The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-12

his head was crowned with gold was
equally apparent but his features were
not discernible
She gave up the attempt and sat down
to her tea. Gloom brooded in her eyes.
-. Has some horrible person bought the
place." was the question uppermost in
Delicia's mind. She cast another glance
through the vines. He isn't SO hor-
rible. at that" she confided to herself
with sparkle in her eyes. Anyway.
shall just wait and see He can't any
more than put me out"
But Martin Duane did not dispossess
Delicia. And as the weeks wore on he
apparently did not once become conscious
Of the pair of gray eyes that followed
him in his work about the garden.
The magazines suffered the loss of
Delicia's work. Up in the pink den De-
licia grew peevish because her we'll
trained brain refused to compose beauti-
full stories; 1t preferred to take vivid
interest in every movement of the man
in the garden.
The garden thrived and blossomed into
a veritable fairyland of color. The man
seemed to take particular care Of the
roses; to Delicia's longing eyes 1t looked
as II the pink ones grew defiantly larger
and more desirable than the others.
As Juno wore toward its close the girl
found herself consciously Jealous Of the
pink roses: especially was she jealous
Of the tender care which was given to
one bush. The man spent hours tending
the glorious bud that was slowly opening
its heart to the garden. He pruned and
petted and watched 1t with the eyes Of
a lover.
Delicia's desire for a cluster of those
roses became a passion. When the man
in the garden buried his head In their
pink depths to inhale their sweetness
she felt that she must rush down and
clutch some of them to her own heart.
Upon the night Of the big dance in the
town hall Delicia stood before her mir
ror and gazed at the pink cloud reflect
ed there.
II need that one rose" she said to her
self My costume Is incomplete with
out 1t. l simply must have 1t for my
hair"
She slipped quietly out and glided
through the moonlight into the garden
next door. Once in the garden. Delicia
forgot everything save the glorious mo-
ment. She wandered about the rose paths
draught after draught of their
sweetness and looking always for the
one pink beauty. The moonlight turned
them all about until they looked like
little pale souls playing about In the
garden.
You beauty" she cried aloud when
her fingers found the one they sought
"Oh-h. but you have thorns!' she MUIR
INJURED as she tried to break the stem
Perhaps / can cut 1t for you" A
voice. musical and rich. came out from
the moonlight.
"oh-h." Delicia slipped quietly down
among the roses.
The man hastily threw away his cigar
and stopped over the girl.
Great Scott! didn't mean to startle
you, child" He picked the pink cloud
up in his arms and gazed down at her
face. You beauty" he muttered under
his breath.
Martin Duane picked q great rose bud
hastily and drew 1t gently across the
girls brow. It was cool and Delicia's
eyes opened slowly.
Thank goodness" cried the man as
his eyes looked deep into the great gray
ones So fascinated was he that he for
got for the moment that he was holding
her close In his arms.
II am better now" she said.
He released her and said quickly, 81
am q brute to have startled YOU. so
especially when I have waited SO long
Tor you to come down from your sky"
Delicia cast q startled glance at him
You have Known
II saw you slip through your gate and
INTO this house almost the first day"
Martin Duane spoke with q wonderful
enderness ''You had on something
pink-Hke this" He touched the scarf
hat hunR from her ahou16Gf. sJhA4 =