The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-11
I VIII not intrude upon you further"
Wait" she said.
He f1lrraaH haclr ~ nnce

He turned back at once
4 have answered all your questions"
she said. Perhaps you viii not OBJ
ject to answering one for me. You
have thought il worth while to take
some considerable pains to resolve for
yourself my sisters identity. May 1
ask the nature Of your interest in
herr"
He hesitated.
1t is not an easy matter" he said,
for me TO offer you an altogether ade-
quate explanation. ] have olly seen
your sister fer q very brief time, I'D
am a little past the age when a man
does headstrong things. At the same
time, ] must say that I am most anx-
ious TO improve my acquaintance with
her. am a single man, and
Thank you" she interrupted. Il
viii not ask you to explain further.
Good-night"
He left at once. immensely relieved,
yet scarcely satisfied with himself
regarded his share OF the interview
with this young woman. They heard
his footsteps descending the stone
staircase, growing fainter and fainter.
Then Courtlaw looked across at her
with q white puzzled face.
why did you lie TO that MANI" he
asked hercely. How dared you do
yourself this injustice?"
I did it for her sake" she anspered.
1T may be her salvation. believe
that he VIII marry her"
You would let him-krowing-aIl
that you know"
Why not? She is my flesh and
blood. She is more dear to me than
anything else. Perhaps if l had
watched over her more closely, things
would have been different"
You Why. you have been an angel
70 her" he exclaimed impatiently.
You know very well that she is self
ish and pleasure loving to the back
bone. You have made enough sacri-
fees for her surely without this. Be-
sides. you cannot tell where it viii end.
You have taken upon your shoulders
the burden Of her misdeeds. You may
have 10 carry them further and longer
than you think. Oh. it is unbearable."
The mans face was dark with pas
sion. 1t was as though he were per-
sCnally aegrieved. His tone was rough,
almost threatening. The girl only
smiled at him serenely. but she laid her
hand for a moment quietly upon his.
Dear friend" she said this is
matter which you must leave to me to
do as / think best. Annabel is my sis
ter. you know. almost my only relative
If ] do not look after her, she has no
one. And she is very young, younger
than her years"
X was significant Of her influence
over him that he answered her calmly.
although storm Of angry thoughts
were struggling for expression within
him.
Look after her, Why not? But you
have done il all your life. You have
been her guardian angel. But even
you cannot alter her character. Anna
bel was born sculless, a human butter
fly. If ever there was one. The pursuit
OF pleasure. qualification. is an
original instinct with her. Blood and
bone body and spirit. she is selfish
through ard through. Even you have
rot been able 10 hold her back. l speak
no harm IF her. She is your sister, and
God knows 1 wish her none. But"
A look checked him.
Il know" she said quietly, that
Paris. where she has been so much
admired. is not a good place for her.
That is why ] am glad that she has
gone 10 London"
ne 4lzL AL1LL MS AnGlI- anu Nd4htu
restlessly UP and down the room. The
passion q pent-up speech compelled
action Of some sort. There was black
fear in his heart. He stopped before
her suddenly.
You. too" he said abruptly. You
mean to follow her. You will go to
Lond0n2"
1T is necessary" she answered
fTcpfdad hof ~
from the question Of Annabel."
de was suddenly caln.
~ . part Of the irony OF life" he
said. "One is always playing the sur
Eeon. one kills always the thing one
loves best. meant to lie to you.
Would to God I had"
She shook her head.
The surgeons knife is surely a kind
" weapon" she declared. 1T was best
for me TO know. Later on 1 could
scarcely have forgiven you"
And now-I am TO lose you
For a little time" she answered.
ct meant TO say good-by to you to-
night. Or. after al, is it worth while?
The Channel is a little broader than
the Boulevards-but one crosses it
sometimes"
He looked at her with white set face.
YES" he said, Il shall come. That
is very certain. But, after all, il will
be different I think that I have be-
come a drug drinl1er. / need you
every day. In the mornings find la
Dor easy because I am going to see
you. In the afternoon my brain and
fingers leap 10 their work because you
have been with me. Anna, you shall
not go. ] cannot let you 60"
She threw away the end OF her ciga-
rette. Without turning or looking in
his direction she leaned forward, her
head supported upon her fingers, her
elbows upon her knees. She gazed
steadily out Of the window at that arc
of glittering lights. Ee made a quick
movement toward her, but she did not
finch. His arm fell to his side. The