The Washington times., 1923-02-11

devices for keeping him from get
ting bored with the ideal cottage
in which he had installed his ideal
wife.
Marcella liked being called ideal,
: and the cottage was certainly
picturesque.
There was a running stream
sometimes, when it rained enough
and the people at the Big House
higher up the hill did not use all
the water for their geraniums.
This Autumn it was mostly per-
ennials that would bloom next year.
Marcella had planted in the Spring
because seeds were cheap and she
had so much time on her hands.
You couldn't tell whether the mas
turtiums were growing on the
marigold stems or the escholtzia
on the sweet-pea sticks. But it
would be better next year. BY
next year Mervyn would be a cap
tain, perhaps, and they could af-
ford a gardner two whole days
week.
Meanwhile, for the life of her,
Marcella could not go on wedding
the border. Every pebble in the
neighborhood had been placed in
symmetrical order on the little
lump of earth known as the rock
garden.
And though the result was sug-
gestive of lesson in geometry,
Marcella, who had the gift of Wis
ion, saw only the saxifraga and the
cyclamen she had certainly planted
between the little gray stones.
Cerastium and Arabs f1ourished in
her dreams and kept her from
counting the bare brown patches
where their roots still struggled
with ants and other industrious in
sects. That is, on most days.
But on this day of days Mar
cella's gift of vision failed her.
1t was glorious Autumn and
Marcella- decided she would seek
adventure for herself. AS nothing
seemed likely to prove dramatic in
the village, she would walk to the
sea. 1t was three-mile walk over
rolling downs that ought to have
Slapped, somewhat, her passion for
enterprise. But they didn't. On
the contrary, they only tired her
legs, while her soul, with the UNI
suspecting larks, mounted higher
and higher in the still blue sky and
returned to her convinced that she
was a very badly treated young
woman indeed.
1t was all very well for Mervyn.
For all she knew Mervyn was on
speaking terms with every artful
mink in Scarborough. He had end
less opportunities on those daily
rides to and from barracks. Now
that she came to remember it, he
certainly had dreamy look in his
eyes only last night. And after
dinner, instead of talking to her,
he went to sleep; and twice before
he had done the same thing, and
-. and who was this inter-
esting young man in blue serge
walking so wistfully by the sea?
Not one of her husbands broth
er-officers. She had never seen
him before. What a pity she did
not know him! She was in Just
the mood for an artistic exchange
of purely abstract ideas.
And she was lonely. ~
Surely he was coming to talk to
her.
Oh, if he did!
But then, of course, he mustn't!
Well. it would serve Mervyn
right!
Why shouldn't she?
So she only just looked at. him
shyly from beneath her long eye
lashes and held her breath as the
stranger approached, and finally
stood facing her.
"1t may interest you to know"
he announced without sign of en-
barrassment, "that you have saved
my life"
"Your life?" gasped Marcella,
making room for him Ga little too
obviously beside her on the little
green hillock. Here was indeed
adventure beyond her widest
dream.
The young man was certainly a
gentleman, but she wished he
would rot take her graciousness
quite so much for granted.
eyes, my life-you have saved
my life" he reiterated, as he seat
ed himself beside her with natural
self-compliance and an utter igno-
rance Of her own condescension,
and took cigarette out of his tor
toiseshell cigarette case.
Because you were bored?" She
would not accept a cigarette, and
she did not dare look at him this
time.
"No. I am never bored. I was
only contemplating suicide. When
you are doing that you are not ex-
actly bored"
"Suicide?" This time she looked
him full in the face. Never had
she behald anyone so calm. Sus-
pecting hidden humor, she glanced
away quickly before looking back
into his eyes a trifle longer than
was necessary.
But there was no answering
twinkle-only a grim determine
ton to look straight at her longer
than she dared look at him.
ooJ