The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-08-29
WINDS OF The WORLD"
By RUBY M. AYRES
1874 All Rights Reserved ,ssssssssss;uus

Ntstfui eyes--a man who was ask
In. her to be his wife.
Iiu rose slowly TO her feet: she
kept hand on the chair back to
steady herscif--she asked him n
breathless question
You you are not--ln earnestg"
lie smiled little.
why notf--the thought has been
In my mind almost ever since you
came here. | am not young man.
butt atm very fond OF you. l viii
give YOU a good home and make you
happy. | admire you'll know what
you have done for your brother and
sister In the past-~and know too
he hesitatcd, and his voice hardened
little. II know, too. how your sis.
ter has treated you." he added.
Jill WINGED.
you kncw--who told your"
'"ralientyr--
a faint flush erep, into Jiii's face
rallentyre had told him fallen.
tyre had talked TO him OF her and
her affairs.
''Tallentyre IL interested In you. -
MIR. s,urgess went on unconscious OF
her emotion. HE IL strange man
bu, he has good points. and he Is
exceedingly kind hearted lie would
be glad 60 know that you were hap.
PLY settled down and provided for;
OF course. you know that he himself
IL shortly 10 be married."
There WAS long silence.
"No--no I did not know" said jill
mechanically. then "Who-~who Is he
going TO marry she asked.
Lady Erica uewing It's been
practically settled for some time. |
believe. she has money--and he
hasn't--to put the case In n nutshell.
and ite his only hope of ever rscov.
ering himself. They've always becn
spendthrift iot-the Tallentyres---''
he broke Oft suddenly. struck BY
something In her expression. But we
don't want 10 diacuss~~hls affairs -
want TO discuss my own" lie came
over to where she stood. well" he
asked gently. do YOU think you
could ever bring yourself to care for
an old man like rhef"
His voice was kind--so kind. that
sudden tears came into Jiil's eyes.
''Oh. don't deserve that you
should be 50 good" she said brokeniy.
~f--oh. I don't know what to say"
He pa'ted her shoulder.
Don't say anything now n you
would rather not. think II over. and
le, me know In day or two. !
promise you" his voice was very
earnest. Il promise you that II you
could 10 far honor me. you shall
never have cause 10 repent a."
lie did not give her time 20 answer
--he moved back 20 his desk. Now
shall we, finish the iettcrs,-
But Jill could not keep her
thoughts on business letters. she
found herself making mistake after
mistake: the very presence OF Mr..
Sturgess confused her and made her
neryous: at last she asked despcr.
ateiy II she might 30.
He rose al once
"Crrtainiy--certsinly am
afraid I have behaved very seifishiy
but II was quite unlntentionai (.
Run away home think you want
holiday" he added with a little
twinkle IN his grave eyes. How
would you like q holiday--with me-
he asked her half seriously. half In
fun. You've never been abroad. !
supposeg--no. wen. should be only
too pleased and proud TO take-my
| wffer'
He opened the door for her. and
| bowed her out as II she had been
! one Of his most wealthy clients IN
stead OF just the little typsst who
took orders from him and wrote his
I letters
Jili went home like one in a dream.
she could not believe that what had
Just happened was anything but her
own imagining.
Henry sturgcss was one OF the
| richest lawyers In London: she knew
that: she had heard the clerks talk
about his magnificent house. had
herself many times recn the luzur.
ious car In which he drove 10 and
from the office.
And n she chose. all these things
might be hers.
She tried 20 imagine herself mar.
rfed TO Sturgess. tried TO realize what
II would mean TO look after his
house. to spend his money. and call
him By his Christian name.
Henry" A little hysterical giwgls
escaped her, and she checked " hur.
riedly; II sounded a. II she were be.
ing unduly familiar with him. even
in her thoughts.
She could eat no tea; the long eve
ming stretched before her uninvit
lngfy. She felt strangely excited; she
tidied the room. and sat down on
Don's emptytouch by the window.
What would Don think II he knew
she wondered. Mfr. sturgess would
have been a kind friend TO Don. she
knew that: he would not have been
ashamed Of having a crippled broth.
er.in.iaw: not impatient with his irri.
table temper and sharp tongue: he
would have done all he could TO make
the boys hard life more happy.
Tears weiled 10 her eyes; oh. "
only she could have Don back again
n seemed 80 hard that now. when
riches and ali the good things OF life
were lying within her reach. the one
q a a 4.