The Lamar register., 1920-05-05

| introduced as Paula Raymond was
| the exact duplicate In appearance OF
the type he had expected. There was
the stamp of Greenwich village on her
and the undoubted charm of character.
That which was lacking. Rylance could
not define. He knew that while he
talked with her he was constantly
longing to probe the mind of the qulei-
retrospective. apparently dlsinterested
girl whom he had met as Beth Good
win.
And the real Beth's alert senses
caught the vague disappointment IN
the Westerner's mind. She knew THAI
his soul and the soul of Paula the Poet
had found something that had made
meeting of the physical beings neces-
sary. 1t had been the lure of Paula's
soul that had dragged him all the long
way from the West. and now he was
struggling against vague regret that
he had come.
Into the mind OF kylance came
short verse of Paula's that had always
more or less puzzled him as to her eI-
act meaning. The words OF the verse
could be taken as the reader chose. but
somehow Rylance felt a keen desire to
know the poets Own meaning. He was
curious TO know II she would enllght-
en- him or whether the poem had en-
tirely drifted from her mind with the
flow of others.
Miss Raymond" he said. looking at
the girl whom he supposed to be
Paula, IL wonder II you would mind
very much giving me your own real In
depreciation of these four linesf" He
took the little worn volume from his
pocket and read from It one Of Paula's
own favorite bits. When he had fin
ished he looked expectantly at the girl
In the orange smock. Would her eyes
kindle with the fire of genlus--the in
spiration that had flung those words
from her pen-or would they remain
birdlike and alertf
Rylance drew laggard breath.
The eyes were utterly and complete
ly blank. Then he remembered that
undoubtedly poets forgot many of
their own inspired words as soon as
was. however. disappointed. More and
more he regretted having risked losing
the ideals he had formed OF Paula
Raymond through her verses. He
wished he had remained In his dream
of her out in the broad West.
Then some strange impelling force
dragged his eyes to those of the quiet
Beth and, as II she had been flung be
fore him In painted letters. he knew
the truth.
Her eyes were alight and her cheeks
were soft flames while now from her
lips came forth food of exquisite
words like the rushing torrent OF an
impatient brook. An explanation, won
derful. deep with thought, and put
forth with such brilliant understand.
ing as TO make the soul of Rylance
glow within him. came from that other
soul-the soul that Rylance had loved
Beth had been making frantic ef.
forts TO stop the flow Of words from
Paula's lips. Her alert eyes had
caught the knowing expression in the
Westerner's quiet smile. and somehow
she felt keen relief.
You are fortunate In your friend
ship" Rylance said with a queer look
In his eyes. There nre not many
chums who could so get under the
mind of the other and in fact sense the
| poetic thought OF another so truly and
express IL so magnIficently."
Paula had the added grace TO blush
and Beth jumped up suddenly. bent on
| brewing cup Of tea. Having beaten
her retreat, she wondered what method
| Paula would take TO extricate herself
from the false position they had as.
sumed.
Paula was not troubled about having