Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-13
TEMPTING OF TANERNAKl


one Of the walters happened TO be look4
ing that way. and Tavernake was think
ing wholly OF himself.
1T Is a good deal 70 say--that," she
remarked, reneotiveiy
ut Is good deal but II is not too
much" he declared. "Hivcfy man wire
takes life seriously should say IT,"
Then she laughed--actualiy laughed
and he had vision OF nashlns white
teeth, OF mouth breaking into pleasant
curves, OF dark nirth-lit eyes, lustreless
no longer provocative, inspiring a
vague impression as OF something pleas
ant warmed bis blood. II was a fafe
thing for him 10 be so stirred, but even
then 1t was not sufficient TO disturb the
focus OF his thoughts.
"1'ei me" she demanded what do
you do2 What is your profession or
| work."
II am with firm Of auctioncers and
estate agents" he answered readily
',Messrs. Dowlins. Spence Company
the name is. Our offices are In Water
loo Place"
You find Il nterestlng?'
"of course" he answered Interests
ing? Why not7 I work at IT,"
! Are you q partner?"
| No" he admitted. six years azo I
was carpenter; then became an errand
boy in Mr. Dowling's of1ce-1 had TO learn
| the business, you see. Today am a
sort OF manager In eighteen months
| tlme-perhaps before that u they do not
offer me a partnorship-I shall start for
myself.
Once more the subtlest OF smiles flick
! cred at the corners OF her lips,
DO they know yety she asked, with
! faint irony.
Not yet" he replied. with absolute
! seriousness. "rhey might tell me to so,
and | have few Things to learn yet 1
| would rather make experiments for some
one else than for myself. | can use the
results later: they Will help me to make
| money"
She laughed softly and wiped the tears
out of her eyes They were really very
| beautiful eyes Notwithstanding the dark
rims eucrcling them.
"If only / had met you beforer' she
| murmured.
"Why?" he asked.
| Don't ask me-" she begged. ut would
| not be good for your conceit, IL you have
! any, to tell you"
"T have no conceit and I am not In
| quisitive," he said, "but / do not see
why you laughed"
This period OF waiting came 10 an end
at this point. The fish was brought and
| their conversation became dsjointed. In
| the silence which followed, the old
shadow crept over her face Once only
| IL lifted. 1t was while they were watt
ing for the outlets. She leaned towards
him. her elbows upon the tablecloth. her
| face supported by her fingers
II think that 1t is time we left these
| generRllties," she insisted, "and you told
! me something rather more personal.
something which 1 am very anxious to
| know. Tell me exactly why so selr-cen-
| tered a person as yourself should inter-
| est him'~>f in a fellow-creature at all.
1t seems odd to me-
| 1T Is odd," he admitted frankly. II
will try to explain 1t to you but II will
| sound very bald, and do not think that
| you will understand. ! watched you a
| few nights ago out on the roof at Blen-
| helm House. You were looking across the
| house-tops and you didn't seem to be
| seeing anything at all really, and yet all
| the time l knew that you were seeing
things / couldn't. you we're understand
| ing and appreciatinS something which J
| knew nothing Of and It worried me.
tried to talk to you that evening, but
| you were rude"
you really are curious person." she
| remarked. Are you always worried.
then, II you find that some one else 10
seeing things or understanding things
which are outside your comprehension?'
always" he replied promptly
you are too far-reaching." she af-
firmed. you want to gather everything
into your life. You cannot. You will
only be unhappy II you try. No man
can do It. You must learn your limta-
tons or suffer all your days"
"Limitations!'' lie repeated the words
with measureless scorn. "If learn
them at ALL" ne declared, with unex-
pected force, sit will be with scars and
bruises, for nothing else will content
me-"
1--WE are, should say, almost the same
age" she remarked slowly.
~ am twenty-five" he told her.
81 am twenty-five" she said. 'It seems
strange that two people whose ideas OF
life are as far apart as the Poles should
have come together like this even for a
moment l do not understand II at all.
Did you expect that l should tell you
just what ! saw in the clouds that
night?"
mo" he answered. mot exactly.
have spoken OF my first interest in you
only There are other things. ! told a
lie about the bracelet and I followed
YOU out of the boardng-house and
brought you mere. for some other-for
quite a different reason"
TELL me what II was" she demanded
't do not know II myself" he declared
snlemnly II really and honestly do not
know 1t. II is because I hoped that u
might come to me while we we're to-
gether, that l am here with you at this
moment. do not like impulses which
l do not understand"
She laughed at him little scornfully.
"After ALL" she said, although 1t may
not have dawned upon you yet, u is
probably the same wretched reason. You
are a man and you have the poison
ly bad-looklng. you know"
lie looked at her critically. She was
little over-slm, perhaps. but she was GER
tainly wonderfully graceful. Even the
poise OF her head, the manner in which
s'ne leaned back in her chair, had its in
dividuality Her features, too, were good,
though her rnoutii had grown tflie
hard. For the first time the dead pallor
OF ef cheeks was relieved by touch Of
color. Even ravernake realized that thers
we're great possibilities about her Never
theless he shook his head.
II do not agree with you In the leasti
he asserted frmly, Your looks have
nothing 70 do with IT, am sure that
it is not that"
LET me cross-exRmlne you" she sug-
gested. Think carefully NOW, Does Il
give you no pleasure at all TO be sitting
here alone with ine?"
lie answered her deliberately Il WIS
obvious that ne was speaking the truth.
~ am not conscious that It does" he
declared. THE oniy feelns ! am aware
Of at the present moment IN connection
with you. Is the curiosity OF which
have already spoken"
She leaned little towards him, extend
ing her very shapeiy fingers. Once mora
the smile At her lips transformed her
fare