Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Ill THEY walked up to the entrance of the big Park, a wall of dark-green starred with electric lights; Basil talking vigorously about the events of his day—his picture, a luncheon with a French painter visiting the city and two Kussian anarchists, an interview with a publisher whom he had invited to consider making a book of his drawings. With Teresa's hand clasped on his arm he felt forgiven for an offense which he was not conscious of having committed. They took the lumbering stage, with its cadaverous horses and quaint air of decay, and rode down to the restaurant where Basil had ordered dinner. They were the only passengers, and Teresa said, as the primitive vehicle rolled pathetically against the rapid current of luxury setting uptown: " Dear old One-Hoss Shay, I hope it doesn't fall to pieces before we get there! How nice it is to be poor, Basil." "What does that mean? I know it doesn't mean what it says," he answered, laughing and holding her close against his shoulder. " Yes, it does. People don't bother about us, and we needn't bother about them. I like tofeel lost in this tremendous whirl. It makes somehow my troubles seem small and my—happiness great." " Dearest—you're happy then? " Basil said tenderly, half-startled. " I'm perfectly happy. I keep wondering what will happen to spoil it all. . . . Someone will take you away from me! " He laughed out at that. " If you cared half as seriously for me as I do for you ! " But suddenly she trembled in his clasp, and hid her face on his shoulder, tilting her big hat over one ear. "Teresa! You strange child! What is the matter with you to-day? " he cried, trying to see her eyes. " No—nothing—let me alone," she said imperiously, though in a stifled voice. And she clung to him silent for some momen...