The evening world., 1914-03-05

~ HbhhbE TlppSu open INC
\ envelope addressed To Essie
Tisdale and devoured its
contents standing by the
window. bare -shouIiercd In
the dawn. Long before she had IN
ished reading her hand shook with
excitement. and her nose looked
pinched and drawn about the nostrils.
As 4 matter Of fact tho woman was
being dealt q staggering blow. Until
tho moment she had not herself re-
allied how strongly she had built
upon tho outcome of this self-con-
structed romance of hers.
In her Widest dreams she had not
considered Van Iennop's attentions
to Ess,c Tlsdale serious or. indeed, his
motives good. That Ogden Van Lon
mop had entertained the remotest no.
tion Of asking tsslc Tisdale to be hts
wife was furthest from her thoughts.
Yet there II was In black and white,
staring at her In words which burned
themselves upon her braiR. soaring
the deeper because she learned from
them that her own deed had precipi.
tatcd the crisis.
wasn't sure of mysslf until last
night" Van lennop wrote, but that
creatures disxracsful act left Nuo In
no doubt. 1f l had been sure Of , ON,
Essie Tisdale. I would have put my
arm about YOU then and there and
told that braying crowd that any In
di!nity offered you was offered to my
future wife
But ] was not sure. ] am not sure
now, and only business Of the utmost
urgency could take mo away from
you In this state Of uncertainty. n
you want me to como back won't you
send me telegram telling mo % to
tho address ! am giving below? Just
a word. Essie Tisdale. to let me know
that you care u little bit, that your
sweet friendship holds sonnet hing
more for inc than Just friendship? I
shall haunt tho Office until hear
from you. NO lose no time
Further on she read:
II love you nightly. Essle Tis-
dale. and ] have not closed my eyes
ior making plans for you and me. II
ID quite tn. most delirtous happiness
] have ever known. I long to take
YOU away from Crowheart and place
YOU IN tho environment In which you
rightly belong. for while we know
nothing Of your parentage, I would
stake my life that on In You have no
cause for shame. ] arm filled with all
a lovers eagerness TO give, to heap
upon you the things which women
like to share with you my possess.
ions and my pleasures.
but In the midst Of my castle
building comes the cht.ng thought
NaL
granted and the fear that I have
been presumptuous In mistaking y,ur
dear. loyal comrsdeship for som.
thing more makes me fairly tremb.c.
! arm very humble. Esae Ttsdaie.
when ! think ~ you. but ] am going
20 believe you will say yes until you
have said no."
DR.. Harpe crumplsd tho letter ani
hurled u into the farthermOst corner
of the room. half sick with u feeling
OF helplessness, OF passionate regret
and despair. She realized to the full
est what she was losing. or. a. slso
phrased II to herself. what was "siip-
ping through her fingers" And this
was To be the future Of the girl wh0h
II seemed to her she hated above all
others and all else In the world! TIA
thought was maddsning. She strode
to and fro. kicking her torn hounce
and trailing skirt out Of the way VITA
savage resentment. Van Lennop's
letter temporarily punctured her con-
ceit. chagrin and modification. adding
to her feeling the anguish Of that hal
half hour. THAT creature" he was
self lf-complacency she waa drinking To
her supreme Moment. Oh. II was un-
She covered her Tedden-
ing fucs with both hands