The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1915-07-15
CHAPTER xxIII-contlnued.


she, sagely. "It isn't the way with
men. It may not have been love that
ne felt for the physical Yvonne. but Il
wasn't Matilde that he held in his
arms. You can't get around that, nor
can he. Matilde's soul and Yvonnes
body are quite two different"
Cad. you are analyzing thingsl" he
exclaimed In amazement.
But all this is neither here nor
there" she said. flushing. The point
is this: we are going away tomorrow
fos heaven knows how long-you and
I, my mother and your father. We
are going to Vienna and In st. Ste
phen's cathedral-where your father
and mother we're married with poor
little Therese as one of the Witnesses
in st. Stephens we are to be married.
She will not be there. She is not asked
to come with us. She is barred out
Isn't It the refinement of-cruelty?"
Cruelty. Lydia? I'd hardly call II
that It's the order OF destiny, or
something Of the sort. She gambled
with fate and lost out She's a good
loser She hasn't squealed once"
"Squealed? I hate that word"
II hate squealer worse" said he.
but seriously. 1t knocks me all out
whenever | think Of her. I've hest
tated about speaking to father, dear.
You see, I'm in rather delicate posi-.
ton. Six weeks ago was madly In.
fatuated with Yvonne. I don't deny
dt-and he knows all about It. Cad.
I'd give ten years Of my life II she
were going along with us tomorrow.
I'D give more than that to see this
whole unhappy business patched up SO
that they could start off anew. But
I'm afraid he wouldn't take It we'll
from me II asked him to include her
in the-er-party. It's his affair, not
mine. you see. He'd be justified in
considering me selfish in the matter.
It might seem as though / didn't care
hang for his personal feelings and"
she's his wife. however," said
Lydia. with stubborn pursuing of the
lips. She didn't wrong him and, after
all, she's only guilty of-well. she isn't
guilty of anything except being sis.
ter Of the girl he wronged."
'T1l have a talk with MIN IL you
think best" said he. an eager CLEAN in
his eyes.
And l with Yvonne," she said
quickly. you see, it's possible she is
the one to be persuaded"
Hell never ask her." sold Frederic,
after long period OF reflection.
What is to become of herr" asked
Lydia. rather bleakly.
'T suppose she'll go away. It will
be the end"
IL dont' think l could bear IT,
Freddy" she said. trace of tears In
her voice.
He swallowed hard. Then he cleared
his throat briskly. "Of course you've
observed that they never see one an
other alone. They never meet except
when someone else Is about. He rather
resents the high-handed way in which
she ordered him to stay away from me
until l was safely out OF danger. He
has spoken of 1t to me. but, for the
life Of me can't tell whether he holds
It up against her or not. He says she
saved my life. He says she per
formed a miracle. But he has never
uttered a word of thanks or gratitude
or appreciation to her. I'm sure oil
that, for she has told me SO. And she
is satisfied to go without his thanks
She rather likes him the better for the
way he treats the situation. There's
no hypocrisy about him. There's nc
use shamming. Lyddy."
Il see what you mean." she said
with sigh. 81 suppose we just CAM
understand things"
You've no idea how beautiful yoJ
are today, Lyddy." he said suddenly
and she looked up into his glowing
eyes with a smile OF ineffable happi
ness. Her hand found his and hel
warm, red lips we're pressed to 1t,
palm in hot. impassioned kiss. ''It''
great to be alivel Great!"
"Oh, 1t is" she cried. "it Isl"
They might better have said tha
II is great to be young. for that Il
what It all came to In the analysis
Later on Brood Joined them in tn,
courtyard. He stood, with his hant
on his sons shoulder. chatting care
iessly about the coming voyage. al
the while smiling upon the radian
girl to whom he was promising para
disc. She adored the gentle, kindl!
gleam in these one-time steady. steel
like eyes. His voice. too, of late wal
pitched in softer key and there wal
the ring of happiness in Its ever,
note. It was as II he had discovere,
something In life that was constant!
surprising and pleasing him. HI
seemed always to be venturing int
fresh fields of exploration and finding
there something that was of inesti
mable value to his new estate. Ever!
day he was growing richer. happier
and yet poorer when 1t came to self
appraisement. All his life he ha,
boarded the motives and designs tina
applied to self. He had laid by
great store of hard things for his oil