“Take the
Siding”
A Warning by Which an Acci
dent Wai Averted.
By EMMA ARCHER OSBORNE
Copyright. 1910, by American Press
Association.
After au absence of four years from
Jtadnor. James Casey had returned as
suiieriuiendent of the eastern division
of ilie railroad and had married Llb
bn> .Nelson. The wedding was only
yesterday, and now that it was over
and they had started for the east the
villagers had time to revert to the
story. The-Nelsons were so proud of
I Heir new sou-ln-law that they could
inn. restrain themselves from telling,
despite the protestations of Llbbie and
Jim. .
Miortly after the night of the church
voucvrt when Casey beard Llbbie Nel
son sing that song which had some
thing in It about “angels in charge”
lie* commenced to think things about
angels, and one day his imagination
evolved an angel, or something as near
like one as he could picture. When
Casey’s mental vision beheld it he
broke Into a satisfied grin. If brought
forth to visual observation it would
'have appeared strikingly like Llbbie
Nelson.
Things went along quietly for two
months and then something hap
pened.
While Casey was on his way to the
yards at Buffalo to board 300 for
the return trip an ambulance went
galloping past him. Ambulances pass
(people frequently In a big city, and
there wus nothing afcout this one In
particular to apprise Casey that Nat
Taylor, fireman for Bill Whalen, who
was running 809. was inside, it was
a nasty uigbt, and Taylor had slipped
on the icy tracks and broken a.leg.
When Casey, with a few extra min
utes on hand, sauntered Into the* train
dispatcher’s office he found that Insti
tution in voluble ferment. Of course
everybody was sorry for Taylor, but
a fireman with a broken leg was of
small concern in comparison with the
awkward situation In which he had
left them.
A special, carrying the president! of
the road from New York to Chicago
on business of vital import, was at
that moment only ten miles from the
station and coming at the rate of a
mile a minute.
I Bill Whalen, one of the best en
gineers on the road, and 809. the
pick and pride of the roundhouses,
were out in the depot yards waiting to
relieve the incoming and already over
heated locomotive. Whalen and 809
were ready to couple on at a moment’s
notice, but no substitute hud yet been
found for Taylor, and there were pre
cious few minutes to snare.
Casey was not given long to ponder
on the excitement of the office. He
i had no more than crossed the threshold
when Thompson, the train dispatcher,
literally leaped across the room and
^grasped him by the arm.
“Get out to 809 as quick as you can!”
l!he shouted. “Hurry! For God’s sake
hurry! Don’t stop for anything! Run!
['Whalen ’ll tell you!”
Casey peeled off his coat as he was
climbing into the cab, and he had
'scarcely grabbed a shovel and com
[tneticed to throw coal when the special,
straining and wheezing, crunched on
the track alongside.
Switching and coupling were matters
of seconds only. and. although the
night was intensely cold, two men
'stood on the platform of the single
conch anxiously watching proceedings.
One was a large, stern visaged person.
Be was restless. He chewed at his
short white mustache, buttoned and
unbuttoned his fur coat and never took
;his eyes off the engine until they were
Igeiting under headway.
"Do your best, boys!” he shouted
across the tender to the men in the en
gine as they shunted on the main track
ami set off. The determined nods he
received In reply were assuring.
Wakeful farmers and belated vil
lagers were puzzled by the unusual
traveler as 809 with her single con
sort momentarily flashed on their view
like a monster one eyed demon wraith,
gliding, gleaming, screeching across
•country.
The special had left murky Cleve
land and had climbed the long west
.[grade to the bluff land bordering the
lake. The snow hud turned to sleet.
;and everything indicated that it had
■been sleeting for some time in that lo
cality. The landscape glistened, tele
graph poles and fences shone like crys
ttul specters, wires were thick with in
crustations. and after a distance they
were sagging, and then some were
broken and dragging on the ground.
i “There’s no use talking," growled
Whalen. “I've got to slow down some
or we’ll be blown into the middle of
nowhere. Get away from this devilish
lake, then we can make up.”
j He eased 809 a bit. Yet she puffed
and pulled and stuck nobly to her task.
