The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-26

was aware of its presence. Stephen O'Mara, weather beaten hat in hand, was standing there in her path, peer ing steadily at the stucco and timber lodge alighS from end to end like a huge and sprowling glowworm.
 An insistent desire again to meet the Honorable Archibald Wickersham naG led him to request Fat Joe to hook up the team that day at noon for the long drive down the river. With Steve him. self handling the reins they had rolled the thirty miles at a speed which might have smildly surprised Fat Joe had he not been accustomed to putting two and two together to make six or eight Or more. And Fat Joe's thin tenor was just drifting faintly off down the hill-- mournfpl rendition of Home, Sweet Home"-when the girl stepped noise lessly forward and put a hand. feather light, upon the mans arm.
 Again she felt the swift tensing of the flesh beneath; she fell back step before the startling abruptness with which Steve whirled. She even threw up one small hand, as if to shield her face.2 And then, the cloak falling open at her throat. a slender, swaying fig ure in blue and shimmering white, she stood and flung little laugh at nina laugh little unsteady, a. bit tinged with mockery and as untroubled as the spirit of youth itself.
 ''Is that the way you always prepare to greet your friends?' she asked.
 The man just stood and stared at her-stared much as if he mistrusted his own ears and eyes.
 'sNot all my friends" his slow voice drawled at last, but even the words were tinged with doubt. l'rNot all my friends" he said. Silently the man reached out and found the hand which had lain for moment upon his arm.
 "So you are-you." he murmured, when his fingers touched hers. q wasn't-just sure'
 Suddenly unable to think quite clear ly, Barbara wondered at the new pulse in her throat, which beat and beat un- til it seemed not easy even to speak.
 'Then it-must be you too," she fal- tered. T wasn't sure,s either, even when I Knew it must be. I'd begun to believe that you hadn't forgotten-that you didn't care to Will you please say that you forgive me-please flor something over which have been sorrier than you can know?"
 His eyes chung to the, velvety face of 70 eli rv{,av 51 H. Hr. bits of transparent slippers and shim- mering, star edged white, until even in spite of the gloom the girl recogniz- ed the change which had come creep ing over his face. She saw 1t surge up in his eyes-the old undisguised won der of the boy of ten years before. for which, until that instant, she had look ed in vain-but it was mans wonder of woman now, utter and absolute and all enveloping. She caught her breath then. She touched her lips with a dainty tongue as though they had gone dry of a sudden. Involuntarily she stepped toward him, that single pace which she had fallen away. And above the tumult of her own senses she heard herself trying to laugh and realized how unsteady the effort was.
 'aThen yoh do forgive me"'' she breathed. "Do I-pass inspection? Do you like me-in my masquefade?"
 There was never need of fairy godmother fer you" he told her, his voice grave. "There was Il yer need of transforming miracle. You have been that always yourself. And you are not permitted to ask forgiveness from me, nor pardon. Men do not ad init that there can be need of that where they have worshiped as long as I have iworshiped you. You knew l was coming. I've been coming ten years now. But you can never know either how long ten years can be-"
 The words were blurred as far of echo in her ears. She started to speak, but all that she would have said caught in her throat and hurt her. anG only her unsteady breath came from parted lips. But when at her inarticulate ef- fort at speech he bent his head to her swiftly updung face her whole slender body frightened at the rough contact of blue flannel against her cheek. Almost before they held her she struggled madly from the circle of his arms. White of face, white of lip. she broke away from him and darted through the gap in the hedge only to shrink back against him in panic the next in stant before the black shape upon a blacker horse between her and the lights.
 He was gazing in their direcdon-the man upon the horse. He was laughing softly. And when he thrust back the black cowl that hid his face and began to speak Stephen O'Mara recognized that terribly pale, terribly drawn face Garry Devereau rocked little in the saddle and waved gracefully un- steady hand.
 Blessings, my children" he called to the two in the shadow, and his tongue was not thick. but only wavering. My felicitations. And, cen though know not your identity, still I may sense your fond confusion. And yet why blush, dear unknowns? 'Tis in the air tonight. Even I myself have yielded to spirit of frivolity. Two hours ago appeared masked in these dingy vest ments as Loves Young Dream, but xI,- T T.. Al1