The Press., 1918-01-24

to leave llIc town within twonty.f0ur hours, OF the city authorities would be notified. He slunk away like the cur he was.
 Perhaps Leila was more subducd md serious after that. The revelation con cerning the man she did not love, but whose false, flashing ways had inter estcd her, opened her innocent eyes sOr- rowfully to the ways of the world. Then, too, a strange peace had stolen over her spirit.
 "I must love somebody" she whis. pered longingly to herself. "No one need know 1t. He is far high above me and can never be anything to me, but I can love Mir. Warden, and that will all my poor llfe."
 One day Leila did wonderful act. Miss Burrcll, coming in her phaeton down the road, dropped both lines as
 nr snapped, and tho nettled steed dashed forward at breakneck speed Miss Burrell screamed and clung tol the seat rail.
 Leila tore off the ragged skirt she wore, posed to meet the onrushing horse made n daring spring. flung the skirt over its head and chung to the bridlc, dragged, trodden on, and final. ly flung upon heap of stones, but the runaway brought to halt.
 Leila lay upon her poor bed, bruised and banduged. The next day when Miss Burrell visited her she drew her skirts closely to evade contact with the bare floor. She sniffed the plcbia1 air of the hovel with contempt.
 q ain glad you was not hurt" spoke Leila. '"Ihat was all I thought of. be- cause you are Mir. Warden's true love, and I would do anything for him; he has done so much for me. Don't tell him." whispered Leila, "but love him, and that makes me happy all the time. Oh. would willingly die for hImr
 "Indeed?" breathed Miss Burrell loft fly, and Leila shrank at the hidden Are of suspicion and hate in those basilisk eyes.
 "She Is not good enough for you" the open-souled, artless Leila told Var den, when he, too, came to see how she was getting along, and within a week the amazed young man thought SO. too. Miss Burrell had seized upon the circumstance of the mysterious inter est of Warden In Leila to create a quarrel. As q matter of fact, her fcllle fancy had been transferred to q new flame and she seized ready excuse to break with her flance. The enlightened Warden was abashed and hurt, but he kept his suffering to himself. The real soullessness of Miss Burrell showed in her neglect of Leila after one call. It was weeks before Leila could get about.
 Warden had returned to the city, but several times he ran down to visit the little Invalid and the day she was able, resting on his arm, to go out Into the garden, he disclosed to her his fu- ture plans.
 "I am going away, Leila" he ex- plalned-to cure his heartbreak. He did not tell her, but she guessed it, md regarded him nItyingly. "Leshall be gone year. Your people here have agreed that I shall care for you and give you chance In the world. You are to go to my sister In the city, who will look after you and place you in a school, and help you to enjoy the bright new life your true, gentle spirit deserves"
 'I am learning to wrlte," a little scrawl from Leila reached Warden, three thousand miles away on his wan derlngs. Just see If 1t Isn't plain. T love Mir. Warden more than anybody else in the world.'"
 And year later, as the travel-weary man was longing to turn his face home wards in perfect handwriting came second note. 'I can read anything now and they say nm. the best writer In the school, see-T love Mir. Warden and always shall.'" '''
 Ills heart warmed nt the artless tiles1 sage. Ills gaze took in with surprise and gladness the new Leila Trask who greeted him at his sisters home.
 "Kiss me, too" she told him, as he took his sister In his arms, and Bliss Warden recognized the unsullied love of an unspoiled being, and knew that he had found treasure he must cher lsh to the end of life