The daily morning oasis., 1918-01-13

spoke along the row OF diners lingering
over their nuts, and now she turned full
to her companion. In spite of himself
he flushed scarlet. He was beginning
stammering reply, when the look on
the girls face checked his words. The
truth had flashed into her understanding
like lightning stroke and she was
enduring bitter modification when she
remembered how freely she had spoken
of him in his own hearing. Her face
first crimsoned, then froze into icy
haughtiness. Believer looked at her
beseechingly and would have spoken
had she not stopped him with
gesture. She murmured something to
her mother, both ladies rose, and
turning their backs on Believer, without
word or sign, they joined the crowd
moving from the room. The young
man had risen also and stood helplessly
staring after them. At touch his
card-castle had tumbled into ruin.
The lamps in the long, white house
were nearly all extinguished when at
last Believer went to bed, but not to
sleep. AS soon as it was light next
morning he was dressed and out, and,
taking a small boat on the beach, he
pulled out beyond the tiny pier that
forms the harbor of Amalfi. Resting
on his oars, he looked up to the quaint,
white hotel
Suddenly the window was thrown
open and graceful figure, dressed in
some loose, white morning wrapper,
stepped out on the balcony. 1t was
she! Believers heart beat fast as he
looked up at the girl he had loved at
first sight standing with one little hand
shading her eyes from the sun, drinking
in the beauty of the scene Presently
she looked down, as it seemed, into his
very eyes. He thought she recognized
him, for with an impatient movement
she hastily went in, closing the window
after her.
Dejectedly Believer rowed ashore and
mounted the long flight of steps to the
hotel. He thought of packing up his
things at once and finding another
lodging until his own place should be
ready for habitation; but a certain
obstinacy in his nature held him from
his course. After all, was he so much
to blame? Had he done thing too
bad for forgiveness? If he frankly
apologized to the ladies, ought they not
to forget his impulsive error of taste
and receive him again on footing of
friendship? He determined to seize the
first opportunity for an explanation.
He had not long to wait, for as he
was passing down the long corridor on
his way to the sallc-a-manger for
breakfast door opened in front of him
and Lesley herself appeared from her
bedroom in becoming dress of poppy
colored cloth. She had not seen him,
but he overlook her at the head of the
stairs that led down to the dining-room
Miss Fleetwood" He had begun
appealingly, when she turned on him a
look so full of resentment that the words
died on his lips. She passed him with a
hardening of the dainty features and
her pretty chin in the air. Believer
fell back, biting his lip. For the next
two or three hours he wandered
wretchedly about the ancient town and
presently found himself again at the
little port, where he began to talk with
one of the Italian masons employed on
the works for Strengthening the pier.
Suddenly this man broke off in an
explanation he was giving of the means
by which they transported and sunk
the heavy blocks of concrete and
raised warning finger. With startled
eyes he was looking up at the great
cliff that rose above the harbor.
"Did you hear that, signere?" he
ocEoJ in on ou,oJ 10 A.