The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-11-24
CHAPTER VII.

NilAI L En- VII.
Dawn, a s2cpntone in level gray, hung
over the town ere Tom with the last of
the jewellers left Glendenning's.
ugh! how cold it is. My blood is
thin at this unearthly hour" said Dela-
tole. lighting cigarette as they paused
to separate at Madison square i've
often thought if ever do assist my own
departure from this perpetual dressing
and undressing it will be i'm this gray
stiffness. when one seems TO feel the pulse
of the world VIII You be on the stage
tonight
Yes. but suppose-nOw, suppose you
dine with me, said Tom. with a hazy
recollection of the managers advice.
His speech was thick and wavering.
Delatole's head seemed spinning round
like a top. The trees in the square were
certainly dancing minuet.
Charmed And now go home, Muir
ray, and go to bed. Not used to wine,
are you? You might forget my address,
sofll put my card in your pocket-there.
Come down at A and have smoke in my
den. Not such fine place as Glenden-
nings, but cozy, you'll find"
When Tom reached Chelsea square. the
sparrows were chattering as if mad.
Their shrill clamor and his own unsteady
footballs made the surrounding silence
seem more dense. The college buildings,
like great gray watchers, frowned upon
him from behind blue haze. trembling
and mysterious.
He had walked down the street only
the preceding evening on his way to the
theater, and yet in a bewildered, hazy
fashion he felt that between that hour
moral fiber like narrow cleft in riven
rock.
A binding pain stung his tired eyes.
There was burning in his chest The
! thought of reaching his room unseen and
letting slumber blot ont the medley Of
impressions besieging him was so seduc-
tive he Quickened his steps.
How the sparrows kept chattering
among the denuded boughs
Here he comes" they seemed to chirp
rapidly. Look! look! Here he comes
Oh, seei oh. see! Here he comes Here
he comes"
Was there an accusing note in their
shrill chorus? Or did he from an unex-
planned sense of guilt only fancy it?
He stole like thief through the de-
serted halls. When he had locked the
door Of his room, he threw himself half
disrobed upon the bed and sank into a
feverish, broken sleep. 1t was a sleep of
dreams. He was again in Glendenning's
house, filling his senses with a surfet of
the delicious coloring, the evasive fra
GRANGE, wandering among the treasures
gathered from mosques and throne
rooms, the rugs everywhere changefully
glowing like huge chameleon skins, the
armor looming with feudal significance
in shadow.
His memory floated back to blur Of
wine and smoke; the soft bite of the
champagne was again in his throat. its
delicate fire mounting to his brain and
shedding over it confusion soft and
witchlike. Nor did he forget the testing
sings at things he had hitherto viewed
as sacred, nor the laughter that turned
virtue to ridicule. They were recalled
with the same genial palliation that had
marked his acceptance of them.
The rosy light, the crowd where wo-
men fluttered like bright hued butter
flies, the evidences of reckless wealth on
every hand, the complete absence of all
restraint, had captured him, and in
mental saturnalia he heard the toasts
and saw the money changing hands at
cards, the refrains of songs that shook
the windows and the dances that called
forth screaming cheers. AS half wake
full he tossed upon his bed his memory
reveled in every detail of this new phase
of life-a wildly joyous thing, holding
no thought of the morrow, only the de-
light of the dear, the living moment.
A faint tapping sounded through the
nebulg. At first it seemed that Glen
denning was knocking on the table for
silence. No, it was rain beating on the
window. But as it sounded still clearer
and woke him to full consciousness he
opened his heavy eyes and listened Some
one was gently knocking at his door.
Tom" came softly to him. "here are
letters for you"
Virginia's voice Hestarted up, leaned
his head on his hands, but kept silence.
The gay delirium of his dream departed,
and he felt sick at heart. He seemed
strange to himself. The room was
strange. Only Virginia outside the door
calling to him was fearfully real
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