The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-06-30

said Theodora.
So they walked down the path toward
the hamlet
What have / done?" Lord Bracondale
wondered Her adorable face went quite
white. Her soul is no longer the open
book | have found It, There are depths
and depths, but must fathom them all
"Oh, how / love the Springtime!" ex-
claimed Theodore. and her voice was full
of relief Look at those greens. so tender
and young. that peep of the sky! Oh, and
those dear pretty little dolls houses! Let
us hasten; I want to go and play there.
and make butter. too Dont.you?'
"Ah. this Is good" he said; land ! want
Just what you want"
Her face was all sweet and Joyous as she
turned 1t to him.
Let's pretend we lived then" she said.
aand I am the miIler's daughter Of this
dear little mill. and you are the bailin's
son who lives opposite, and you have come
with your corn to be ground. Oh, and
shall make a bargain, and charge you
dear," and she laughed and swung her
parasol back, while the sun glortned her
hair into Furnished silver.
What bargain could you make that ]
would not agree to willingly" he asked.
Perhaps some day l shall make one
with you-or want to-that you will not
like" she said, land then I shall remind
you of this day and your gallant speech
"And / shall say then as ] say now
will make any bargain with you, so long
as II is a bargain which benefits us both
"Ah, you are a Normand. you hedge!
she laughed, but he was serious
They walked all around the place, and
all the time she was gay and whimsical.
and to herself she was saying, I am I'M
utterably happy, but we must not talk OF
love"
Now you have had enough Of this"
Lord Bracondale said. when they were
again in view the house, and / am going
to take you into a forest like the babes In
the woods. and we shall go and lose our
selves and forget the world altogether.
The very sight Of these harmless tourists
in the distance jars upon me to-day. /
want you alone and no one else. Gomez!
And she went.
az have never been here before" said
Theodore, as they turned into the Forest
of Marty. "And you have been wise In
your choice so far. love trees"
"You see how l study and care for the
things which belong to me-" said Hector.
II gave him ridiculous pleasure to an
nounce that sentence again-ridiculous,
unwarrantable pleasure.
Theodore turned her head away a little.
She would like to have continued the sub
iect. but she did not dare.
Presently they came to a side path. and
after going up it about mile the auto
mobile stopped. and they got out and
walked down a green glade to the right.
Oh, and I wonder II any Of you who read
Of
green glade that leads down to the centre
of a star where FIVE avenues meet? II Is
all soft grass and splendid trees, and may
have been hunting park in the good old
days, when life-for the great-was fair
in France.
It is very lonely now. and II you want
to spend some hours in peace you can
almost count upon solitude there.
Nov. is not this beautiful" he asked
her. as they neared the centre. and soon
you will see why T carry this rug over my
arm. | am going to take you right to the
middle of the star until you see five paths
for you to choose from, all green and full
Of glancing sunlight. and when you have
selected one we will penetrate down 1t
and sit under tree. Is it good-my idea?"
Very good" said Theodore. Then she
was silent until they reached the centre
There was that wonderful sense of aloof
ness and silence-hardly even the noise Of
a bird. Only the green. green trees. and
here and there a shaft of sunlight turning
them into the shade of lizards back An
ideal spot for-pOets and dreamers-and
lOvers-Theodora thought.
Now we are here, Look this way and
that, Five 1raths for us to rrpose from"
Then something made THeodo-a saw.
"Oh. let us stay in the centre. in this one
he, oil
and their possibilities"
And do you think uncertain rossibili-
ties are more agreeable perhaps than GER
tain ends?" he asked.
II never speculate" said Theodore
AS you will. then" he said. while he
looked into her eyes, and he placed the
rug up against a giant tree between two
avenues, so that their view really only
extended down three others now.
I'VE have turned our backs on the road
we came" he said. "and on another road
that leads in a roundabout way to the
Grande Avenue again. So now we must
look into the unknown and the future"
1t seems all very green and fair said
Theodore. and she leaned back against the
tree and half closed her eyes.
He lay on the grass at her feet, his hat
thrown of beside him, and in a desert
island they could not have been more
alone and undisturbed.
The greatest temptation that Hector
Bracondale had ever yet had in his life
came to him then. To make love to her
to tell her Of all the new thoughts she had
planted in his soul. of the windows she
had opened wide to the sunlight. To tell
her that he loved her. that he longed to
touch even the tips of her fingers, that
the thought Of caressing her lips and her
nd ho- hafr he