SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13285, 18 September 1906, Page 3

SHORT STORY.

LOVE'S STRATEGY.

The girl was looking out- of the window, humming softly, with a fine air of indifference. The man was leaning his back against the mantlepieoe, gloomily observing the points of his hoots.

They were good boots, but hardly worth the amount of serious observation ho was giving them. To any person of moderate understanding the situation was obvious. To the two actors in 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. I am 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 1 could never change or forget?'' "Why not?" she returned quickly. "That is just what I An ted to speak to you about. You see" —and her proud head was raised a trifle higher"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 know us all for years. Why do you except me, the unpractical one of the family, to snatch at. the offer of this post? You would have shown moro sense in asking Madge or Lilian ; and I dare say one of them might have had you." 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 1 didn'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 disagreeable appetite, and dine off a sentimental song, if you deem it best. 1 will also look out for some patent shirt-fasteners, which will have you the trouble of sewing oil buttons." Georgie looked up quickly. ' "You needn't try to be funny, Rex!" 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 wore 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 would stop loving me in a fortnight?" lie asked. "Then 1 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 over 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. I believe you may be right, after all, though it is hard to think of giving you up." And he signed softly but resignedly. "If you are not too angry with me will you tell me which you think it would lie best for me to try and like—Lilian or Madge?" "I am so glad, Rex, you are sensible at last! 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 bo perfectly satisfied if you kissed her onco a month or so, and occasionally said the dinner was excellent. She really would; she is so easily pleased. While — Well, you know what I am." "Yes; I know what you are," he replied •quietly. You are very young." ! She misunderstood him, as he had intended she should, and assented eagerly. "Yes; I am young— nineteen, and you are nearly thirty. Madge is nearest to you in age; and I believe you could make her love you if you tried." '" Shall I try?. Do you want me to?" "Yes, "of exjurso T want you to.- It is for your own sake. She would make you a better wife than I, because I don't want i ever to lie loved. I am' satisfied with my life as it is." : ,r ....... . . | All right, 1 Georgie. In a month I shall I have made up my mind, and I will tell you. Good-bye." ; , V "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 just resignedwhat? 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 inharmoniouslyand at last she gave it up with a shudder, and a feeling that she should not care if she never played a noto 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 Georgia 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. ■ . - . " ' 11. . ■/■ ; A month had passed. Once more "Georgie stood at the same window, softly humming. She was waiting for Rex, and her face was very pale. It was the same face still, but there was a differencethe difference which marks every girl's face when she becomes a woman. '

She had learned her* lesson and borne her 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 worth the sacrifice of art, and if art, without love, had turned to dust and ashes in her hand, who was to blame hut 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— careless indifference and entire absorption in her 'art. v.^ 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 had seen your face." " What does my fate tell you?" he asked. She looked at- him critically. "That the monientuons question is to be asked 110 later than this evening." she replied. " Good luck , attend you!" "Wrong. Try again." $ ' "Is it possible it is..to Ik 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 hail seized the hand she had offered, and was looking her straight in the face. What do you say to the question having l>eon asked, already?" The last, month had wrought many changes in Georgie. She had, for one thing, learned to keep her face under control. and only the slightest trembling of the eyelid showed that, '-lie was taken by surprise. "It-seemed hard, therefore, that even this should be noticed. She knew at once that lie had noticed it : but it should not make her abandon tlx- position. '• My dear brother-to-be," she said, regaining possession of herself, "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 entitled 'The Right Word in the Tiight Place' — help to those people born devoid of tact. I' was going to purchase it, in the assurance that T should find a paragraph entitled 'What to say to a future brother-in-law,' or words to that effect; and now you pounc*> 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 11*10 to make 0110 remark. You did not. ask what Madge said to me." He paused impressively. "She has refused me." It was his trump card, and he- was growing desperate. He took advantage of

Georgie's back being still turned towards him, and, creeping softly behind, took one glance at her face before she knew lie had moved. '

It was enough. "Georgie,'' he cried, "hasn't the play gone far enough? I am tired of acting; and I want you, Georgiel 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'? J don't understand.*' -

" No; I know," he s 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, Gorgie, don't be entreated