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Show J JNTERNWONAL MESS ASSOCMTOM. , (CHAPTER VI Continued). t "As fnr as 1 know," Clara rcpeutcOji is the widow moved nwny to where tne plnycrs were grouped round the net, or, tnuntcrlng slowly towards the "ui,ej'' Bhc rose to follow her, but her head was In a whirl with new thoughts, nd mi lat down again. Which would be best I or, Ida, Harold or Charles? She thought it? over with as much solicitude as Jn0",r' er who plans for Iter only child. nr0'". hod seemed to her to be In mony the noblest nnd tho best young man whom she had known, If ever she was to love n man It would be such a man bh) that, nut she must Hot think ot hcrse ii. She had reason to bellevo that uotn these men loved her sister. Wnlch wul1 be the best for her7 Hut perhaps tnc, matter was already decided. She couiai not forget tho scrap of conversation which she had heard the night uctore. nor the secret whloh her sister had refused re-fused to confide to her. If Ida wouiu not tell her, there wus but one person who could. She raised her eyes, nnu there was Harold Denver standing before be-fore her. "You were lost In your thoughts, said he, smiling. "I hope that they were pleasant ones." "Oh, I was planning," said eJae, rising. "It seemB rather u wnste of time nc a. rule, for things huve a way of working themselves out Just as you least expect." ex-pect." "What wera you planning, then? "The future.'1 "Whose?" "Whose?" "Oh, my own and Ida's." "And was 1 Included In your Joint futures?" fu-tures?" "I hope all our friends were lncludea..t "Don't go in," said he, as she began to movo slowly towards tho house. "I wanted to have u word. Let us stroll up nnd down the lawn. Perhaps you are cold. If you nre I could bring you out a shawl." "Oh, no, I am not cold." "I was speaking to your sister Ida last night." She noticed that there was, ft slight quiver In his voice, and, glancing glanc-ing up at his dark, clear-cut face, shej saw that ho was very grave. Sho felt that, it was settld. and that lie bad, como to ask her for her sister's hand. "She Is a charming girl," said he, after aft-er a pause. "Indeed sho Is," cried Clara warmly "And no ono who hns not lived with her and known her Intimately can tell how charming nnd good she Is. Sho Is like a sunbeam in the house." "No one who was not good could be so absolutely happy as she seems to be. Heaven's last gift, I think, Is a mind so pure and a spirit so high that' it Is unable even to see what Is Impure nnd evil In tho world around ub. For as long as we can see It, how can we be truly happy?" "She has a deeper side, nlso. She does not turn It to the world, and It Is not naturul that she should, for she Is very young. But she thinks, and has aspirations aspira-tions of her own." "You cannot admire her more than I do. Indeed, Miss Walker, I only ask to be brought Into nearer relationship with hsr, and to feel that there Is u permanent bond between us." It hnd come at last. For a moment her heart was numbed within her, nnd then a flood of sisterly love carried alt before It. Down with the dark thought which would still try to raise Its unhallowed un-hallowed head! She turned to Harold with sparkling eyes and words of picas-uro picas-uro upon her lips. "I should wish to be near nnd dear to both of you," said he, ns he took her hand. "I should wish Ida to be my sister, sis-ter, and you my wife." She said nothing. She only stood looking at him with parted lips and great, dark, questioning eyes. Tho lawn had vanlshod awny, the sloping gardens, gard-ens, the brick villas, the darkening sky with half a pale moon beginning to show over tho chimney tops. All wns gone, and Bhe was only conscious of a dark, earnest, pleading face, nnd of a voice, far away, disconnected from herself, the voice of n man telling a womnn how he loved her. He was unhappy, said the voice, his life was a void; he bad come to the parting of the ways, here lay happiness hap-piness and honor, and all that was high and noblo; there lay the soul-kllllne round, the lonely life, the base pursuit of money, the sordid, selfish alms. Ho needed but the band of the womnn that ho loved tb lend him Into tho better path. And bow he loved her his life would show. Ho loved her for her sweetness, for hor womnnllness, for her strength. He had need of her. Would she come to him? And then of n sudden sud-den as she listened It enme home to her that the man wus Harold Denver, nnd that she was the woman, and that all God's work was very beautiful the green award beneath her feet, tho rustling rust-ling leaves, tho long orqnge slashos In the western sky. She spoke; sho scarce knew what tho broken words were, but she saw the light of Joy shlno out on bis face, and her hand wns still In bis ns they wandered amid the twilight. They said no moro now, but only wandered wan-dered and felt each other's presence All was fresh around thorn, fnmlllar and yet new, tinged with the beauty of their new found happiness. "Did you not know It bofore," be askod. "I did not dnre think It." 