Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-22

ythe; for instance, if we held hands for
ltes later everybody would know about it. !"
self Indispensable to her than by him who
should be forever Fostering her with speaking
and pleading his cause.
Mr.. Blagdon had always gone after what he
wanted in kind of slow, Indifferent way that
begot confidence in himself and in the behold.
er; and Tin the case of Miss Blythe) kind of
panic In the object sought. She liked him be.
cause she was used to him. and because he
could and would talk sense upon subjects which
interested her. But she was afraid Of him be-
cause she knew that he expected her to marry
him some day, and because she knew that other
people. including her own family, expected this
OF her. Sometimes she felt ready to take unto
herself all the horses and country places and
automobiles and yachts and in life lived re.
better self. But more often, like fly caught
in spiders web. she wished by one desperate
effort (even should 1t cost her wing to carry
out the fgure) to free herself once and forever
from the ENHANCEMENT.
1t was pleasant enough in the web. The
strands were soft and silky; they held rather
by persuasion than by force. And had it not
been for the spider she could have lived out
her life in the web without any very desperate
regrets But 1t never quite possible to
forget the spider: and that in Spis own time he
would approach slowly and deliberately, sure
of himself and OF little Miss Fly.
But, after all, the spider in the not
such terrible fellow. Just because
wants girl that doesn't want him, and means
hard name. Such a man as often as not be-
comes one half OF very happy marriage. And
Mr.. Bob Blagdon was considered an exception.
ally good fellow. in his heart, though I have
never heard him say So openly, i think he act.
ually looked down on people who gafnbled and
drank to excess. and who were uneducated and
had acquired whatever they may have been
born with) perfectly empty heads. think
that he had sound and sensible virtue; one
ear for one side Of an argument, and one for
the other.
There is no reason to doubt that he was
good husband to his first wife, and wished TO
replace her with little Miss Blythe, not to sup
plant her. To his three young children he was
of grandfather than a father though
strongwilled and even stubborn he was unable
half the time to say no to them.
But when Mister Masters entered ESQ timid.
y to the eye. but really so masterfully) into
little Miss Blythe's life, she could no longer
in twinkle she knew that horses and yachts
and great riches could never make up to her
for the loss Of long. bashful youth with
crooked smile. You can't be really happy if
you shivering with cold; you can't be really
happy II you are dripping with heat. And she
knew that without Mister Masters she must
always be one thing the other-too cold or
too hot never quite comfortable.
Her own mind was made up from the first;
even to going through any number of awful
scenes with Blagdon But as time passed and
her attentions Il shall have to call 1t that to
Mister Masters made no visible progress. there
were times when she was obliged TO think that
she would never marry anybody at all. But in
her heart she knew that Masters was attracted
by her, and to this strand of knowledge she
chung so as not to be drowned in a sea of de-
spar.
Her position was one of extreme difficulty
and delicacy. Sometimes Mister Masters came
near her OF his own accord, and remained in
bashful silence; but more often she was obliged
to have recourse to accidents in order to
bring about propinquity. And even when pro-
pinquity had been established there was never
any progress made that could be favorably
noted. Behind her back, for instance, when
she playing tennis and he was looking on
he was quite bold In his admiration OF her.
And whereas most peoples eyes when they are
watching tennis follow the fight of the ball.
Mister Masters's faithful eyes never left the
person of his fayorite player.
One reason for his awful bashfulness and
silence was that certain people. who seemed to
know had told him in the very beginning that
1t was only question of time before little Miss
Blythe would become Mrs. Bob Bagdon She's
always been fond Of him." the said "of course
I he can give her everything worth having" So
when he was with her he felt as if he was with
an engaged girl. and his real feelings not being
proper to express in any way under such cir
cumstances and his nature being single and
without deceit he was put in uuandary thot
defed solution.
But what was hidden from Mister Masters
was presently obvious to Mr.. Blagdon and to
othors
signal than n sight of the object of his affec.
lions standing or sitting contentedly with an
other man, and neither OF them saying as much
as boo to the other He may, with moro equa.
nimity, regard and countenance genuine fir.
tation full of laughter and eye.making. The
first time Mr Bagdon saw them together he
thought; the second time he felt; the third
time he came forward eraciously smiling.
Don't you ride Mister Masrers?" said Mr..
Blagdon. ''
"Of course" said the shy one blushing. "But
I'm not to do anything violent before June.'
Sorry" said Mr. Bladgon because rye a
string of ponies that are eating their heads off,
Id he delighted to mount you"
But Mister Masters smiled with unusual
'.""t"fn"ss and stammered his thanks and HE