceptiOn.
If only she would not miStrust it-this splen-
dor that was really herself!
As for him. he had no wish to look beyond
tn, irilc,ccnt rim. That WAS world he Wou"
not could not. enter again.
why, you don't seem TO mind II IN the
least" Rebuke from her struck harmieSsiy a.
Vet upon his mood
Mind what?"
THAT everyone is laughing at u.s." The fact
expanded in her mind. hot. humiliating
Does one hear the babble of infants when
Jo,e thundcr> and the Pleiades sing"
Her cloudcd glance struck off from his, de
MED him The present element of shame sub
merged all else You ought, at least. TO care
for my humiliation"
Snatchcd from the altitude of ethereal magic
which but Il moment ago had seemed The only
reality she smarted from too sudden contact win
the brutay objective Her senses focused pam
fully upon immediate facts.
He looked up, in quick astOniShment surely
you're not serious? You can't mean that you
care?" Up to this instant he had not thought II.
. tainlv care" Beside her plate the untouched
creme de nenthe a burning emerald eye, seemed
all at once to leer at her. emblem of untold evil
She was glad she had refused IL
Bertha" 1t was the first time he h;d
dared TO call her bv that name and the sweet
shock of il had effect. He il, feather OF
fire blown swiftly across her features. But all
the because of it, her resistance gathered
strength.
We met each other only yesterday" And
as she said it. her face went aghast at the
uttered statement of fact. Her. glance was riv-
cited upon the emerald eye, sinister, yet beau
tiful-symbol of this feverish bohemian life into
which she had unwittingly stumbled; sNInbo
foo of this swift, wild experience. unlike any
thing she had known before; this madness
which she had all but permitted TO o'crWhem
her.
She Bertha Duncan. How vigorously she
had censured others who had not been strong
enough oppose the glamour! Yet her tempa-
linn had come and she had not recognized II, be