"If orders to clear the tracks didn’t
iget through before those wires went
■down we may be all In,” observed Cn
tsev.
“You're about right,” replied Whalen
glumly, "but the only thing I can do
jjj» to watch for signals.”
"And In a drizzling sleet like this
•there might just about as well be no
signals.” continued Casey.
They had passed Dempsey and In
.another forty minutes would reach
Radnor. Under ordinary conditions
the local was due at this point, but
if no error in orders had occurred she
should be waiting now on the elding at
Putnam, the Station beyond, giving
right of way to the president’s special.
The strain was beginning to tell on
both men and on Whalen in particu
lar.
Casey was turning away from coal
ing when he noticed Whalen lean
against the window post.
"Come, take the lever for a min
ute,” he ealK?d. "Pm feeling bad"—
Before he could finish he slid to the
floor of the cab.
Casey, bending over him. saw he
was unconscious, but whether dead or
in a faint it was Impossible for him to
determine In the cramped space and
under the stress of responsibility which
suddenly presented itself. In a flush
he realized his position. He reculled
afterward how he was planning what
to do even ns he stepped across Wha
len's prostrate form and grasped the
throttle lever.
The fire bed would last to Putnam,
and there he would coerce some one
from the sidetracked local to finish
the run. Yes, he could do it—that is,
if the track was clear.
Casey was leaning half out the cab
window in his eugerness to watch the
track and catch the signal. His dark
eyes pierced into the great invisible:
bis head was bare and his black hair
was a disheveled mnss; his neck,
which was bare also, despite the sleet
and cold, seemed to spring out twice
its usual size from his masterful shoul
ders. His face was tense. He had
called into command every bit of hu
man vitality he had in him to battle
with the horrible possibilities he was
facing and was facing alone.
Finally the signal came to view—very
faintly, waveringly and indistinctly at
first, then a trifle plainer until he
caught its full significance.
"Clear track!” it indicated.
He reached toward the lever to
throw on more speed, but instead, out
in the black night and just ahead
of the cub window, glided the spirit
form of LIbble Nelson. She was peer
ing intently ahead.
"Take the siding!” she motioned to
Casey, and instantly his hand was im
pelled to the whistle and 809 was
shrieking for the switch to the Radnor
sidetrack.
Casey felt as if a kind of insanity
had seized him, yet he slowed down
and then found himself watching for
the switch signul, and watching eager
ly, impatiently.
He brought 809 to a full stop. He
waited.
Why didn't they send the signal?
Would the siding never be opened?
Was it ice locked? What wras wrong
anyway? He usked himself a thou
sand questions as he grew more and
more frantic with apprehension.
It seemed that he had waited there
a hundred years when he finally caught
the flash of the waving lantern.
Then he had to get 809 into action
again. It took only a few seconds, but
those seconds seemed hours.
When the locomotive moved forward
Casey, pressing forward also ns if to
carry the great, throbbing engine with
him, looked half mad with dread of
the imminent—the imminence of some
thing terrible and near.
But 809 didn’t fail him. Slie obeyed
the commanding touch which he ap
plied to the levers.
And Casey was obeying the com
mands of the recognized supernatural,
yet for the life of him he couldn't un
derstand.
The special shot on the siding with
not a second to spare from colliding
with the local.
Then he understood, and his gray,
trembling lips murmured one word.
That word was “Libbie!"
When Casey staggered down from
the cab he was weak, so weak that it
was all he could do to stand. At first
he seemed to forget who or where he
was. Then gradually his mind cleared
and he looked about him.
“Whalen's come to,” some one told
him. “Hud some kind of a spell."
They had taken Whalen into the sta
tion.
Stamping up and down in the snow
and the slush was the president of the
road, blustering with mingled grati
tude and severity and firing questions
at the dazed Casey.
When Casey fully regained his senses
it was wonderful what things he re
membered, things that he had scarcely
noticed when they happened, even de
tails after he gave way to the super
natural. One thing, however, he failed
to mention when telling of the pe
culiar influence that had controlled
him. and that was the name of Libbie
Nelson.
