Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-07-23
By HOLWORTHY HALL


brance at ALL intended to bring it.
planned to give it to you before din
ner, but when / was so late. and
everybody was waiting
She turned with gratifying quick
ness.
did you bring IT."
EYES," he said, II brought it. I'm
not quite sure whether you'll like it
or not"
.I'li like anything you brought"
The pronoun had an infinitesinal EN-
phasis all to itself.
Hilliard cleared his throat.
"When l was young
81 beg your pardon?"
He laughed at high pressure and be-
gan over again.
when | was young, Mother Grundy
had a very small collection to choose
fronl-books and candy and flowers.
If I'd send you anything by mail,
think I'd have had to obey the rules.
Ny early training was pretty severe.
But thought if / brought 1T myself,
perhaps | could be more original"
SLOW originate" she asked, with
pretty animation.
His heart was pounding relentlessly;
he had lost the elaborate recital which
he carefully prepared; and 1t was gone
without a trace. He had to depend
on presence of mind.
"Since couldn't keep to my sched-
ule, I've been saving it up to give you
when everything was propitious." He
rendered her a package, tied with holly
ribbon; it was smaller than a book,
and smaller than any orthodox carrier
of confection Don't open it just yet,
/ please"
She looked at it, pinched it, dropped
it in her lap, and laughed softly.
rs there such a mystery about it?'
eyes, there is" billiard felt himself
begin to go with the current of his
mood. He sat up awkwardly. "All
that you could ever think of asking
about me where I've been and
what I've done +. is in that box.
It's everything -. biography, and a
| history :. 81. and it's my gift to you,
too. But before you open it." He
had to pause to collect himself. ''I'll
have to make an explanation" He
fought with it and found his lips
strangely sealed.
rs it so very hard to make?" she
asked at length.
almost impossible /. - He was
seeing black and red. Even if every
body had expected him to do this
thing Gas Angela had long since as
sured him) what reason did he have
| to hope for pardon? "What would
you Think he asked, perilously, "of a
man who cared enough about you to
| risk everything he had in the world
81. not his valuables in the sense of
money =. but all his ambitions for
everything; all his dreams; all his
ideals; all his hopes \. on Christ
mas gift? What would your
| She frOwned adorably.
"And he's not just little bit
quixotic?"
Not at al 2. suppose he did 1t
deliberately, and after a great deal of
| thought. Just on the chance that it
might please you? When It would
either do that-or end their friend
ship?"
She fingered the small package over
and over.
why, should think that If this
:. s. mythical person were so very anx-
| fous to please me he wouldn't take
| n11ifo CO ynIIoh ri SLx I"
"But when I'm the mythical person
myself that's different, isn't it?"
"Why should it be?" She gave him
no opportunity to see her face.
you've forgotten great deal. l
| told you once that If you knew all that
| I've been . all that I've done .
you might not be so willing to have my
friendship, anyway"
NO" she said, subdued. "I've not
forgotten, but you have! / said that l
didn't believe you"
you're holding it all in your hands, z
said billiard His expression, as he
gazed at her, was infinitely yearning /;
4 a-~..