Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1896-12-24

your hour. she said, gravely, and be-
fore the surprise on Ames' face at this
unexpected greeting had time to fade
or change she continued in the same
strain with the fitting sequence: For
this relief much thanks. tits bitter cold
and L" and with the pronoun she
paused. and the unexpected quotation
drifted away into sigh. Ames said
the only thing he could very we'll say
under the circumstances. He said:
Let me hope you are not sick at
heart"
The woman looked away for mo-
men. looked at the sullen river and the
shining distant lights, then her great
dark eyes fixed their gaze again upon
Philo's face.
Perhaps 1 am" she answered. eft
was very good Of you to come. and vet
l felt sure that you would come; and
you see that was right"
Philo felt and appre seated the eccen-
tricity of the occs sion.
You sent for me-" he said. with a
manner of grave courtesy. land I am
here. Can be of any service to you?"
The woman replied after the fashion
of women. to one question with an
other.
DO you care for lifew she asked,
slowly and earnestly.
There was something absurd in the
utterance of such question. at such a
time and under such conditions, which
would usually have made Philo laugh.
But. though the position was incon-
gruous, though the question was gro
tesque, Philo did not feel moved to
laughter. The woman appeared to be
in earnest; the woman certainly was
beautiful. and her eyes seemed, in the
fine phrase Of Portia, to have over
looked her companion Of a moments
time. He did not allow himself time
to reflect upon the queerness of this
eccentric encounter, upon the amazing
abruptness Of the interrogation, upon
the sinister possibilities that might be
associated with the adventure. IN
deed, sinister possibilities never count
ed for much in Philo Ames' estimate
of an interesting situation, and tine
present situation bad at least the merit
OF being exceedingly interesting. So
he gave back an earnest gaze into the
dark eyes CT his companion while he
thought of some appropriate reply to
her question. But he could think Of
nothing OH the spur of the moment
more appropriate than the vague and
non-committal formula Of THAT de-
pends," and SO he said that with an
effort to make it seem informed with
many meanings. 1t did not have a
very satisfactory effect upon the wo-
man. A look of disdain Swallowed her
eyes with Il deeper darkness and tight
ened the tension of her red lips.
''Iou declared once" she said. "that
a man like yourself. man with no
special purpose in life, always ought
to be ready to place his life at the SER
vice of beautiful woman. Do you
remember"
Philo shrugged his shoulders slight
". 1t was very likely, indeed. that he
had said something of the kind, at
some time or other, to some one or
other. Indeed, it was probable that he
had said those words, or words rcsem-
bling them, many times to many per-
sons. But he could not recall any spe-
cial occasion and he said so. The wo-
man frowned Mt his explanation.
'YOu said so once" she replied, "t0
one who was then a dear friend Of
yours, who happened to be a dear
friend Of mine, and who repeated your
phrase to me. Never mind the name:
you nay very well have forgotten IT.;
and mt lcnst you never knew my name,
and never saw my face before"
u YOURS is not a. face" said Philo.
s"tlnt II nia5i. once seeing II, is ut all
likely TO forget