The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-08

=
People who knew Lady Erica said
that she had no heart. said that
nothing ever agitafed her except a
badly fitting gown Many OF them
would have besn surprised had they
asen her sitting there In the lonely
hplendcs u her roam. crying bruken.
hsAssediy for . man Who cared moth.
Ing for her.
And yet. had they stopped 70 con.
ssder. they would have Euesscd that
soma very deep feeling had kept her
waiting all these months for him to
sppak- Naturally she was = proud
woman. but she had stood the fire Of
talk and speculation unflsnchingiy.
and when az last Talientyre had
asked her 10 marry him. she knew
that she had reaiixed her ambition.
ehe wanted tina man--she wanted
him with an hls faults and weak.
nesscu and coldnccs. Sometimes love
In ike that sometimes II burns all
the more strongly and deeply when
u has nothing but itssif on which 20
fce6
Ana ~. IN spits of her rnomentary
fear, she did not for . moment BE-
uevs that TAflentyrs would take her
Il hsr word 6hs was sure That In
TIE moaning be would b around.
anx1ous - ~ her. Sxpostusafirs.
prUeaue1ng-peEfapa even 1T last teIl
NJ heP Eha1 be lovsa her and could
not bar shs shsught - inufns hsr.
He ~ nsvr once Rid that he
lDvsd h9s - hid II least been con
siseene ana sfss respected HIM for IL
He md pretended nothing had new
- even tried to bind her 70 the ruai
reason FOR which he ha1 asked her 70
marry him: shorn Of her wealth HI
would newer have looked her way.
and she knew II
Il vas such an open secret that
Talleusyre must marry for money.
she had heard even her own brothers
specuiAtinR N 70 how long Gig
could hang on II he didn't get mar.
rted-
II ohscred her TO remember these
things: when she went to bed that
night ne sicpt dreamIessiy. sure Of
hsr power over hts future az least.
u not over his heart
II vas hate the following morning
bef0rs TAIlentyre received the letter;
he had been out haK the night. and
tumbisd into bed with = binding
headache Just A. the first streak Of
dawn broke the darkness: he was
dswdilnR over . hate breakfast when
he opened Elrsca's letter.
There had been several lying BE-
side his plate. and Il was chsracferis
tic Of him that he left hers tiIi the
last: ne was 10 sure he knew what
were it's contents that II came as
distinct shock 10 read the first few
lines.
He sat for .. moment staring nj
her flowery handwriting with rather
dazed eyes before he could fully I'M
derstand its meaning.
Then Il came over him with n
rush. He was lifted, That was the
top and bottom Of II aii--jiltedi
He got up and walked about the
room; for the moment Mt least the
knowledge conveyed nothing 20 him.
HS took the letter up again and read
IL thru once morr--then suddenly he
stretched his arms wide TO the room
the weary lines OF bis face gone IS
II by magic
Frec--he WIS freel So many times
lately he had been tortured by the
longing to be free. 30 many times he
had dreamed Of the Joy It would BE-.
and now II had come unexpectedly
and suddenly. without any seeking
on his part
For the moment that was his only
thought: he forgot the insurmount.
able difficulties he would have to
face---the debts--the liabilities. Il
was only much later that the re-
membranes OF them all came back 10
him with crushing force.
He sat down and answered Elrfca's
note unhesitatingiy.
While reRrctting her decision. he
said. ne could only realize that she
was right--he had never been good
enough for her; he hoped she would
find happiness with another and
more worthy man: he would always
be her very affectionate friend.
He had never felt more affection
afeIy towards her than now, but
there was not the faintest regret IN
the fceiing--not the least wish that
things had been different
He sent his answer by messenger.
When he knew II had safely gone. II
was as II a weight had fallen from
his shoulders: the future was his
own.
He had not seen jim sfnce that
night when he drove her home from
the Dospards'. tho he had heard Of
her frequently from young Merre.
dew. She was stili TO be seen every.
where with Rigden-and people were
talking.
1T makes me SICK young Merre-
dew said with boyish despair. what
the devil can she see IN him beats
me--the mans just a chariatan, an
outsider.
Tallentyre let him rave: ne was
not In the least Jealous Of Merredew.
and perhaps the boys outspokenness
was Of some comfort TO his own
hcart