Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-09

back his laughter and that If she was
lovely in austerity she was yet more lovely
In mirth.
This common cab will serve our turn"
she said, softly, and her voice now sound
ed sweeter with the assurance it seemed
to derive from the deneanor of her COM
panion. I'VE shall not fare far tonight"
May I rot at least know whittier the
wind of your within will watt cur spirits?"
Ames began. in a tone which he intended
to be wholly playful. but into which, in
spite of himself, he could not help allow
ing suggestion of anxiety to intrude.
ITO what star do we steer our course?
The woman shook her head.
Surely" she said. 80 loyal a cavalier
and courageous a gentleman as you is
content to follow unquestioning the lady
who honors him with her commands?"
Her Voice suddenly changed. and al
most disdainful as she went on. But IL
you are not. you have but to say the word
and We can part here and now. Stop the
cab If you WISH I shall have lost an illu-
sion, and you will have lost one of those
opportunities of adventure which you are
tabled to desire--perhaps something more.
But In life we always losing illusions
and opportunities. Shall / set you DOWN.
Spurred by the sneer in her speech, Phi
los fancy galloped out of sight of hesi-
fancy. out of sound of the call of prudence.
Let us say no more about it," he said,
coolly. Lead on. I'll follow. thee. Please
consider that 1 am your most humble, ODE
dent servant to command
while she whispered her thanks, and he,
fascinated by her palor, and the perfume
in her hair, and the madness of the mo-
ment. murmured wild words in praise of
her beauty, while the cab wheeled swiftly
along through blackness that was broken
every now and then by the passing flash
Of lamp. flash that showed him for the
second more distinctly the mouth and eyes
like drive in a dream. and Ames was
never afterward able to piece together the
threads of that bewildering conversation.
Suddenly the cab swung to the left and
came to a stop Ames saw from the ex-
preston of the wcman's face that they had
reached their destination.
He leaped out of the cab and assisted
his companion to alight. She instantly
ran up a short flight of steps and put
key into a latch. AS he turned from
watching her movements he that
rapidly away up the narrow street in the
direction of the Strand. Ames looked up
at the lady. ut is all right she said.
THE cab is paid Come in" Ames
in one of the little cluster Of closely re-
sembling streets that run in parallel lines
from the embankment of the Strand but
he could not in the darkness of the night
and the confusion of the moment recall
tine name of the street. He saw that the
door which the woman had opened was the
door of what looked like a new and large
building of flats, chambers and offices. and
that 1t stood near to the embankment on
the right-hand side going toward the
Strand. So much he gathered in glance,
then he followed his leader up the steps
and through the door. which she held half
open, into a large and somewhat dimly
lighted hall, on both sides of which Ames
saw the long catalogue of names printed
in gold upon black grounds. which are as
it were, the finger posts to these human
hives
The woman closed the door, "FolIow
me-" she said and began to lead the way
at "a
followed her without word, but as he
followed her he assured himself almost
mechanically that he was not unarmed
The ascent was long, up several flights
OF those dimly lighted stone steps, on
which the ascending footsteps seemed to
echo gloomfly They passed several stories
each with its own family Illuminated cor
ridor radiating away into mysterious space
before they came to a stop. His guide
turned to the right and walked along a cor
ridor that med to lead toward the front
or the mansion. Presently she paused at a
door and turned handle: Ames still follow
ing her found himself first In the small
hall of private fiat and then in a draw
ing room which seemed to fling upon his
consciousness a sense of somewhat savage
wealth as the electric light flooded 1t at
the touch of the woman's hand.
Take off your coat she said. and then
she disappeared through a further door ard
left him staring curiously around him. The
room suggested wealth, ease, even luxury,
put there was further suggestion of bru-
talty, of the barbarOus. in its opulence
which asserted itself with significance As
Philo Ames turned to take off his coat and
lay 1t across Il remote chair, his glance
was arrested by one among lire of pho
tcgraphS upon the chInneypiece 1t was
the face of a woman that he had once
known. the face of a woman that the peo-
pie who talked of him, that the people who
talked of her, declared him to have known
very well. Seeing the photograph ana re-
Membering that friendship, AInes saw some