'What a mask of Ice I must wear' How cquld a man feol ns I have dono-, dono-, without showing It? Your fdateryf-l J youTl Bi'' JnstV oe In m.' oh I do pray that you may t rep, nt if The gentle benrt was ruffled ntnlil its Joy by the thought of " own utiworthltiess. "lb-pint It! J fet-1 that I nm a saved mnn. You lo nut know how degrading J"'" city life , ,ow debasing, and yet ,'iow absorbing Money fotever clinks in your ear You enn think of nothing ol' Prom the bottom of my heart I tf "' n,lrt yet how cnn l ,lrnW bnck uitliout bringing grief to my dear old rather' There wns but one wny In which could defv the taint, and that was by Jisvlng a linme influence so pure nnd bo " Rh thnt it may brace me up against (nil thnt draws mo down. I have felt i,thnt Influence nlrendy. I know thnt .when I nm talking to you I am n better cnian, it J0U wno mUBt R0 wm, m0 j" - juu wno mum ko wim m i through life, or I must walk forever alone." L"0h. Harold. I nm so happy!" Still they wandered nmld tho darkening f shadows, while one by ono the stars M'ped out In tbo blue-black sky above them. At Inst a chill night wind blew up from the east, and brought them bnck to the realities of life. i "You must go In. You will be cold." Stilly father will wonder wlicro I nm. "hull I gay anything to him?" "If you like, my dnrllng. Or I will In the morning. I must tell my mother to-nlKht. to-nlKht. I know how delighted she will .be." , "I do hope so." "Let mo take you up the garden path. It Is so dark. Your lamp Is not lit yet. .then, dearest." "Till tomorrow, Hnrold." "My own darling!" Ho stooped, nnd rthelr lips met for the tltst time. Then, t she pushed open the folding windows she heard his quick, firm step ub It jrmssed down the graveled path. A Jwmp was lit ns sho entered the room. ,and there wns Ida, dnnclng about like la mlichlevous little fairy in front of Jber. "And have you nnythlng to tell mo?" she asked, with n solemn face. Then, jftiddenly throwing her arms round her slBter's neck, "Oh, you dear, dear old Clara! I nm so pleased. I nm so pleased." CHAPTER VII. I VHSIT TADNK.M FKI.ICITJIS. (; j NtST T wXs Just three U"TKSSrSy dnys n'ter the Doc-'wA;A5Twt Doc-'wA;A5Twt I tor and tho Admiral iCpV I had congratulated cCJsiSif ,s 1 ench other upon tho ryi.flL clofer tle which A. J J?(r2iJk WB t0 unite their Trfirfc families, and w.iV'nP 1 to turn lhelr frtonrt- Vfl 'J ship Into something ! J. evcn doarer ami " moro Intlmnte, tlmt Miss Ida Walker received re-ceived a letter which caused her some lurprlse nnd considerable amusement. It was dated from next loor, ana was Handed In by the red-headed page after brenkfast. "Dear Miss Ida," began thbi curious document, nnd then relapsed suddenly into the third person. "Mr. Charles Westmacott hopes thnt he may have tho pleasure of a ride with Miss Ida Walker upon his tnndom tricycle. Mr. Charles Westmacott will lirlng It round In halt an hour. You In front. Yours very truly, Charles Wosttnncott" Tho whole was written In a large, loose-Jointed loose-Jointed nnd Bchoolboylsh hand, very thin on tho up strokes and thick on the down, nB though enre and rains had gone to tho fashioning of It. Strange ns wns the form, .the meaning mean-ing wns clenr enough; so Ida hastened to her room, nnd hnd hordly slipped on her light grey cycling dress when sho saw the tandem with Its large ncoupnnt at tho door. Ho handed her up to her saddle with n more solemn nnd thoughtful thought-ful face than was usual with him, and a few moments later they wcro flying nlong the benutlful, smooth suburban roads In the direction of Forest Hill, The great limbs of tho athlete made the heavy machine spring nnd qu!rer with ivery stroke; while the inlgnon grey figure with the laughing face, nnd tho golden curls blowing from under tho little plnk-bnnded straw hat, simply held flrfnlv to her nerch. nnd let the held firmly to her perch, ana let the trendies whirl round beneath her feet. Mllo nfter mile they flow, tho wind beating beat-ing In her face, the trees dancing pnst In two long ranks on either Bide, until they hnd passed round Croydon and were approaching Norwood once moro from the further side. "Aren't you tired?" she nsked, glancing glanc-ing over her shoulder and turning to-wardu to-wardu him a llttlo pink enr, a Huffy golden curl, and ono bluo eye twinkling from the very corner of Its lid. "Not a bit. I nm Just getting my swing." "Isn't It wonderful to bo strong? You always remind mo of a steam engine." "Why a steam engine?" "Well, because It Is so powerful, and reliable, and unreasoning. Well, I didn't menn thnt last, you know, but but you know whnt I mean. Whut la the matter with you?" "Why?" "Because you have something on your mind. You have not laughed once." Ho broke Into a gruesome laugh. "I am quite Jolly," said be. "Oh, no, you aro not. And why did you wrlto me such ri dreadfully stiff letter?" "There, now," ho cried, "I was suro It was Btlft." "Then why wrlto It?" "It wasn't my