Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-11-18
ELEVEN

WIN" "a fro'vu drew his straight darl,
eyebrows togcther ar you wanted
a thing with am your ncsrt and We,
We're not sure"
Her Impotence answcrcd him Y
couldn't wan, it with all my hear,
without being sure
sure I mean that it is bes,-6es.
ror every oue-not just for one
self"
nor laugh was like song. DO
YOU suppose there mas ever been any
thing since tho world began that was
best for every one: II knew wna.
wanted shouldn't ask anything
more. would spread my wings anu
fly to It."
he smiled You are go much like
Your father a. t!mos-cven IN tho
things that YOU say. Yes. l suppose
you would ny 10 it because you have
bean trained mat way-to be d!rec.
ana daring But am made dir.
f"r"ut!y Life has taught mo: II ia
IN my blood and hone To stop and
question. 10 look so long that at last
lose tn" VIII to choose. or TO leap
There arc some OF us like that. you
know"
"a ""PS' she smiled. don't
know. It seems to me a very silly
| way 20 be" Tho song had Como out
| of her voice. and a h.avlncss. an i'm
| pa!pa bic fear. had descended again
| on her heart. Why did ones path
lead always through mazcs OF un-
: certainty and disappointment instead
| or straight onward toward ones de-
strcs; y passionate impulse seized
/ her TO fight Cor what she wanted. to-
grasp the fragile opportunity before
| II cluded her Yet she knew that
! lighting would not do any good She
could do nothing while her haDpi-
ness hung on thread. She could
| do nothing hut fold her hands and
walt, though her heart burned hot
! with the Injustice of it. and she
| ionC"d to speak aioud all tho worda
! that were rising to her eighty closed
1 lips
! oh, don't you scc-can't you see?"
! Sh" asked brokenly. barring her heart
with desperate impulse. Her eyes
were drawing him toward tho flu
| turc; and. in tho dcen stiffness Of
/ her look. il seemed TO him that she
| was putting forth all her power to
| charm. that her youth and bloom
/ shed a sweetness that was like the
fragrance OF a flower
For an instant every thought. cv-
cry feeling. surrendered TO her APP
|
/ ruptly as II he had put a mask over
his features; and glancing hack over
her shoulder. She saw that his moth
! or and Margaret Blair were walking
along the concrete pavement under
the few old linden trees. AS they
| approached It seemed 10 the girl that
stephen turned slowly from n man
OF flesh and blood into figure Of
granite. In one instant he was pctri-
! ned by the force OF tradition.
II is my mother" he said in a
low voice. she has not been in the
square for years was telling her
yesterday how pretty II looks in tho
spring" He went forward with an
embarrassed air. ana Mrs Culpcper
laid u tirm. posscsstvc touch on his
arm.
II thought little stroll might do
me good she explained 'The car is
waiting across the street at Doctor
Bradlcy's" Then she held out her
free hand 10 Patty, with a smile
which. the girl said afterward TO
| Corinna. looked as IL It had frozen
on her lips. Stephen speaks OF you
very often. Miss Netch." she said. Ute
talks great deal about his friends.
doesn't he, Margarct?"
| Margaret asscnted with a charming
manner: and the two girls stood
looking guardcdly into each others
'N'". 'NHc Is attractive, thought
Margaret. not unk kindly. for she was
never unkind. but can't under
stand just what he secs In her" ANA
at the same moment Patty was say
ing 10 herself. oh. she is everything
that he admires and nothing that he
enjoys"
Aloud the elder girl said casual
ly. 1t Is so quaint living down here
In the square. isn't it?"
'tIut IL Is too far away
crythinE," replied stephen hurriedly.
1T must he very different from what
II was when YOU came To balls here.
mother
VERY" answered Mrs. Culpcpcr
stitny because the cold hard smile
was still In her lips.
1T doesn't seem far away when
you are used 10 it," remarked FATTY
in Il Spritlcss tone. The vague
hcav incss. like Il black cloud Gov
cred her heart again. She was jcal-
GUS OF Margaret. jealous OF her sweet.
pale face, of her trusting hluc eyes.
Of tho delicate distinction that
showed in the turn OF her head in
the fragile hands. In the lovely liquid
sound OF her voice.
cousin corinna has promised to
bring me 10 see YOU" said Margaret
in her Kind and gentle way.
81 hope you'll come" replied Patty
p"litely' but III he: thoughts she
added Il hope you won't. hopa
| III never see YOU again" She
couldn't be natural; she couldn't no
anything hut st!ff and awkward: and
she was aware all tho time that Ste
phen was as embarrassed as she was.
All the things that she must fight
against. that sho must triumph over,
| were embodied In that small black
nEurc with the ivory face. so inclas-
tic. so unbcndinE. so secure in its
Inherited authority There was war
between her and stephens mother:
and She stood alone. with only her
undauntcd spirit to support her.
white on tho opposite side were en- :
trcnchcd all tho immovatls dead
ranks of the generations. II shalt
hSht 1t out" thought the girl bittor-
\ ly. 81 don't care what she thinks OF
me. shall night IL out to the end
with her hand on stephens arm.
Mrs. Cuircpcr turned slowly away.
Il feel Il little tired" she explained
politely TO Patty. $50 I am sure the,
YOU wont mind yielding TO an intirm
old woman. ana viii let my son help
mo back 10 the car"
"oh. don't mind" replied Patty.
with gay Indifference,
IN see you very soon" said Ste
phcr. and IL seemed to tho girl al
she watched him walking toward the
WASHINGTON monument that hr
looked as old and as tired as hr