“It was a premonition,” he insisted.
“Young man,” said the president,
gripping Casey’s rough hand when
they were parting at Chicago, "those
who were responsible for that affair
buck yonder will be dealt with sum
marily.
“As for yourself, the rules of this
company compel employees to run
trains by orders and signals instead
of by premonitions. As you have dis
regarded a signal, even though it
would have proved disastrous If you
had obeyed it. it would be the duty of
your boss to dismiss you. I shall, how
ever, take it upon myself to do that.
This is your last trip. Consider your
self discharged.”
Casey was weary and jaded almost
to the limit of human endurance. He
was the picture of woe and would
have turned away, but the president
still gripped bis hand.
“But.” he continued, with a twitch
ing around his mouth, “there’s some
thing in you that calls for better things
than firing on a locomotive. I have
your name and address—here are
mine,” handing Casey a card. “Be at
my office in New York two weeks from
today. I'm in a tremendous hurry
now. Thank you for your splendid
run. and goodby 1”
Two weeks later Casey called on the
president and received his reward.
NEW GUINEA PYGMIES.
The Spear and Bow and Poisoned Ar*
rows Their Chief Weapons.
Our kuowledge of the p.vgmies of
Now Guinea shows that In hubit they
are nomudlc, nowhere tlh'ing the
ground, but depending for their living
entirely on their skill In buntftig and
Ashing. Their chief weapon ds the
bow. their arrows being generally
poisoned either with-the famous'upas
or some other similar vegetable poison,
in some cases a species of strychnlue.
They also make use of the spear and
an Ingenious form of spring gun
which Is common to numerous other
forest tribes. This Is formed by set
ting a flattened bamboo»spear nttachcd
to a bent sapling, whichds fastened to
a trigger In such a way that it Is re
leased by the passerby stumbling
ngalnst an Invisible string stretched
across a game track. These spears are
really set for game, and to the initi
ated they are obvious enough, as their
presence Is always indicated by cer
tain well known signs, such as a
broken off twig placed in a cleft stick.
In war these signs are removed, the
removal being equivalent to the mov
ing of buoys in a mined channel. The
wounds Inflicted by these hardened
bamboo spears are necessarily serious.
The mental qualities of the Negritos
are extremely undeveloped, none of
them being able to express a higher
numerical idea than three, but all ob
servers who have met them unite In
saying that they are a merry little peo
ple. with great ideas of hospitality
when their confidence has been gained
and provided they have not been pre
viously 111 treated. They are not can
nibals and are generally monogamous.
—London Times.
LIGHTNING FLASHES.
many I rungs concerning § nem ■ n«i
Science Cannot Fathom,
A young girl In charge of two chil
dren, sheltering under a tree on Chlsle
hurst common, was struck by light
ning and killed—one of those dreadful
Instances of the sort of personal touch
with which lightning seems to select
its victim, for, though one child is re
ported to have been thrown down, nei
ther apparently was Injured. There
are many Instances, of course, of this
strange selection, due In most cases
probably to some accident of clothing.
There is a well remembered case which
happened some years ago at Cam
bridge. when three young men were
walking across an open space of
ground, and the middle one of the
three was struck dead, while the oth
ers were untouched. The Inquest
showed that the young man who was
killed bad nails In his boots, whereas
the others were wearing boating shoes.
The phenomena of thunderstorms
have been the subject of much study
In America. But If thunderstorms can
be classified, they are still not thor
oughly understood. We do not yet
know wbat are the exact conditions
which lead to a discharge of electricity* '
In the form of a lightning flash from
cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth.
We cannot reproduce thunder and
lightning In a laboratory. We do not
know what Is the origin of the elec
trification manifested in a storm.—
London Spectator.
• iwminy »nv WMkWI ••
John Barrett was only twenty-seven
years old when President Cleveland
appointed him minister to Slam. The
first important task which confronted
the youthful envoy was to press a
claim against the Siamese government
for $1,000,000. Experienced ambassa
dors wnrned him against using threats
in obtaining the money. “Be cunning;
avoid arrogance,” they said.
