The Washington times., 1918-07-07

|THE1 were Doth a little constrained
upon the journey back to Versailles
and both felt it. But when they
turned into the Porte ST. Antoine Theo-
dora woke up.
do you know" she said, something
tells me that for long, long time shall
not again have such happy day. 1t can't
be more than halfpast five or six-need we
go back to the Reservoirs yet? Could we
not have tea at the little cafe by the Iake?"
He gave the order to his chauffeur and
then he turned to her
q, 81, too. want to prolong it ALL" he said,
'''and want to make you happy-always." /"
at is only lately that / have begun to
think about things" she said, softly
about happiness, mean, and its possibli-
tiles and impossibilities l think before
my marriage must have been half asleer,
and very young"
And Hector thought: You are still, but
shall awake you."
You see," she continued, 81 had never
read any novels, or books about life until
Jean d'Agreve. And now wonder some
times if 1t is possible to be really happy
really, really happy?"
Il know it is" he said; but only in one
way"
She did not dare to ask in what way.
She looked down and clasped her hands
az once thought" she went on, hurriedly,
that I was perfectly happy the first time
Josiah gave me two thousand francs, and
told me to go out with my maid and buy
Just what, wished with it; and oh, we
bought everything could think Sarah and
Clementine could want, numbers and num-
bers Of things, and l remember / was
tearfuliy excited when they we're sent of
to Dieppe. But / never knew if l chose
well or If they liked them all quite, and
now to do that does not give me nearly
so much Joy"
Soon they drew up at the little cafe and
ordered tea, which he guessed probably
would be very bad and they would not
drink. But tea was English, and more
novel than coffee for Theodore, and that
she must have, she said.
She was so gracious and sweet in the
pouring of it out, when presently it came,
and the elderly waiter seemed SO sympa.
thetic, and it was all gay and bright with
the late afternoon sun streaming upon
them
'The waiter takes us for a honeymoon
couple" Hector said. He sees you have
beautiful new clothes, and that we have
not yet begun to yawn with each other"
But Theodore had not this view of
honeymoons. To her honeymoon meant
a nightmare, now happily a thing of the
past, and almost forgotten.
DO not speak Of it," she said, and she
put out her hands as il to ward of an ugly
sight. And Hector bent over the table and
touched her fingers gently as he said:
Forgive me-" and he ragged within him.
self How could he have been so gauche,
so clumsy and unlike himself He had
punished them both. and DESTROYED an
Illusion. He meant that she should pic
ture herself and him as married lovers,
and she had only seen-Josiah Brown
They both fell into silence and so finished
their repast
Il want you to walk now" Hector said,
through some delicious avenues where
will show you Enceladus after he was
struck by the thunders of Zeus You will
like him, think, and there is fine green
sward around him where we can sit
awhile"
I was always scrry for him." said The
odora; "and oh, how would like to go to
Sicily and see Aetna and his fiery breath
coming forth and to know when the island
quakes it is the poor giant turning his
weary side!"
To go to Sicily-and with her! The
picture conjured up in Hector's imagina-
tiOn made him thrill again.
Then he told her about 1t all He charmed
her fancy and excited her imagination, and
by The time they came to their goal the
feeling Of jar had departed, and the dan
gerous sense of yattraction-of nearness-
had returned.
1t was nearly seven O'Clock, and here
among the trees all was in soft gloom of
evening.
"Is not this still and far away?" he said,
as they sat on an old stone bench. 81
often stay the whole morning here when
spend a week at Versailles"
How peaceful and beautiful! oh, /