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Show His Birthday-By Edward K. Parkinson AS A BIT of artistry the room was perfect, per-fect, the soft gray of th wall blending harmoniously with th. rose-colored window hangings, the coverings of the chairs, the divan In front of the fireplace and the rich tints In the Oriental rugs. A Chinese lamp on the center table threw Its soft light over the well-lilled bookcases lining one side of the room, while here and there vases of pink rose added a touch of beauty and filled th air with fragrance. On th tlger-skln In front of th fir lay a fox terrier with one eye open and hi ears cocked a If in expectancy. Nor wa he disappointed, for the door opened and la walked th mistress of the bouse with a box In her band. Tall, slender and with .such graceful carriage one might have supposed sup-posed her to be In the lata thirties Instead of the early fifties. Her gray bslr was arranged becomingly and enhanced the singularly sin-gularly pure beauty of her face a beauty of the spirit rather than one of mere regularity regu-larity of feature and coloring, aa of one tried In the fire, and emerging conqueror. A h crossed th rug In front of tb fire she stooped to pat the dog. wbos whol body waa aqulver with delight at seeing her. Then sb went to her desk nd, opening tb box sh carried, took from it a miniature wreath of orange blossoms and set them against a photograph in an aval silver frame, on the bottom of which was Inscribed. "Kate, from Billy," whispering paid the rerknr.ing and tbey want out. "You're a dear old goose, and so blind," sh aid looking Into hi eyes wlii 'lie of her rare smites. Hlowly they walked eaatward, until coaling la a dimly lighted side street Ihey turned into It continuing for a abort distance, dis-tance, then she turned and whispered t "Tou must leave me here, for It would never do for Padr t see us He la ao afraid that some day be may lose me, and," . she added with a smile in bcr b.lf-closed . eyes, "who kntws, Billy desr, but perliao he may ! Oh ! do look at the new moon over jour left shoulder. In Bpnln It Is eo v. bat Is tb word I want good fortunate lurkr, ah, thai Is It lucky lo arc th new moo when walking wltn your " The man turned to drins in his fill of luck, but as bs did - the veil fell frJj. Ill lancer' fac, and with the cruel look of a tiger about to spring, she drew a stiletto from under bei mantilla, stab'1 him thrnngh the heart, and then pulling the dagger out wiped It on th Insltl of hi coat. Htooplng she removed the ring from hU finger, mur muring a she did so: "You tlm-ielit you could fool me. You didn't know I had seen the words 'Kflte tn liiliy' cut to the InsiJe of your ring, kou t-rt tended to i"e me, all the I'm. you were making a f-ol of nte Just to amuse yourself. your-self. Well, It's I who have fooled you, and et," here her voice treuibled with eniotton, "I could have lored you well, uiy Billy. Why did you ir.ult my very eoul by trying lo buy me your amrrement ' Ba!, ! titer are too many men like you; one less mill ear some poor coward, perhaps." Bl.e lirped the ting on !ir finger 4nd glaiv-mg nee more st tne upturned fac of the dead uaa she sent her way.1 ful It all aeemed! More like a beautiful dream than n reality. Tet we have known each other for two year, dearest. Tour love haa Inspired m to greater effort, and when I am with you I feel tha urge to finer things. . Well, aooa you will be all my own, darling, and I can look lute your wonderful eyea each morning. Tbea who known but that I may accomplish things," h ended, taking ber bands fn hla, A breexe moved the branches of tb orange tree, and softly, Ilk snow flakes, petal of orange blossom fell Into the girl' lap. "Oh, look, Billy." sb said, pointing to the blossoms. "They'r ymbollc of our wedding day." ' It wa growing lste a they strolled bsrk to the house. He looked at hla watch. The time bad come to go. "Good by, beloved," be murmured aa he held her in bla arms. "Write often, darling, for I need your let-tera let-tera to help me over the long wait." Kissing Kiss-ing ber passionately he went slowly down, th walk toward th hotel. TN THAT same year of long ago. oa the East Hid of New York, beyond Lexington Lexing-ton avenue, was a small Insignificant Spanish restaurant, held in somewhat 111 repute by tb blue-coated guardian of tb law. Th owner, a Spaniard from Barcelona, Barce-lona, and an ex -convict, boasted of two things his criminal record and bis beautiful beau-tiful daughter. Th latter waa a Vlsncer. whose daily performances In one of the city's many theatres had proved a great attraction. Her beauty waa of the pure Bpanish type, black hslr, large, liquid, dark eyes and clear olive complexion tinged with the flush of youth. Rrsceful