Love's Strategy. . . .

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 46, 18 May 1901, Page 19

Love's Strategy. . . .

THE girl was looking out of the win dow, humming softly, with a fine air of indifference. The man w as leaning his back against the mantelpiece, gloomily observing the points of Ins boots. They were good boots, but hardly worth the amount- of serious observation he was giving them. To any person of moderate understanding the situation was obvious. To the two actors m it it was becoming embarrassing. The man moved first. "You are sure your mind is made up, Georgie?" , .. The girl stopped humming abruptly, and turned round. "What is the good of beginning again?" she said, with an impatient movement. "You know one cannot serve two masters. lam going to give my life to my art." "But, Georgie"— and the man made an appealing gesture, for it was difficult to speak of such things to this girl —"you know what it means to me.-' I mean you know I could never change or forget?" .. . , , "Why not?" she returned quickly. "That "is just what I wanted to speak to you about. You see'— and her proud head was raised a trifle hig he r7 "you only want a wife who can see that you get a good dinner every day, and sew the buttons on your shirts. You have known us all for years. Why do you expect me, the unpractical one ot the family, to snatch at the offer of this nost* You would have shown more sense in asking Madge or Lilian and I dare say one of them might have had y °For a moment there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes ; but it changed to a tender look of amusement as the girl flung herself viciously into a chair, with the air of a sulky child. "I suppose it would have been more sensible," he agreed ; "only I don't love either Madge or Lilian. If you will only have me," he continued, a twinkle in his eye and abject humility in his voice, "I will do my best to overcome my disgraceful appetite, and dine ott a sentimental song, if you deem it best. I will also look out for some patent shirt-fasteners, which will save you the trouble of sewing on buttons. Georgie looked up quickly. "You needn't try to be funny, Hex! she said, severely. "You know quite well I should have to become a domesticated woman if I married , and I won t. I am going to devote my life to music , and if I were to sacrifice that and marry you, I should stop loving you in a fortnight, and hate you in a month. There, that's all!" Rex looked up quickly. ' You may stop loving me in a tortnight °" he asked. "Then I may infer you have begun already?" "You may infer nothing, sir! she retorted sharply, but her face was crimson. "By Jove! that's the nearest I've ever got:" thought Rex. "I believe she does half like me , but I must make her cave in "before she'll respect me." There was a moment's pause; then he said gently . "I beg your pardon, Georgie. 1 believe you may be right, after all, though it is hard to think of giving you up. And he sighed softly, but resignedly. "If you are not too angry with me, will you tell me which you think it would be best for me to try and like— Lilian or Madge?" . . "I am so glad, Rex, you are sensible at last I Really, I have thought it out carefully , and, though Lilian is awfully sweet, and— and everything, I think Madge is the one best suited to you. You see, she cooks splendidly and knows exactly how everything ought to be done in a house, and would be pera month, or so, and occasionally said fectly satisfied if you kissed her once the dinner was excellent. She really would, she is so easily pleased. While I Well, you know what I am. "Yc\s, I know what you are," he replied quietly. You am very young. She misunderstood him, as he had intended she should, and assented eagerly. '■Yes, I am young, — only nineteen, and you are nearly thirty Madge is nearest you in age , and I believe you could make her love you if you tried. "Snail I try 9 Do you want me to?' "Yes, of course I want you to. It is for your own sake. She would make you a better wife than I, because I "don't want even to be loved. lam satisfied with my life as it is." "All right, Georgie In a month 1 shall hare made up my mnid, and I will tell you Good-bye." "Good-bye," she murmured, vaguely afraid of what she had done. She sat down with a sigh of relief at her beloved piano, for which she had iust resigned— what ? Only a post as housekeeper? Of course, that was all. But, at any rate, it had had a bad effect on her nerves, for the notes seemed to jangle and clash inharmoniously ;