“That is.” responded Mr. Barrett,'
"you favor tickling with a straw to
pricking with a bayonet"
The statesmen nodded assent
When the young minister had finally ;
succeeded in collecting the claim the
ambassadors asked In astonishment
“How did you accomplish It?” ,
“By tickling,” explained Barrett “I
had to tickle them almost to death,
though, before they agreed to pay it.”
. “ ... I
Quaint Ramadiat.
Among the members of the Greek
church in Macedonia the following (
recipes are regarded as highly useful:
To pacify one’s enemies write the ,
psalm "Known In Judea.” dissolve it ,
In water and give your enemy to drink
thereof, and he will be pacified. For a
startled and frightened man take three
Jry chestnuts and sow thistle and
three glasses of old wine and let him |
Irlnk thereof early and late. Write ,
also "In the beginning was the word” i
and let him carry It
- i
Plump Birdie. !
She (after the service)—You dreadful i
fellow! Why did you smile during the i
offertory? He — I couldn’t help It 1
There was Miss Addle Pose singing
’‘Had I the wings of a dove." The j
mental picture of a 200 pounder trying
to fly with a pair of four Inch wings i
was too much for me. 1
In Bohemia.
“How did you enjoy her bohemian
evening?” i
“It wasn't much. Both the epigrams i
md the sandwiches were stale.” —
Washington Herald.
8ure Sign.
“now do you know they’re mar- .
ried?"
“Cun't you see? He’s making her
bait her own fishhooks."—Detroit
Free Tress. t
Tho Added Part.
Church — Does your neighbor play ■
that cornet without notes? Gotham—
Yes, but not without comments. —
Yonkers Statesman.
OLD TIME PUNISHMENT.
Agony of a Day In tha Stocks For a
Fit of Bad Tamper.
A record on flle in the library of con
gress contains nn account of the ad
veutures of a certain Hubbard, who
was sentenced in Boston to the stocks
for having indulged In an unwarrant
able fit of 111 temper, says Harper's
Weekly. When he had taken his seat
for the day there came along n drove
of stvlne, which seemed to cast upon
him those leering looks that only a fat
pig can bestow. A dog followed, sniff
ing at the prisoner’s feet and making
feints—unpleasantly approaching real
ity—of biting him. Then a cock, mount
ing to the very top of the stocks,
crowed his derision upon the victim
below, and presently a rough fellow,
after Indulging in ugly taunts, threw
at him fetid toadstools and a dead
snake.
Then nn Indian appeared, who in a
drunken rage, stimulated by some fan
cied Injury, rushed at Hubbard with
a tomahawk, probably Intending noth
ing worse, however, than to give him
a severe fright, which he certainly suc
ceeded In doing.
Help came from an unexpected quar
ter. for at that moment an old bull
came tearing down the road. His at
tention was attracted by the stocks,
and with a roar he prepared for a
charge.
Alarmed in his turn, the savage
dashed off. The bull made a dash at
the stocks and carried away the cor
ner post, but without even grazing the
Jbject of his apparent wrath. Whether
he was disgusted by the little he had
accomplished or his animosity was
thus satisfied, he started off, bellowing
and shaking his head, much to the re
lief of the said Hubbard.
And then the unfortunate man was
left in comparative pence to bis own
meditations and tho cutting sleet of a
November day,
A COURSE OF DINNERS.
It Includes Roasted Peas as a Substi- ]
tuts For Coffee.
lu ft little book called “The Econom
ical Housekeeper," published about tho '
year 1840, there Is given on one page 1
“A Course of Dinners For a Week.” 1
At the time of Its publication the little
book was most popular, as Is proved 1
by the author’s preface to the second *
revised edition. She says: 1
“Encouraged by tho very favorable <
reception that our humble labors have I
met In the rapid sale of the first edi- 1
tlon of 1,500 copies In about fifteen 1
weeks, and the demand still contlnu- 1
lng, we have improved the time by en
deavoring to make the present edition 1
more worthy of patronage, if possible, <
than the first.”
