The Century Volume 52; V. 74; A Popular Quarterly (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 Excerpt: ...to Lady Alanby. "You have known Sir Thomas a long time?" Betty had just said. "Since we were children. Jane reminded me at the Dunholms' ball that she had played cricket with him when she was eight." "They have always liked each other?" Miss Vanderpoel suggested. Mary looked up at her, and the meeting of their eyes was frank to revelation. This splendid girl was understanding her. "Oh, you see " she broke out. "You left them together on purpose " "Yes, I did." And there was a comprehension so deep in her look that Mary knew it was deeper than her own, and somehow founded on some subtler feeling than her own. "When two people want so much--care so much to be together," Miss Vanderpoel added slowly, "it seems as if the whole world ought to help them." Mary stared at her, moved and fascinated. She scarcely knew that she caught at her hand. "I have never been in the state that Jane is," she poured forth, "and I can't understand how she can be such a fool; but--but we care about each other more than most girls do--perhaps because we have had no people. And it 's the kind of thing there is no use talking against, it seems. It 's killing the youngness in her. If it ends miserably, it will be as if she had had an illness and got up from it a faded, done-for spinster, with a stretch of hideous years to live. Her blue eyes will look like boiled gooseberries, because she will have cried all the color out of them. Oh, you understand I see you do " Before she had finished, both Miss Vanderpoel's hands were holding hers. "I do I do " she said. And she did, as a year ago she had not known she could. "Is it Lady Alanby?" she ventured. "Yes. Tommy w...