Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-06-18

to become her. With assumed mod
esty she dropped her eyes to the floor
when Hart entered the room where she
received him, but instead of keeping
them there she raised them to his with
a look of affection.
This was not what had taken hold of
his Imagination. He had been impress
ed by shrinking being, lily whose
beauty is in its purity. He found a
sunfiower, suggestive of eastern lux
ury. His idol had fallen and was shat
tered. That delicacy Of feeling which
had gone out to one of such deep love
for him TINT she could not refrain from
its expression, but was too modest to
make herself known, was shocked. He
showed by his bearing that this trans
formation repealed him. The girl drew
back, and ON her face came look of
disappointment.
III have come" he said, mot only In
obedience to your request, but with
view to serve myself and the girl to
whom l have given my heart. Tho
knowledge that was honored with
the love of an unknown person has
taken hold Of my Imagination and has
married my happiness and the happi-
ness Of my betrothed. l have there
fore come, with her consent and mp.
proval, that the dream may be turned
into the reality. Against the former
cannot struggle successfully, for II
ia a chimera; the latter Ii matter OF
fact. As real being Of flesh and
blood you are to me the same as hun
dreds Of other women whom might
meet for the first time 1t is not un.
complimentary for me to say that,
while l am deeply sensible Of the hon
or you have done me, my heart hav,
ing been given to another, l am I'M
able to reciprocate. Doubtless there
are many more worthy than to pos.
sess you"
IL honor YOU" said the girl, "for
your manly statement of the case be,
tween us. Had l expected you to
make any other ! would have been
criminal in sending for you. Since
am to be without you for eternity,
ventured to ask you to give me this
one meeting that l may remember It
through my lonely life"
Had 1t not been for the contrasts be-
tween Harris dream and this reality
perhaps he would have shown n nat
ural weakness. Had he not been an
ideal man he would likely have sue.
cumbed. 1t was his ideality that say
ed him. They had not seated them
selves, and Hart stood looking at the
girl kindly, but without spark of
what she had expressed for him. See
ing this, she dismissed him, saying:
81 trust that we part with mutual
respect"
Hart withdrew without even NO
much as touching her hand. He was
congratulating himself that what had
troubled him had been eliminated
when from tho room In which he had
left the girl he heard sob. He start
ed to go back to soothc her, but his
better judgment prevailed, and he
took his departure. Going straight to
Margaret, he told her Of the interview;
that his dream had been superseded
by reality which had no temptation
for him.
Nevertheless tho work of getting him
out of thrall had been but half accom-
pitshed. That sob remained with him.
His dream had given place to u reality
which had not been a temptation for
him, but his sensitiveness, his kindll-
ness had been moved by an expression
OF anguish. Weeks passed, and he did
not overcome Its influence. Margaret
noticed that something troubled him
and. suspecung he had not been cured,
asked him for his confidence. He told
her that he could not forget that sob.
els that all that remains 10 trouble
your" she asked.
ut b."
"If the reality could be blotted out
would your dream return
mo; that has gone forever"
When they met again Margaret ask
ed her lover to 20 with her to call upon
a friend OF hers. Hart acceded 10 her
request. and an evening was appointed
for the visit When they stopped at
the house OF their destination Hart
was surprised to recognize the one
where he had called on his dream"
Before he could express his astonlsh-
ment they were admitted and in an
other moment stood face to face with
the girl who had sobbed She extend
cd her hand, smiling.
my friend Kate" said Margaret TO
Hnrt, consented to help me relieve
you Of your dream. ! could have 10
cured the services Of some unattrac-
tive person but preferred one who
would test your consistency to me. am
happy to say that you acquitted your
self nobly Had not Kate overdone
her part by that sob should not have
needed 10 reveal the plot As II Is,
wish you to see for yourself that she
IL not pining for you ut all. Now that
your sympathetic heart Is disabused
I trust you will give up real and Inn
ogfnnry ladyloyes and confne your nf-
fections TO my own unworthy self"
"De assured, Margaret" said Kate.
shat he stood the test beautifully"
"And can vouch," snid Hart, "thnt
your friend played her part admirably
to suit tho purpose for which you used
her. Indeed. she served double pur-
pose She not only shattered my
dream. but enabled mo to prove that
I am quite capable Of resisting n
siren. or. rather. that I an man Of
consistency"
II think" said Margaret, that you
were rendered daft concerning the
mythical being who was supposed 10
have given you her hoArt."
This ended Mr.. Harris dream.
Whether some one had Imposed upon
him In the letter no Ind received
nvowing girls love or whether she
WINS n real person he has not disc0v-
cred