.. isn't she a
beautiful girl!'
"And she would be a great actress."
* * * * *
Penton came forth from the big house ... he poised tentatively like a
queer bird on the verge of a long flight ... then he wavered rapidly
down the steps.
"--slept late!... has the mail come yet?... where's Ruth?"
"Isn't she in the house?" I queried.
"I saw her stepping out at the back door a minute ago" ... said Darrie.
"We had breakfast together ... I...."
"I hope she doesn't stay away long ... I have an article on Blue Laws as
a Reactionary Weapon, that I want to dictate for a magazine ...--one of
her moods, I suppose!"
I looked the little, large-browed man over almost impersonally. I saw
him as from far away. He came out very clear to me.
I found a profound pity for him waking in my heart, together with a
sort of contempt.
"And where's Hildreth?"
"Not up yet I presume," replied Darrie.
* * * * *
I excused myself and hurried back to my tent ... where, instead of
settling down to work on the third act of my play, I lay prone on my
cot, day-dreaming of the future. How beautiful it would be, now that I
had at last found my life-mate!
I thanked God that nothing trivial was in my heart to mar the
stupendousness of my love, my first real passion for a woman!
* * * * *
"Johnnie!"
I leaped alert.
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