OCR Text |
Show SSiM ll iTmmmi iif i TT i -.nTnail i i TO ASHES O By JAMES FREttEMCK TOWNB C OOOCXXXXJOOOOOOCXXOOOOOCXXXJ (CopyrlBht, by Dally Story Pub. Co.) She was a glorious crraiure to look upon. Men iumed in Uicir chairs to gan.- at her, as she passed io her lalile, followed by her youthful youth-ful escort. She walked with a certain cer-tain langoumus grace which charmed all Iwholders, iiikI suggested the spirit spir-it of herself; a spirit which had all the aspects of life, beautiful and sordid, and which accepted with a quid tolerance, and without scorn, the necessary features of our ex-isle ex-isle nee. She was of the brunette type. Dark masses of hair were tastefully arranged upon her well-poised head. Her eyes were dark, soft and liquid, veiled occasionally by tho droop of curved eyelashes of unusual length. 'She Was a Glorious Creature. Dark circles 6howed faintly beneath jicr eyes, but these, instead of detracting de-tracting from her beauty, lent it a delicate shade, and harmonized with the slight pallor of her complexion. com-plexion. Her .face was oval, and the ears, small nnd delicately chiseled, wore woll placed on her shapely head. . She was gowned in black, the soft clinging maierial revealing the curves and moulds of her beautiful figure, and showiug tho shapeliness of limbs beneath. Surely nature had been lavish of gifts bestowed upon this beautiful creature. Thoy' had reached the table, and were seated on opposite sides. A large bouquet of flowers rested m the ccntor of it, and stooping for a moment, alio buried her face in their luxuriant bloom. As sho arose her facei was slightly flushed, and her eycswero shining. The youth gazed at her admiringly. admiring-ly. VWhnt a beautiful picture you make Annette," lie said. "See how jealous the other womon are looking, and iow interested their gcntlcm.cn friends appear." She smiled at him across the table. He was very dear to her, tjiis fair-haired, dreamy-eyed boy. He had como to the city some timo before, be-fore, with Jiteiary airilijtiotis, and his hopes were now in the way of being fulfilled. Denied for a long timo tho surcoss which ha had craved, tho publishers and public wore at Inst recognizing his worth, in fact a brilliant future was boing predicted for him. There- had been long months of dreary waiting, when ho would havo given up in despair hut for this woman who had kept up his enthusiasm enthu-siasm in tho dark hours. Tho synv pathetic interest which 6ho had taken in his work had been his salvation. sal-vation. Her raro magnetism had kept him enthralled, and her subtlo intellect had been tho moans of bridging many a difficulty which had nrison in his path. Working hard in his caueo, sho had learned to lovo him with that rare, unielfish dovotion which comes but onco to woman, and of which fow women aro capable, Ho was a dreamer, this boy lover of hers. Timo and again sho had listened as he told her his secret thoughts, tho plans he had made for 6torming public opinion. With rare sympathy sho had drawn him out, helped him with little suggestions, and comforted him when the day of succos wemed far away. Beginning at a friend, she had roon pasted the bounds of freindship into love, delightful de-lightful fascinating and satisfying, He had accepted her solicitude for his welfare as a matter of course; he wna ossontially selfish, and for himself first of all. This delightful creature had charmed him with her beauty, soothed him with her syni-pn'hy, syni-pn'hy, nnd satisfied his egotism with tho praiso which she bestowed upon his work. Woman in such a form had never appeared to him before. Beautiful, intellectual and elusively feminine, she appealed to his artistic nature nt'none ever had. He was aware of her loo for him, but was incapable, in his ivoitlhfulne, of realizing how great it was. But he was proud of this Iteautiful creature, his sense of proprietorship rewled In the fact that she was his, and his alone; hu cherished bur more as a child woli Id a favorite toy, and not as a man who loved with heart and soul. And yet he sincerely believed ho was in love. Many times he had told her that he loved her, ho hnd felt her kisses upon his lips, and his blood had leaped in his veins as he bad held her close, and felt her soft hair againd 'lis check. He remembered remem-bered well her soft clinging lovoh-ncs, lovoh-ncs, the look in her eyes as he had vowed eternal devotion. The night seemed in porfoct harmony. har-mony. The room was brilliantly lighted, the radianro being flung back from the jewels worn by the many beautiful women. Soft music was given by a concealed orchestra, nd the strains fell sweetly upon the .irs of the woman. She was dream-ig dream-ig of love, perfect, beautiful, eternal. Sho had believed tho vows of his youth, and to-night his light chatter nnd laughter were music to her ears, as she smiled answeringly at him across the table. Tho flowcrj breathed of love, the music's burden was love. Love was present in the gay laughter of the crowd; surely one was blind who could not see that love was tho refrain of all this gay world of ours. And so sho dreamed on, never thinking that aught but happiness could be her lot. They hnd reached the wine, and ho was pledging hor in many a fair glass. Suddenly he arose from his chair with a startled look upon his face. Hor back was to the door, and instinctively she turned toward it. There advancing in a bewildered fashion, nmoiig the tables came a girl 'with soft brown hair and trusting trust-ing bltio eyes. Sho was drossed plainly, plain-ly, but neatly, and possessed a cor-tain cor-tain charm which appealed to all, man and woman alike. Sho seemed strangely out of place among this brilliant throng, and, hesitating for a momont, she stopped in embarrass-mqnt. embarrass-mqnt. But the boy was making his way toward hor with quick, eager strides. Tho woman gazed after him with dilated eyes. "Xollic," sho heard him say, with unconcealed gladness in his voice, and tho look which the youth and the girl exchanged was a revelation in itself. Sick at heart, the woman turned her head away, and there was a look of anguish upon her face. But she had regained her composure by the time ho readied the table, and met his stammoring excuses with a smile of dismissal. Sho watched him languidly as ho turned away after tho girl, then returned to sipping her wine. What a terrible turmoil raged tn hor heart, outwardly calm as sho was. So this was to be tho end of all hor dreams. The man upon whom she had lavished her unselfish devotion had, in a moment, turned from her to another. She had heard him speak of this girl, Nellie, but had never dreamed of a lovo affair between them. She had been blind, blind. But ho had chosen nnd sho must abide the consequences. con-sequences. The fruit had turned to dust and ashes, but thow peoplo must nover know. How was it sho had not noticed' no-ticed' before that tho undertone of tho hustle and laughter was not lovo, but cruol scorn.? Quietly, but with quick motion, she shook tho contents of a ring into her glass, unnoticed by tho crowd. Then, draining it to tho dregs, sho walked slowly from the room, nod-cling nod-cling gayly to numerous acquaintances. acquaint-ances. As she passed out, the men spoke smilingly to their lady friends. "It didn't trouble her a bit," said they. "Sho was only playing with the hoy anyway," But tho women saw and wondered. Xext day the whole world was in tho secret. For the morning papers had an account of the finding of one of "New York's most beautiful womon wom-on dead; cause of death unknown. nnBMnHgfJUHHiBHBMMnujWiM |