and at last she gave it up with a shudder, and a feeling that she should not care if she never played a note again. She tried to reason out the cause of her depression , but it seemed to have no cause, and, with a lagging step, she made her way to the sunny den which she shared with her sisters. Madge was sitting there alone, sewing and singing gaily. She looked up with a smile as Georgie entered, and an unusual merriment danced in her eyes. "Guess who's been here?" exclaimed Madge. "Who?" "Rex! And he's got a box for 'The Loves of Henrietta' to-morrow, and he's asked mother and I to go." "I'm so glad," said Georgie, but with singular want of enthusiasm. And Madge stole a furtive look at her, and the corners of her mouth quivered. A month had passed. Once again Georgie stood at the same window, softly humming. She was waiting for Rex, and her face was very pale. It w r as the same face still, but there was a difference — the diffeience which marks every girl's face when she becomes a woman. She had learnt her lesson, and borne hei punishment in silence. To-day she had nerved herself for a supreme effort, that she might do no wrong to the sister who had stepped into the place she had voluntarily resigned. She had thought love not worth the sacrifice of art, and if art, without love, had turned to dust and ashes in her hand, who was to blame but herself? She was waiting for Rex — Rex, who had fallen such a helpless victim to Madge that he had had scarcely a look or a word to spare for her the whole month. It was this that had first taught her what she had lost, and that had afterwards nerved her to play her part — for a week's experience had taught her it was only a part — of careless indifference and entire absorption in her art. When it seemed too hard for her, she reminded herself sternly of her own words — "I am satisfied with my life as it is." "They shall never see I am not satisfied," she said and struggled on. To-day there was a set, stern look on her face, for this was to be the supreme ordeal, and at present there was no one to see her. But, as she leaned her* head listlessly against the window, there came from the hall the sound of a familiar whistle, and instantly her expression changed. A smiling, expectant face greeted Rex as he entered, and she scrutinised him with playful anxiety. "The funeral and wedding marches are side by side on the piano," she began, with an affected attempt at seriousness; "but I was waiting to choose between them till I have seen your face." "What does my face tell you?" he asked. She looked at him critically. "That the momentous question is to be asked no later than this evening," &he replied. "Good luck attend you 1" "Wrong. Try again." "Is it possible it is to be postponed till to-morrow morning?" And she held out her hand with a playful gesture of sympathy. "Wrong again. I see I must tell you." He had seized the hand she had offered, and was looking her straight in the face. "What do you say to the question having been asked alroady ?" The last, month had wrought many changes in Georgie. She had, for one thing, learnt to keep her face under control, and only the slightest, trembling of the eyelid showed that she was taken by surprise. It seemed hard, therefore, that even this should be noticed. She knew at once that he had noticed it , but it should not make her abandon the position. "My dear brqther-to-he," she said, regaining possession of her hand, "I consider I have been grossly ill-treated in having this fact sprung upon me so suddenly. I had heard of a delightful little book called "The Right Word in the Right Place" — a help to those people born devoid of tact. I was going to purchase it, m the assurance that I should find a paragraph entitled 'What to say to a future brother-in-law,' or words to that effect, and now you pounce upon me like this, and crush me. I feel unfit for conversation. You had better go." And she turned majestically away. "I will. Only you must first allow me to make one remark. You did not ask what Madge said to me." Ho paused impressively. 'She has lefu&cd me." It was his trump-card, and he w a*, growing desperate. He took advantage of Georgie's back being still turned towards him, and, creeping softly behind

her, took one glance at her face before she knew he had moved. It was enough. "Georgie," he cried, '"hasn't the play gone far enough ? I am tired of acting , and I want you, Georgie —l can't tell you how much I want you!" There was passionate entreaty in his voice. "What did you mean," she asked slowly, "by saying you were 'tired of acting?' I don't understand." "No, I know," he answered guiltily. "I've got to tell you. Madge and I have been playing at being lovers during the last month. I have even asked her to marry me, and she has refused. It was the natural climax to the play, she said, and she told me to do it, because nothing else would put you off your guard. I had to know whether you loved me or not," he ended desperately. "It was very cruel," she whispered at last. "Ah, Georgie, don't!" he entreated. "I thought of that, but, honestly, would you ever have known you loved me if we had gone on in the same old way ?" There was a moment's silence. 'I should never have known I loved you," she answered softly. ******* "Rex, your impudence is astounding! It was three o'clock when you entered this room, and it is now a quarter-past fivel" And Madge bounded into the room, with a hat and stick in one hand and an overcoat in the other. "Be off this moment, sir —only give me time to get away first! I dare not be left aJone with Georgie yet'" And, depositing her burdens in a heap on a chair, Madge departed. As Rex turned to get his hat, Georgie quietly slipped away to the further end of the room. "Am I to go without even sayinp good-bye?" he "asked, in an injured tone, at last. "No : you needn't." And the tone was very demure. "If you like to come here you can have your coat. I have been sewing a button on it."

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