The Press., 1921-04-14

the envirOns of Washington square, she was Charita Ware, poet and weav- CT of dreams, who perched herself in the topmost studio of No. B until the blind world would acclaim her. But how long could she keep it up?
 Uncle Williams last check would come on Monday.
 A double rat-tat-tat at her door. Charita knew it for the. knock of Hal lett Dean. She swept the telltale slips into her drawer, hurriedly, ner- vously, and having locked it, put the key on the slender chain about her throat before she dared breathe.
 Then she said in a drawling voice: "Enterr'
 "Open the doorw mans voice con- manded on the other side.
 "A minute" Charita pleaded.
 In that minute she had stolen to the scrap of a mirror, pulled a curl over her ear, straightened her orange smock and brushed some powder over her nose-and unlocked the door.
 Hallett Dean, the unperturbed, the lofty, looked somewhat awkward and hoyish. Charlta saw 1t In the flick of a glance. She saw, too, that as he rolled his cigarette his fingers trem- bled. She knew then what was com ing, as we'll as though he had told her. Her brown eyes rested on his face a moment warmly-her pretty lips were parted breathlessly.
 "Charita, I-I love you. Ever since you came I've seen none but you, thought none but you, dreamed no one" he pleaded as humbIy as an or dinary lover.
 "Yes, she loved him." she admitted. It would be divine living in this gar ret here together, when they were mar ried. She found an hour later, when she looked back at the stirring min utes, that she had promised to go home with him, visit his only relative, an aunt. He had the very bOyish de- sire to show her off, she thought | Charita smiled to herself. But even over a week end now could she give up her studio, her freedom from con- ventions-all this-that meant life to her?
 Charita Ware gave a startled glance about her as she stepped out of the red-velvet-seated train to the icy plat form of the very dingy station.
 The snow that was carted away as fast as 1t came in the city streets lay here a thick blanket over every bush and roof top of the tiny village. Hal | lett helped her into an open sleigh, a small, strange arrangement that was l driven by a fur-capped farmer of few words.
 She was very silent when EIaEctt helped her from the Slcigh to the door | step of Aunt Marthas house. II was l typical New Misunderstanding win dows. white curtains, blinds that l blinked under their snow eyebrows, a door whose brass knOcker 1t was not necessary to rap.
 For Aunt Martha stood hospitably in the open doorway
 My boy!" she cried warmly and smothered Hallett in big hug. "And this Is your grill" Charlta found herself kissed before she had time to draw back. her cold fingers of greeting Come right in and warm up," Aunt Martha said.
 Charita stepped across the shining bare floor with it's oval rag rugs and sniffed the fragrant air. There was a blue jar of balsam on the old secre- tary. Some daffollds lifted yellow heads from the bulb vase on the round table that held the family Bible.
 "There. that's right" Aunt Martha smiled as she hustled Into the room with plate of hot gingerbread and a pitcher of milk. You just fall to-'
 Charita, glancing across at her lover saw that in some way he had lost his