Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07
CHMSFMAS1|DE CRISIS
BY JuBr1bHUNTLY MCCARTHY,
Author of "1{{SSmesS Lilly Lass" Zone Christ
mas Dinner" etc.
Copyright, 1896 by kacheller, johnson Bacheler)

Copyright 1895, by Bachelor, johnson & Bacheero
Philo Ames shfvered slightly as the club
doors swung to behind him. The contrast
between the. warmth and brightness, the
noise and laughter of the place he had just
quilted with the GOLD, the darkness and the
stiffness of Qhe' 2eene he surveyed had in
it sufficient elements of depression to chill
even one less lightly susceptible to ex-
ternals than Fhile Ames. He stood for
few seconds irresolutely on the threshold.
Should he think better of 1t, he asked him.
self, and return to the mirth. the comfort
and the companionship he had just aban-
doned. His host had reproached him when
he left with the severest reproach that
Lord Lancelot ever addressed to guest.
the reproach of being "quitter." one who
quilted too early the society of his fellows
and the triune intoxications of wine. to-
bacco and wit. He knew that if he chose
to return his comrades of three minutes
ago would welcome him with enthusiasm,
that Lancelot would smile an approval
tempered with irony. and that one other
| might be added to the sum of enjoyable
hours. But even while he hesitated. toy
ing with temptation, he shrugged his
shoulders at his vacillation and decided to
face the night. The dinner had been very
pleasant; that was so much to the good
lancelot was king of hosts: the company
had been quite to his taste; the memory OF
some green curacao still fingered, dream
lest of drowsy sirups, on his plate and in
his mind. All had been well; 1t might not
have proved better if he had lotered longer
with the Lancelot fellowship. And. be-
sides-besides. there was always that bit OF
paper, which might, after all, mean some
thing
| He read it over again, in memory. as he
| stood there, with his back to the brightness
of the club hall, with his face to the dark
ness and the discomfort of the embank-
| ment. 1t was small piece of paper. OBJ
viously the half of a sheet that had been
| torn caIelessly off, and 1t came clumSlly
| folded up in an envelope of size and
| shape destined for quite different kind of
paper. But the note inside was written on
| letter paper OF an attractive simplicity, and
| the writing was in a Woman'S hand that
had distinction, that carried holiness of
| script almost to exaggeration. All 1t said
was: Can you be seen on the embank-
ment at midnight on Christmas eve, near
| Cleopatra's Needle?" That was ALL but the
| few words with their large black strokes
| and bold curves filled the page from corner
| to corner. Philo Ames had smiled as he
read it.
He had received some curious letters in
his time, but none as it seemed to him,
| quite so curious as this in the cool SIM
| plicity of its peremptoriness. At first,
after smiling at it. he was for tearing it in
| two and forgetting all about 1t. But some
| thing Fascinating in the handwriting re-
| strained his fingers. The letter could not
| be answered, so he might leave for later
| decision the temptation. which seemed sud
| denly almost desire, to obey his unknown
| correspondent, He was dining with Lord
Lancelot al the ST. Stephens Club on that
day. Did the Writer know that, Philo Won
dered, If naming the embankment for the
| mysterious ttyst? This possibility added
to the interest. The thing might be g. joke.
might be a plot, might be earnest ard
| urgent. Philo Ames had put the letter in
his pocket, telling himself that he would
| think about it.
| He crossed the road. ard, pausing for a
| moment. looked up at the moon-face of the
clock tower. 1t wanted three minutes of
| u. He turned away, and, leaning over the
| parapct, looked into the blackress of the
| seemed so still and cold and deso!ate; in
| deed, a spirit of desolation seemed to be
| over the whole place.
| His way WIS 'uneveutful for the first few
| hundred yards. The highway seemed abso-
| luteIy deserted, and the footpath, as far
| he could see ahead of him. was as idle as
| a desert. No foaiers seemed to be loung
| ing on the benches; the night was too raw
and cold even for wretcheinsss to seek
pose in unkind place No policeman
seemed to own, that weary way for his
| beat. ard Philo, as he Motel this, thought
that if mischief We're indeed afoot, he
should have to face 1t by himself best
| he might.
| He was now within few yards of the
| great chelisk that had lasted through so
many gaps Of time to be his goal this night,
and he could still discover sign of the
presence of any human being save himself
| in the neighborhood OF the monoith. Il
| suppose it was joke. after ALL" he said
| to himself, ard he just deciding that
| 1t was a very poor joke, and that he was
! fool to waste some better-spent time in
! its solution, when he became aware that
| after all he was not alone.
| A figure came toward him out of the
| darkness of the shadow at the base of the
| pillsr, came so suddenly that it seemed
| almost as if it had detached itself from the
| solid monument to greet him. 1t the
figure of woman, who seemed to be
| closely enveloped in fur as he himself.
So much he could at the first
| glance, and in a moment he felt sure that
| this must be the creature he had come to
meet. She must have waited close in the
| shadow of the stone until she HIN
coming, and he slightly quickened his pace
| to join the woman, who now Stood clear
| and obvious, on the pathway in the vivid
circle of a lamp, evidently waiting for him.
| Philo came up near to tie woman and
| halted. She did not move: he could see her
| clearly, and he looked at her closely He
lor that was intensified by the living red
ress of the lips, and by the exceeding
| brightness of the eyes. 1t was the eyes es
Eecially that fixed and fascinated him.
| Philo Ames had looked into the eyes of SO
many women and read many meanings in
their depths. but IT seemed to him in that
| moment that he h6d never before eyes
so strangely brilliant lit with somber
| fire. 80 haunting in their expression, so
commanding In their appeal. The face was
very beautiful with it's white beauty. with
| it's circle of black hair. with its warm, red
| mouth but the charm of the eyes dominated
all the rest and put them out of rnind.
| You come most punctualiy upon your
hour she said, graveiy, and before the sur
| prise on Ames' face at this unexpected