The White People

ant members of the literary world. The night after I arrived there was to be a particularly notable dinner. I had come prepared to appear at it. Jean had brought fine array

dine here to-night, Ysobel," s

y to my heart as I stood and looked

ou love his books," she said.

ant to talk to him," I answered, and I felt a

hy to know how to say

vice. "The man will be like his book

and sent me downstairs. It does not matter who the guests were; I scarcely remember. I was taken in to dinner b

s and individual ones, but at first I saw no Hector MacNairn. Then, on bending forward a little to glance behind an epergne, I found a face which it surprised and pleased me to see. It was t

-the man at the other si

le. "It is the author the world is talking of most in these da

elp being shy, that it was only my nature, and that if I said things awkwardly my meanings were better than my words. Perhaps I should be able to tell him something of what his books had been to me. I glanced through the flowers again-and he was looking at me! I could scarcely believe it for a

knowing what it was. Lord Armour began to talk kindly. He was saying beautiful, admiring things of Mr. MacNairn and his work. I listened gratefully, and

ch, I can see," the ami

great genius were one's friend-as if he talked and one listen

e quite thoughtfully, as if

rcarrie," he answered. "MacNairn would like

nderful, interested ones just as I had met them before. It almost seemed as if he had been watching me. It migh

ome old prints at a quiet, small table. There were a few minutes of smiling talk, and then Sir

d. "He has heard something of Muircarrie and would like to hear more, Ysobel. She lives like a

because he realized that we should

e things most people had either never heard of or had only thought of as legends. He talked as he wrote, and I scarcely knew when he led me into talking also. Afterward I realized that h

ak of our meeting in the railway carriage, and I mention

Its white little clinging hands were so pathetic when they stro

way which almost produced the effect of

other side. And I was so absorbed in the poor mother

one of those very fair children one sees now and then. It w

y after me. "You don't mean that she was no

rse he could not know what I meant. How sill

but one can't help noticing them when they pass in the street or come into a room. You must have noticed them, too. I always call them, to myself, the White People, because they are different from the rest of us. The poor mother wasn't

e more care of the other," he ended for me. There was a deep thou

on to the little creature," he

cry because it seemed so sure that it could comfort her if she would only remember that it was alive and loved her. I wish, I wish death did not make people feel as if i

e before, but his watching eyes ma

eel about it-d

his voice seemed somet

never even seen any one dangerously

a wonderful thing," he said,

, how wonderful that wo

bering her swollen, distorted, sobbing face. "She

ad spoken to her about the child?" he said,

uld never have courage to spe

d, too. She might have

have understood

walked away down the platform," I wen

noticed it more," was his an

everything in the world, I could not comprehend his thinking that, and I told him so. But he replied that what I had said about my White People made him feel that he must be abstracted sometimes and miss thing

n rather curious about it," he explained. "It is a difference definite enou

ing it over. Suddenly I realized

nto words. I am so used to thinking of them as different, somehow, that I suppose I do feel as if they were

le," he reflected. "Are they di

ut Wee Brown Elspeth," I

then, in the

claimed. "Wha

. Suddenly he looked pale,

. She was only a child who played with

did not come back to his face at once and his voice was not

I thought you said something you could not possibly have said. I almost fr

than any one I had ever seen; but when we played together she

he little story quite fascinated him. It was only an episode, but it brought in the weirdness of the moor and my childish fancies about the things hiding in the white mist, and the castle frowning on its rock, and my baby face pressed against the nursery windo

horsemen?" he pondered. "D

ed," I answered him. "And they came and went s

range lot. Wasn't Angus curi

ot tell me. When I was a little thing I always knew he and Jean had secrets I was too young to hear

good," he said

rience was wonderful. I had thought about him so much and with such adoring reverence. And he looked at me as if he truly liked me, even as if I were something

h to hold the attention even of a clever man. If Hector MacNairn was interested in me I could not be as silly and dull as I looked. But on my part I

ate way. She was a beautiful person. Artists had always painted her. He and she were completely happy when they were together. They lived in a house in the country, and I could not at all tell how I discovered that it was an old house with beautiful chimneys and a very big garden with curious high walls with co

e afternoon when the late shadows are like velvet

the party, he stood a moment and glanc

re to-night?" he said, smiling. "I sha

and then I flushed because he had smiled. "It was only a childish name I gave t

at me so

ed. "You mustn't think t

and gently touched my arm, as one might touch

ad I am that you have talked to me. Sir Ian said you were

derstood. "I care for Muircarrie more than for all the rest of the world. And I suppose you saw

yself wondering about when I watched you in the train. It was real

ng you a little, when you were so kind to the poor wo

he said. "If you will come to tea under the

must go and sit among the other people-tho