Therefore It Is probable that the 1
"course of dinners” which follows was '
considered admirable at that time: 1
“Monday—Tea, coffee or cocoa, with
mincemeat, bread and butter in win- 1
ter, bread and milk In summer.
“Tuesday—Boiled dish, with apple 1
dumplings. 1
"Wednesday—Boasted or baked meat, 1
with bread pudding.
“Thursday—Broiled steak or fresh
fish, with baked rice pudding. :
“Friday—Baked beans, with baked
Indian pudding. :
“Saturday-Salt codfish boiled, with '
apple pie. 1
“Sunday—Morning, hashed fish and 1
coffee; noon, bread and butter, cheese, !
pie, doughnuts.”
It Is a suggestive paragraph which I
appears on the same page:
“Peas, roasted and ground, are an
sxcellent substitute for coffee, and you 1
would hardly know which Is best.”— «
South's Companion. 6
- (
Value of the Kangaroo’e Tail.
So Important Is the kangaroo’s tall
n his rapid progress that experienced 1
mnters with guns are accustomed to i
ire at the point where this appendage
bins the body, when, the tall being 1
llsabled for Its office of balancing, the 1
inimal Is as effectually stopped as If c
mmstrung. Hit elsewhere, except
with a rifle bullet or at point blank 1
■ange, the kangaroo Is pretty likely to 1
;et off. One peculiarity of the kanga- 8
■oo Is that, after being started up, he '
rery rarely swerves from his course, c
hrough which peculiarity he Is easily c
‘potted” by hunters, who conceal
hemselves while a man on horseback 8
Irlves the herd toward them. t
Insect Wonders,
Nothing can exceed the perfection of
he minutest parts of tho Insect or- (
fanization in general. The finest (
itrand in a spider’s web, which can t
icarcely be seen, Is said to bo com
>osed of no less than 4,000 threads.
)n a single wing of a butterfly have
>een found 100,000 scales and on that {
>f a silkworm moth 400,000, each of j
hese minute scales being a marvel of t
>eauty and completeness In Itself. So
hln are the wings of many insects t
hat 50,000 placed over each other
would only be a quarter of an Inch (
hick, and yet, thin as they are, each [
s double. g
Puzzled Tommy.
“Pa.” said Tommy, "my Sunday t
ichool teacher snys If I’m good I’ll go e
o heaven." I
"Well, what about it?” said his pa. {
“Well, you said if I was good I’d go
o the circus. Now, I want to know f
vho's fibbing, you or her.” — Lippln- [
;ott’s.
The Similarity.
“Lucky at cards, unlucky at love,” ,
luoted the wise guy.
“Well, either Is simply a case of (
lolding hands,” said the simple mug. j
-Philadelphia Record. c
To encourage talent Is to create it.— j
Lessing. I
Her Place
He T&kes It end Wins Musical
Honors.
By T. W. WINDHAM.
Copyright 1910, by American Press
Association.
Margaret Trentliain, a fair Bostonian,
stood in a room in a German pension.
She was speaking to a young man, like
herself a musleian.
“Yon don’t realize what it means to
me, Mr. Tolstoy. This is my last turn
here and the concert tomorrow my
only opportunity of playing publicly in
the Conservatoire."
“But the circumstances are excep
tional," he urged. “It happens that
Professor Meyerhaus is in Leipzig re
cruiting violinists for his American
tour, and it occurred to mo that per
haps he would Include mo in his or
chestra as solo pianist"—
“By engaging me Meyerhaus would
save tho huge fees demanded by musi
cians who have made a name, and for
me”—a pause gave additional weight
;o his words—“it means possibly the
ipoulng of a career. I should come
hefore the public at once and without
expense Instead of returning to Amer
ca to drudge at teaching, because I
lo not possess tho means to make an
imposing debut”
“But you forget," she added in
iclf vindication, “I have rehearsed
vlth the orchestra throughout the
;erm, and the conductor will not ap
crove of a change at the last mo
ment.”
