Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-01

almost be afraid to be your husband, you
master me SO easily
The girl laughed; not that Crane had said
the most brilliant thing she ever heard,
but because she was happy. If ne had said
Frogs are queer creatures" it Is quite
likely she would have laughed in just the
same happy way.
That's Mortimer coming Crane said
suddenly, a step with more consistency
In its endeaVor than pertained to the hos
tiers sounded coming up the stairs. 81
sent for him. he added, seeing the look OF
happy confusion in Allis' face
Come in," he called cheerily, IN answer
to knock on the door
You sent for me- Then Mortimer
stopped suddenly, and stood staring first at
Allis, then at Crane. alternately, back and
forth from one to the other.
Crane turned his back upon the younger
man and busted himself wondrously over
the manipulation Of chair. A strange
dread crept into Mortimer's heart: it smoth-
cred him. he felt dizzy. Why did Allis look
so happy-why were there smiles on her lips
when she must know that there were ashes
of gloom in his soul? Why was she alone
there with Crane? Was it but another dew
ilish trick of misfortune that pursued him?
Good afternoon, Miss" The word stuck
in MOrtimers throat, and he completed his
greeting with a most dreadfully formal bow
The girl laughed outright. How droll 1t
was to see man trying to make himself
unhappy when there was nothing but happi-
ness III the WOTlu. lnTOuSn the open VIII
dow she could hear the birds singing and
through 1t came the perfume of clover
buried fields; across the floor streamed
warm bright sunlight from a blue sky. in
which was no cloud. And from their lives.
Mortimer's and her own, had been swept
the dark cloud-and here. in the midst of all
this joy, was her lover with long. sad face;
trying to reproach her with stiff, awkward
bow.
Her laugh twirled Crane about like top
He saw the odd situation: there was some
thing homogeneous in Mortimer's stiff at
titude. Crane had a big cloud of his own
not quite driven from his sky. but smile
lowered on his thin lips. This happiness
was worth catching.
Mortin err noticed the distasteful mirth re-
fected in the other mans face, and he re-
peated. with dreadful asperity oh. so dig
nife1: you sent for me. sr-may 1 ask
Fer chair-certainly," said Crane and
he pushed the one he had been toying with
toward Mortimer. The latter remained
standing.
Aliis sprang forward and caught him by
the arm. Crane turned away. suddenly dis
covering that from the window the main
street of Brookfield was most absorbing
study.
I'm so happy" began Anis. Mortimer
shivered in apprehension. Why had Crane
turned his face away-what was coming?
How could she be happy. how could any
one in the world be happy?
But evidently she was. She stole quick
look a Crane-to be exact, Cranes back.
for his head and shoulders were through
the window.
The girl-she had to rise on her tiptoes-
kissed the sad man on the cheek. I'm
ashamed to say that he stared. Were they
all mad-was he not standing with one foot
in the penitentiary?
She drew him toward the chair calling to
Crane: ''Will you please tell Mr. Mortimer
the good news? am too happy. L can't"
A fierce anger surged in Mo- timers hart.
1t was true then-his disgrace lad been too
much for Allis. The OTHER had won; but it
was too cruel to kiss him.
Crane faced about. and. coming TO ward,
held out his hand to the man of distrust.
1T hope you'll forgive me-
Mortimer sprang tn his feet. showing back
his chair violently with his legs. and sto d
erect drawn to his full superb height. h s
right hand. clenched fiercelv al his side
Shake hands? No, a thousand times no! he
muttered to himself.
Crane saw the action and his cw1 hand
dropped. perhaps I ash too MUCH he
said, quietly. 81 wronged you"
Mortimer set his teeth and waited. There
were great beads of PRESENTATION on his
whst1ing through contracted nas'rils. A
pretty risdirectea passion was playing upon
Rim. This was why they had mt for him.
The girl he would Rave stalk d his life on
had been brought to believe in his guilt,
and had been won over to his rivol. Ala
new thought: his mind. almost diseased bv
unjust accusation, prompted it-perhaps 1t
was to save him from punishment that
Allis had consented to become Cranes
wife
"But believed you guilty Mo timer