The Washington times., 1920-07-09

ed instincts beyond those common
to young humans. instincts sup
posed TO be extirpsted by education.
She was no EFeedier than any
other healthy child, no more self
conferred; all her appetites were
normal. all her inclinstions natural,
She had a good mind. but a very
human one, fairly balanced but
sensitive to emotion, inclination.
and impulse, and sometimes rather
tardy in readjusting itself when
logic and reason were required To
regain equilibrium.
But the child was more easily
swsyed by gratitude than by any
other Of the several human in
stincts known as virtues.
So she grew toward adolescence,
closely watched by Clelsnd, good
naturally tolerated by Jim, wor-
SHIPPED by Janet. served by Meacham
with instructive devotion-the only
quality In him not burnt out in his
little journeys through hell.
There were others, too, In the
world. who remembered the child.
There was her aunt who came
once a month and brought always
an expensive present. over the suit
ability OF which she and Cleland
differed to the verge of rudeness.
But they always parted on excellent
terms.
And there was Chiltern Grismer.
who sat sometimes for hours in his
office. thinking about the child and
the fortune which threatened her.
Weeks, adhsring to one another.
became months; months totaled
years-several OF them, recorded so
suddenly that John Cleiand could
not believe IT.
He had arrived at that epoch in
the life of man when tho years
stood still with him; when he Meth
err felt himself changing nor APP
peared to grow older, though all
around him he was constantly
aware of others aging. Yet, being
always with Stephaine. he could not
notice her rapid development, as he
noted the astonishing growth of his
son when the boy came home after
brief absences at school.
Stephanie. still a child, was be-
coming something else very rapid
ly. But still she remainde childiike
enough to idolize Jim Cleland and
to show it, without reserve. And
though he really found her excel
lent company, amusing and divert
Ing. her somewhat persistent and
dog-like devotion embarrassed and
bored him sometimes. He was at
that age.
Young Grismer, in Jim's hearing,
commenting upon a similar devo-
ton inflicted on himself by a girl.
characterized her as too damn
pleasant'-a brutal yet graphic
summary.
And for a while the offensive
phrase stuck in Jim's memory,
though always chivalrously repudi-
ated as applying to Stephanie, Yet,
the poor girl certainly bored her at
times, so blind her devotion, so
pitiful her desire to please, so eager
her heart of child for the COM
radeship denied her in the dreadful
years of solitude and fear.
For year or two the affair lay
in that way between these two. the
school boys interest in the little
girl was the interest of polite re-
sponsibility: consideration for mis-
fortune, federation for her sex. with
added allowance for her extreme
youth. This was the boys attitude.
Had not boarding school and col
lege limited his sojourn at home,
1t is possible that indifference might
havo terminated.
'But he saw her so infreQuently
and for such short periods, and even
during the summer vacation, grow
ing outside interests, increasing
completely in social relations with
~ tva1r 20
house parties, motor trips, camping
trips-so interrupted the placid
continuity Of his vacation in their
pleasant summer home in the north
ern Berkshires, that he never quite
realized that Stephanie Quest was
really anything more than a sort Of
permanent guest. billeted indefinite
ly under his fathers roof
When he was home in New York
at Christmas and Easter, his grave
ly detached attitude of amiabIe
consideration never varied. toward
her.
The few weeks at a time that he
spent at Runners Rest" his faith
er's quaint and ancient place on
Cold river, permitted him no time to
realize the importance and perma-
nency Of the place she already &C.
Cup1ed as an integral part OF the
house Of Cleland.
thousand new interests, new
thoughts, possessed the boy in the
full tide OF adolescence. Ali the
world was beginning to unclose be-
fore him like the brilliant, fragrant
petals OF magic flower. And in
this rainbow transformation Of
things terrestrial, a boys mind 10
always unbalanced by the Devil
dering and charming confusior OF
II all--for II Is he who IL changing,
not the world; he is merely learn
ing to see instead OF to look, to
comprehend instead Of to perceive,
to realized instead OF to take for
granted all the wonders and mar
wells and mysteries to which a young
man ls hear.
Copyright, 1917, 1918, by the Interna-