“I have already obtained his permis
lion’’— he began.
“Then if he is willing for you to
>lay why does he allow tho decision
o rest with me?” she broke in.
The tension of a momentary silence
Tied him bey.ond endurance, ltlslmg,
le walked to the door, pausing at the
hrcshold.
“Forgive the intrusion. Unfortu
intcly I misled myself with the belief
hat you would willingly code a chance
o a professional, being yourself an
tmuteur and independent. 1 can only
lope thnt your triumph tomorrow”—he
lugered on tho word in conscious
rony—“will otone for the vexation of
ay visit.”
A large cosmopolitan audience filled
he Conservatoire hall for the final
oncort of the season.
An attendant opened the piano in
eadlness for the concerto as the plan
et came forward, escorted by the mas
er under whom she hud studied.
She seated herself at the Instrument,
md a little ripple of applause broke
'rom the balcony. Glancing upward In
ihy acknowledgment, she met the
itendfast gaze of a man seated Imme
liately facing her, who vouchsafed but
be merest glance of recognition and
'esumed the study of a music score
ying on his knees.
The players lowered their bow hands
or several bars’ rest In the lull pre
siding the excerpt for the solo instru
ment the sound of a sharp indrawn
ireath struck downward through the
Hence.
The baton bent on steadily—three
bur—
“One!”
Vn nnairoplmr frnm tha nlnn.
3t The conductor glared at her
ghast. the orchestra iu undisguised
urprlse. She started slightly, and the
olor flamed Into her checks.
The baton swooped down again.
“One, frauleln!” The conductor
saned forward, half frantic. “Have
ou forgotten?” he hissed.
A soft, level voice prompted sudden
7 from the balcony, “The allegro
lovement, key A flat minor, extended
hord.”
She glunced swiftly forward with a
ttle Impulsive gesture and rose In
er seat, faced the conductor, flashed
glance of swift defiance and passed
?lth hend erect through rows of tbun
erstruek musicians to the platform
xlt.
Bewildered comments were exchang
d throughout the hall, and the nota
ility In the stalls adjusted its spec
icles rather Irritably and awaited de
elopmeuts.
“These Americans! These Ameri
ans!” chafed the conductor, beside
lmself with rage; then he hurled an
rder at the doorkeeper, pointing to
he balcony.
“Herr Tolstoy! Fetch him immedl
tely!"
Thu man at the end bad already dis
ppeared, and iu the passage connect
ig the platform with the cloakrooms
e encountered the retiring pianist.
“Quick!” she whispered. “The con
uctor called for you.”
His face glowed with trembling,
xultant gratitude. He seized her
and and started backward conscience
trlckeu as a tear fell glistening on her
leeve.
sue rusueu past nim disconcerted,
need the step or two down the pas
age and turned abruptly to avenge
or momentary loss of self control In
n outbreak of reproach.
“Why don't you go? My failure
Ives you your opportunity. Pray don’t
esitate to avail yourself."
“I’m sorry, so sorry”— he began.
“Do go!” she reiterated less harshly.
They will continue the program. It
rill be too late in another moment.”
Though his hope of the future de
ended on that moment, he still stood
rresolute, gazing in sheer fascination
t the tear stained, Imperious face.
“Do go! Do please go! It won't
ave been any good If you don’t, and
shall never forelve myself”—
i
' ‘"Herr Tolstoy I”
The stentorian Voice of the door
keeper rang down the passage, and
she darted through a doorway.
Iler companion followed, stopped a
second, and his Ups seared her cheeks.
In the next the platform door closed
behind him.
An echo reached her of the allegro—
rippling, lightening, swirling across the
keys, subdued at. Intervals to the tu
mult of orchestral accompaniment,
then ringing again, triumphant, quiv
ering at the last with the rapt, exalted
passion of a love song, followed by the
silence that Is greater than applause.
The pianist himself broke the spell,
rising from his seat. The hall shook
with n burst of enthusiasm. He passed
unheeded through the platform exit.
