Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-30
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES

nRESENTLG, as he stood at Slght or
i a grounding making for its hiding
place, he saw a shadow fall across the
light breaking through the trees some
distance in front Of him. 1t was Fleda.
She had not seen him and she came
hurrying toward where he was with
head bent, a brightly ribboned hat
swinging in her fingers. She seemed
part of the woods. its wild simplicity,
its depth. it's color-already autumn
was crimsoning the leaves, touching
them with amber tints, making the
woodland warm and kind. She wore
q dress of golden brown which matched
her hair, and at her throat was black
velvet ribbon with brooch of antique
paste which flashed the light like dia-
monds, but more softly.
Suddenly, as she came on, she stopped
and raised her head In listening atb-
tude, her eyes opening wide as II listen
ing, too-it was as though she heard
with them as well alive to catch sounds
which evaded capture. She was like
some creature of an ancient wood with
its own secret and immemorial history
which the world could never know.
There was that in her face which did
not belong to civilization or to that
fighting world of which Ingolby was so
eager a factor. All the generations of
the wood and road, the combe and
the river, the quarry and the secluded
boscage were in her look. There was
that about her which was at once
elusive and primevally real
She was not of those who would be
lost in the dust of futility. Whatever
she was, she was an independent atom
in the mass of the worlds breeding.
Perhaps it was consciousness of the dy-
manic quality in the girl, her nearness
to naked nature, which made Madame
Bulteel say that she would "have a
history"
II she got twisted as she came way
faring, if her mind became possessed
of false passion or purpose which
she thought a true one, then tragedy
would await her. Yet in this quiet
wood so near to the centuries that were
before Adam was. she looked like a
spirit of comedy listening till the spirit
of the wood should break the silence.
Ingolby felt his blood beat faster. He
wood nymph who might fash out of mis-
vision as a mere fantasy of the mind.
There shot through him the strangest
feeling that if she were his, he would
be linked with something alien to the
world Of which he was.
Yet, recalling the day at Carlton
when her cheek lay on his shoulder and
her warm breast was pressed unresist-
ingly against him. as he lifted her from
his boat, he knew that he would have
to make the hardest fight of his life If
he meant not to have more of her than
this brief acquaintance, so touched by
sensation and romance. He was, may
be, somewhat sensational; his career
had, even in its present restricted com
pass, been spectacular; but romance,
with It's reveries and it's moonshinings,
its impulses and its blind adventures,
had not been any part of his existence.
Hers were not the first red lips which,
voluntarily or involuntarily, had in
vitcd him; nor hers the first eyes which
had sparkled to his glances; and this
triumphant Titan head of hers was not
the only one he had seen. When he had
taken her hand at the hospital fete, her
fingers, long and warm and fine, had
folded round his own with a singular
confidence, an involuntary inclosinl
{ friendliness: and now as he watched he,
listening-did she hear something
saw her hand stretch out as though
commanding silence, the hush ~ Of al
alluring gesture.
This assuredly was not the girl VIII.
5 had run the Carlton Rapids, for tina
adventures was full of a vital fore
like mans, and this girl had tn
evanishing charm of dryad.
Suddenly change passed over her
She was as one who had listened an,
had caught the note Of song for whicl
she waited; but her face clouded, an
the rapt look gave way to an immediat
Z distress. The fantasy Of the wood
nymph underwent translation in 1ngol
by's mind; she was now like mortal
who, having been transformed, at i'm
mortal dictate was returning to morta
state again.
To heighten the illusion, he though
he heard faint singing in the depths o
the wood. He put his hands to his ear
for a moment, and took them ava,
again to make sure that it was reall
singing and not his imagination; an
when he saw Fleda's face again, ther
was fresh evidence that his senses ha
4 NOT deceived him. After all, it was no
strange that some one should be singin
Id that deepest wood beyond,
Now Fleda moved forward towar
where he stood, quickening her foot
: xteps as though remembering somethin
she must do. He stepped out into tn
path and came TO meet her. She hear
his footsteps, saw him and stood stil
abruptly.
She did not make a sound, but han
went to her bosom quickly, as though Z
ouiet her heart or TO steady herself II
bad broken suddenly upon her inten
thoughts, he had startled her as sh
had been seldom startled, for all he
childhood training had been towar
self- possession before surprise AM
cauger.
s.This IL not your side Of the Saga
y.e, . she said with half-smiie, re
gaining eomposure.
s.Tbat is in dispute" be answered
vniIy. II want to belong to botn side
"a he saealas, want both sides g
4 <s,ere 10 each other SO that either sld'
<-t3 oof ne my side or your side