Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-09-22

body like herself.
Il would fall In love with him."
she told herself, land what would
be the good Of thatl He must be
used to having every woman he meets
fascinated"
She took out his picture again and
surreptitiously studied the dark thick
brOws, the speaking eyes, the finely
cut face that was strongly masculine.
When half an hour later she heard
steps mounting the stairs 1t only took
her half q minute to turn out her gas,
to slip into her closet behind her
clothes and to stand there breathing
heavily as Mrs. Johnson opened the
door.
she's out" Mary heard the good
woman pant on her downward way.
During the next ten days Mary
led a strangely delightful, strangely
new kind of existence. Sometimes
the telephone rang In the evenings
when Mrs. Johnson was out and Mary
heard again John N0rthrop's voice. She
knew now his errand was fictitious.
But she was firm In her resolve not
to meet him.
John NorthrOp, who had always had
everything he wanted, was unable to
understand this strange, elusive girl.
He knew her only by her voice-sil-
very sweet with a deeper undertone;
he had seen a lite picture Of her on
Mrs. Johnson's mantel. Friendly eyes,
a shy smile and a piQuant pointed chin
had seemed to him the p%ersonifica-
ton Of that exquisite voice. He
must meet her. He could still hear
the light futter of her laugh on the
telephone, the question that her good
by held. He had been pursued too
long not to know the delight Of the
pursuer. He even found himself rest
less and dissatisfied these last days
he decided on one last strategy.
Mary would never meet him she
had resolved that, she could almost
picture the look Of disappointment
that would flash across his dark face,
his strained politeness, her own
t~ongue-tied humiliation.
And yet In spite of that she bought
herself a charming frock, a frock with
a hint of gold in its brown depths and
a hat that bore the hallmark Of Paris.
She tried them on on a Saturday
afternoon, when she had come back
from the office, and turned startled
at a knock on her door. A white
box with S%uspiciously fragrant odOr
made her tremble a moment with ex.
element. violets, with heavy purple
heads and an exquisite bow Of gold
and brown ribbon There was no card,
Of course, and Mary hesitated before
she fastened them to her belt.
How could she stay indoors now?
Spring was calling, and although she
had only the city pavements and the
faces of strangers who would pass
u~nrecognizing, she waited to feel a
part of this teeming life.
But halfway up the block her knees
trembled under her and she felt the
blood beat into her temples. She
would have known him anywhere !!
Only one man had such dark, cryptic
eyes, only one man could have such
a distinguished mi Blushing
f~uriously, she looked away, and then
a voice, the most beautiful she had
W heard, stopped her.
II shouldn't have dared speak I'm
less I'd seen you were wearing my
violets! !"
"How do you know they are your
violets7" Mary asked, lifting a pair
of shy, soft eyes.
II chose that gold and brown rib
bon myself and had those vlOlets sent
to the girl who would not let me meet
her"
"But now that we have met, don't
you think-dOn't you think" Mary
stumbled, backing away.
II think you are the most elusive
and charming person I have ever
wanted to know" he cut In, "and
II you will just let me try I'd like
to show you I'm not the unpleasant
person you have evidently heard
was!"
Mary still hesitated.
"But L"
ooh, l say, Miss Martini" he begged
b~oyishly, IF you'd just give me q
chance! l know I'm only a duffer,
7 but I'd like to. show you that I could
be your friend"
Down the block a street organ was
grinding melodiously. The faint
green Of the maple was a blur before
Mary's eyes.
Spring again.
There was something strangely
poignant in life as John Northrop fell
into step beside her.