The white haired notablUty removed
his glasses with a sigh of satisfied en
joyment and turned to his colleague,
his rugged Teutonic features softening
Into a smile.
“Your American young ladies—do
they often take stage fright? But her
compatriot! He Is magnificent! To
play that most difficult concerto with
out notes, without rehearsal—touch,
technique perfect! Consider also his
youth”—
The director broke in with adroit ex
planation and suggestion. The pro
fessor beamed with delighted recol
JWUUU.
“It Is the same, then, who offered his
services? You are right, my friend,
that I should change my mind, that
the world should hear of him. He
shall go with me on tour."
Twilight In the park, tho shnrp. gray
twilight of late autumn. A smart elec
tric runabout, with a lady at the lever
and a chauffeur at her side, joined the
stream of vehicles entering the park
at tho Pinza. Her features were only
partially visible through her automo
bile veil, but an involuntary exclama
tion broke from a man pacing aimless
ly along the walk.
“Miss Trenthnm!”
“Mr. Tolstoy!”
With the answering cry of recogni
tion she drew up close to the walk,
heedless of tho rules of the road.
Half hesitating, Tolstoy went for
ward.
“So you are back In America, Mr.
Tolstoy?”
“Yes." He muttered the monosylla
ble without raising his eyes.
“And I see from the papers that your
European tour was a great success."
Ho blurted out a second affirmative.
For the moment she was slightly
nonplused; then with Infinite tact she
once more took tho Initiative.
“You are soon appearing In New
York?”
“Tomorrow at Carnegie hall,” he re
plied shortly.
Boardmen were parading Broadway
with notices of the professor's concert.
It humbled him that she bad not no
ticed the large type at the foot of the
boards—“Solo pianoforte, Mr. Alfred
Tolstoy.”
“A matinee?”
He nodded stiffly.
“Of course I shall go. It will be a
great pleasure to me to be present at
your debut,” she continued.
“It happens to be the last concert of
the series,” he said Idly.
“I had no Idea," she began In a tone
of eager explanation. “But, then, l
have been traveling abroad a good
deal with my parents since I saw you
last. We only returned from Switzer
land a couple of days ago.”
The fact accounted for her apparent
Indifference, and his expression soften
ed, but he stared moodily before him
to avoid her eyes, and the handsome
turnout In which she was seated with
her liveried chauffeur somehow forced
on him a sense of social disparity.
When she spoke again her voice bad a
shy, hesitating ring.
“I need scarcely ask If you are suc
cessful?”
piuuuv;cu u uit'uiurauuum auu
read out some details—no trace of
pleasure or enthusiasm in his tone, only
a cynical sort of triumph in the sense
of achievement.
“Tomorrow is my final appearance
in New York with Professor Meyer
buus for the present I am booked
subsequently for various musical re
ceptions; also the principal concert
agents have made me very flattering
offers."
“Shall I congratulate you?” she ask
ed slowly.
“If you had congratulated me that
night at the Conservatoire," he broke
out resentfully, “and given me the op
portunity to thank you”—
“You could not expect me to wait,
to face every one after my failure.
Besides”—she turned away her eyes
to hide a sudden confusion—“you—
you had already thanked me.”
“It was not only to thank-you— He
was confused now, struggling with an
Increasing desire to make his hopeless
avowal.
“I owe my subsequent success to
you,” he continued pedantically.
“No. indeed!" she broke lu eagerly.
“But—I am glad—more than I can
say—that you have realized your am
bition.”
“I suppose I have.”
His tone gave the lie to the acknowl
edgment.
He had fullen so pitifully short of
realization. Could she but know!
Despair overwhelmed the remnant
of his pride and self control. He
raised his eyes, aflame with his se
cret.
“I am still striving,” he said halting
ly, "for the unattainable."
She darted a questioning glance.
The grim white face straiued toward
her through the dusk, aud conviction
flashed swift upon her.
She bent impulsively, with a radiant,
triumphant smile. Her voice swayed
with a little tremor of delight.
“I think I understand. But you are
mistaken. For all you know the un
attainable may be within reach."
