The Dolores star., 1921-04-08
her DESK
BY MABEL w. SANFORD.
fCOpyryAs.)

Yes" returned the polite clerk
promptly; and we shouldn't have
these to offer only that the young
lady who had them was i'll, and obliged
to 60 home.
81 Will take the rooms" he said
But tell me: do all these pictures and
this desk 20 with them, or do they
belong to the young lady?"
We'll, it's this way" said the clerk ;
they are to stay here If you wish
them, not unless. You see, the young
lady, Miss Castleton, IS an artist-you
have heard of her-and these pictures
are mostly her own work. She used
this room US studio. And the desk
Is hers, too.
Stanley Brent was young man of
enough wealth to enable him to in
dulge his tancies; but he had concen-
trated all his energies and ambitions
upon II novel, which had finally been
accepted by New York publishing
firm on condition that he would make
certain changes in the plot.
He found his new apartment all that
could be desired in the way of stimu-
luS. He whimsically attributed his sue
cess 10 the Chippendae desk, At which
he did most OF his work.
Hanging directly over the Chippen
dale desk, there was one picture wLich
reused Brents admiration and lMng
ination more than all the rest. Il was
study of young man, with features
faultleSsly Greek, who looked the
epitome of youth and poetry and love
1t set Brent to weaving II romance
at faster pace than his OVID pen
could follow.
Yes. that's the man she loves. or
did love when she painted it," he said
10 himself uS he lighted his brier. and
gave himself up to the Joys of specu
lation.
And Brent put down his brier, and
started on prolonged search for u
note from Miss Kingston, who had in
vited him to dine with her md her
chum.
Here il is he said at last, spy
ing bluc-gray sheet Of note-paper il
the far corner of Il pigeonhOle.
He pulled it out and began to read
A puzzled expression came over his
face He could not remember hav.
ing received this strange letter:
1T Is such joy to love you that
feel as if must tell you so. | fame!
most women don't tell man that the
love him. They allow him to do ~
that Well, my heart, | am different
that is all. | sit here looking at youI
wonderful face tonight, and it seems
to me that you were born for love.
Just as a Greek statue was born for
Immortality. | cannot help adding my
tribute of alteration, even while l feel
that 1t will not touch you very deeply.
Why should it? You must have wearied
before this of the countless oblations
offered on your altar. Nevertheless,
because | love with love which is as
fresh and pure as it is lasting. dare
to tell you SO, and sign myself
"Yours devotedly,
"ALICE CASTLETON."
This, then, was the way some wom-
en- loved, Brent reflected, as he
carefully replaced the tell-tale letter.
He wished he had ever known that
sort of girl. He made up his mind
then and there to meet Alice Cas-
tleton, no matter what the pretext,
as soon as he finished his novel.
He did not have to wait long, how
ever. As he entered the house late in
the afternoon of the next day, he was
met by the clerk with smile and the
information that Miss Castleman was
In his rooms.
Entering, he saw plump, merry
faced girl in the act Of jumping from
a high chair with the fatal picture in
her hands.
''How do you do?" she laughed. II
suppose you are Mr.. Brent. Well, am
Alice Castleton. I hope you won't
mind my taking Narcissus.
"The loquacious gentleman at the
desk tells me you are literary man."
she continued, still in a serio-comic
way. "Why don't you put us into a
story, Narclssus and myself? I've
even written him love letters in odd
moments when I'd nothing better to
dol"
Finally he summoned up sufficient
courage to tell her about the note he
had discovered, and his romantic de-
duction. Miss Castleton could not re-
strain her mirth.
"And now" she said, (which do you
prefer, Mr.. Brent-the blighted violet
Of your fancy or the prosaic reality?"
Brent was silent for moment.
might one be permitted to be glad
that a Narcissus seems to be his only
rival?" he said finally.
"But you forget" laughed Miss Cas-
tleton, that Narcissus spells art, and
that art Is long"
"May not see you again?" he
pleaded
Certainly" returned Miss Castle
ton. II was just about to ask you to