own composition." "Whoso then? Your aunt's?" "Oh, no. It was a person of the name of Slatterv." of Slattery." " "Ooodnoss! Who Is ho?" "I knew It would come out, I felt Ithat it would- You've heard of Slattery, rthe author t" I "Ne'vW ffS-'tio Is wonderful 'tit-expressing him-. him-. taiyq" wrote a book called 'The Secret lye any jjr, Lettei-wiltlng Made Easy.' xy,. hot yijiu models Of all sprts of let- l I) 0,,t bmghlng, "So ygu adult adu-lt ,ed one" v "' 'l ,rf to invite a youngjady- Vf a. ' '. ft ..., i ' picnic, but I set to wnrk. nnd soon got It changed no ttlmt It Yould do very well. Slattory seems, never to hwve asked any one to ride a tandem. Hut when I hnd written It. It seemed so dreadfully stiff ttial 1 hnd to put a little lit-tle beginning nnd cod of my own, which Bcemctl to brighten, it m a good deal." "I thought tlrerv wbh something funny about the beglnulng nnd end." "Did you? Fancy your noticing tbo difference In style. Hw quick you nrol I am vory slow nt things like thnt. I ought to havo biy-n a woodman, or gamekeeper, or something. I wns mndo on those lines. Hut I havo found something some-thing now." "What Is that, thrn?" "Ranching. I have a chum In Texns, and he nays It Is a rare life. I am to buy a share In his buslncxs. it Is all In tho open air rthootlng. nrul riding, nnd sport. Would lb wimld It inconvcnlcnco you much, Ida, to come out thero with me?" I Ida nenrly fell oft bur perch In hor nmnzement. Tho only words ot which she could think wero "My goodness mo!" so sho said them. "If It would not tipsct your plans, or ohnnge your arrnngemonts In nny way." He bad slowird down and let go of the steering bundle, so that the grent machine crawled nJrnlessly about from ono sldo of the rond to the other. "I know very well tbn.1 I nm not clover or nnythlng of thnt. sort, but still I would i do nil I cnn to make you very happy. Don't you thlnfc thnt In time you might ootno to like me n little bit?" Ida gave m. cry of fright. "I won't like you If j-on run me ngnlnst a brick wall," sho. said, as the machine rasped against tbo curb. "Do uttend to tho steering."1 "Yes, I will. But tell me, Ida, whether you will came with me." "Oh, L don't know. It's too absurd! How cimi wo talk about such things when I ennnot see you? You speak to tho napo of my neck, nnd then I havo to twist my head round to answer." "I know. Thnt was why I put 'You In front' upon my letter. I thought thnt It wotald mnk It cosier. But If you would prefer It I will stop the machine, nnd Uten you cnn sit around and tnlk about It." "Oowl gracious!" cried Ida. "Fancy our sitting faco to fnce on n motionless tricycle In tho middle, of the road, nnd all tiro peopla looking out of their windows win-dows nt us!" "W would look rnther funny, wouldn't It? 'Well, then, suppose thnt wo both get off nnd push tho tnndom along in front of us?" "OU, no, this Is better Jhnn thaL" "Or I could enrry tho thing." Idn, burst out latiRhlng. "That would be more absurd still." '"Plien wo will go quietly, and I will look out for steering. I won't talk about It at all If you would rather not. Hut I really lo lovo you very much, and you would make me hnnnv If vou came to wwuiu muiiu iiiu Jltlliliy II UU VUUIU ,11 Texas with me, nnd I think that per-liaps per-liaps after n time I could make you baiwy, too." I "Hut your aunt?" I "Oh, she would llko it very much. 1 1 can understand that your father might I not llko to loso you. I'm suro I wouldn't I either. It I wcro he. But, after all, America Amer-ica Is not very far oft nowadays, nnd Ifl not so very wild. Wo would take a grand piano, nnd nnd b copy of Drowning. And Denvor and his wife would como over to see us. We should bo quite a family party. It would bo Jolly." Ida sat listening to tho stumbling words nnd awkward phrases which were whispered from the bnck of her, but there was something In Charles West-macott's West-macott's clumsiness of speech which was more moving thnn tho words of tha most eloquent of plenders. He paused, be Btammered, he caught his breath between be-tween tho words, and ho blurted out In little blunt phrases all the hopes of his heart. If lovo had not come to her yet, thero wns at least pity nnd sympathy, sym-pathy, which nre nearly akin to It. Wonder there was also that ono so wenk and frail as she should shake this strong man so, should hnve the wholo course of his life waiting for her decision. deci-sion. Her left hnnd was on the cushion nt her bIiIq. He leaned forward and took it gently In his own. Sho did not try to draw It back from him. "May I have It," said be, "for life?" "Oh, do attend to your steering," said she, smiling round at him; "nnd don't say any more about this today. Plcaso don't!" "When shall I know, then?" "Oh, tonight, tomorrow, I don't know. I must nsk Clara. Talk about something some-thing else." And they dlr tnlk about something else; but her left hnnd was still enclosed en-closed In his, and he knew, without asking ask-ing ngnln, that all was well. (TO UK CONTINUED.) |