and fascinating, fas-cinating, with ber soft fcrelgn accent, she waa the center of aa admiring group of men-about-town, who vied with each ether In tb offerings of gifts and flowers, hoping in return for a glance, perhaps a klsa or a fleeting embrace. All these the senorlta accepted sweetly, passing tb more aubsttn-lial aubsttn-lial token on to bee father, whs had ear endearingly whispered that should sh fail to think of him in her hour of triumph he would see that she suffered for It. Needless to say. ber lovers were totally ana sac of the relationship between this alluring girl and th villainous-looking msn who prepared and served suck delectable upper la a eertla Bpanish restaurant. Ho almost nightly In the latter part of March might have been seen, comfortably ensconced la a corner ei the aforesaid res- X taurant the beautiful dancer and her latest affinity. That their converse, limited by ber knowledge of English, waa, for the moat part, carried oa by glancea and the gentle pressure of banda. In no way detracted from their enioyment of the rare wine and well-cooked well-cooked supper over which they lingered. "Don't forget, Billy, you promised m a beautiful ting If I would dance for your aupper party at Marce'e. Well, last night I danced the Tarentella for you and 70s aaid such nice tilings to ma after It was over." The dancer paused a moment aa Ha to awaken kia curiosity, then continued. "Wll, new I will bav my ring th on on your little finger. I have alwaya wanted that ring ; tb Hone In It are so wonderful and the setting what la It you call It?" "Platinum, dear," be answered. . "Oh, yes, platinum. It brings out the color of th ruby and sapphires ao well," ' . she ended. "t course, I haven't forgotten my promise, prom-ise, my beautiful Rose," he replied with a smile. "You were so alee to have danced for me, nd it wa wonderful. You shall bar a dupllrat of my ring aa aooa as tb Jeweler ten make one. Thl ring would be too Isrge for you." "But, Billy, you don't seem to understand. under-stand. I want your ring because It 1 yours. Just to bay another ring would mean nothing noth-ing to me. I have so many given to me by atupid, silly men, but your ring would mean so much what you call a whole lot." Che ended with a laugh and a ravishing glance from her dark eyea. "Tomorrow, then, dearest, I will give yoa the ring when we meet after the theatre, ami In the meantime I will order a duplicate dupli-cate for myself. Tou see, I am very fond of It and have worn It for a long time, so while I sm glad you want It because It's mine, I muat have another to take Ita place," he ended, drawing out hla watch. "Hello, It 'a after one; you've missed your beauty sleep. Ul'a be moving." "Not tonight then 7" she ssid slowly In a low voice. "Tomorrow you will give m the dnpllrate and keep your owa ring. Men are all alike, ready to promts but slow to fulfill," sh ended with a igh. "How could I' do that? Just think a minute. No Jeweler cos Id make a duplicate uf a ring In a day. Only n drawing could be made in that tlaie. Besides, if you Ibink , so poorly of me why should y-i wlab the ling?" and he looked et her with a questioning ques-tioning glaace, and summoning the waiter inscrtoed. "iate, trom Billy, wmspermg as sh did o: "Your birthday, my beloved. It's' thirty years since you died, but I alwaya think of you aa I saw you last, under tb orange trees." The face that looked out through the frame of blossom was that of a young man In bis twenties. Strong, self-reliant, with a splendid forehead and dark hair, firm chin, Grecian nose and deep-set, fesrtesa eye, though with Just th suggestion of cruelty In them, while at tb same time a mil aeemed to lurk In their depths. The mouth marred tha face, otherwise unusual, for It evidenced sensuality. However, taken la Its entirety it waa distinctly a lovable, strong face and one whose development would prov worth witching. Thirty yeara ago. on a certala evening in February, a curious passerby might hve seen a young maa and a girl seated under aa orange tre on th Florida plaatotloa of a wealthy Northerner. They wera lovers. "Kate, thla ta our last evening together until you come North in April, end la . Jua w are to be married. How wonder- His Lucid Moment s A INMOST every man." says r pbyslriaa, "learns sooner or Ister to tblak of his doctor as en of hi best friends, but tbia fart doea net seem to hinder tb world from laughing at th profresioa. " 'How Is our patient this morning?' asked a doctor; a fellow graduate of mine, of a patient's brother. " 'He ia much worse, cam from tb otbr la a ton of dejection. 'He'a beea delirious for aeveral hours. At 4 o'clock he aaid: "What aa eld womaa that doctor of mine 1 Is," and k hasn't made a rational remark aiace.' " I i |