The San Francisco call., 1904-02-21

more deeply than other men for every
lovely thing I ever saw, and there's so
little that hasn't loveliness in it. I'd
be ashamed not to have cared for the
beauty in all women I've made love to
but about this one-the most beauti-
full of ALL"
She will understand" said Tom.
quickly.
She will-yes-she's wise and good.
If Fanchon knew, there wouldn't be
even memory left to her-and 1 don't
think she'd live. And do you know,
believe I've done favor for Miss Betty
in getting myself shot; Carewe will
never come back. Tom, was ever a
mans, knavery so exactly the architect
of his own destruction as mine2 And
for what gain? Just the excitement
Of the comedy from day to day!-for
she was sure to despise me as soon as
she knew-and the desire to hear her
voice say another kindly thing to me
and the everlasting perhaps in every
woman, and this one the Hearts De-
sire of the world! All. welll Tell me
1 want to hear it from you-how many
hours does the doctor say?"
Hours, Crailey?" Toms hand
twitched pitifully in the others feeble
grasp.
Il know it's only a few"
They're all fools, doctors! exclaim-
ed Vanrevel, fiercely.
No, no. And l know that nothing
can be done. You all see it, and you
want me to go easily-or you wouldn't
let me have my own way so muchl 1t
frightens me, own up, to think that
so soon I'll be wiser than the wisesr
in the world. Yet l always wanted to
know. I've sought and I've sought
but now to go out alone on the search
it must be the search, for the Holy
Grail-I-"
Please don't talk" begged Tom, in
broken whisper. For mercy's sake,
lad. 1t wears on you So"
Crailey laughed weakly. DO you
think I could die peacefully without
talking a great deal?"
After a little while, he closed his eyes
with sigh; the doctor bent over him
quickly, and Miss Betty started for
ward unconsciously and cried out.
But the bright eyes opened again and
fixed themselves upon her with all their
old gay inscrutability.
Not yeti said Crailey. Miss Ca
rewe, may 1 tell you that l am sorry
I could not have known you sooner?
Perhaps you might have liked me for
Fanchon's sake-I know you care for
her.
Il dol do,'' she faltered. II love
her, and-ah!--I do like you, Mr.. Gray,
for 1 know you, though l never-met
you until-last night. God bless you
God bless your
She wavered a moment like lily in
the wind, and put out a hand blindly.
Not you!' she said sharply, as Tom
Vanrevel started toward her. Mrs.
Tanberry came quickly and put an arm
about her, and together they went out
of the room.
You must be good to her, Tom, -
said Crailey then, in very low voice.
II" answered Tom, gently. There
was never a chance of that, lad"
Listen " whispered Crailey Lean
down-no-closer. He cast a quick
glance at Fanchon. kneeIing at the
other side of the bed, her golden head
on the white coverlet, her outstretched
hand clutching his; and he spoke so
close to Toms ear and in so low a
tone that only Tom could hear.
she never cared for me. She felt
that she ought to-but that was only
because l masqueraded in your history.
She wanted tC tell me before l went
away that there was 10 chance for me.
She was telling me that, when he called
from the window. 1t was at the dance.
the night before, that she knew. /
think there has been some one else
from the first-God send it's youl Did
you speak to her that night or she to
you?"
"Ah. no. said Tom vanrevel. "All
the others"
Mrs. Tanberry and Betty and Mr.. Ba-
reaud waited in the library, the two
women huddled together on sofa.
with their arms around each other and
all the house was very still.
The warm day beyond the window
became like Sunday, no voices sounded
from without in the noon hush, though
sometimes a little group of people
would gather across the street to eye
the house curiously and nod and whis-
per. The strong, blue shadows of the
veranda pillars stole slowly across the
white floor OF the porch in lessening
slant, and finally lay in a line as the
tall clock in a corner of the library
automatically coughed the hour of
noon. In this jarring discordance
there was something frightful to Miss
Betty. She rose abruptly, and, imperi-
ously waving back Mrs. Tanberry, who
would have detained her-for there
was in her face and manner the incip-
lent wildness of control overstrained
to the breaking -point-she went hur-
riedly out of the room and out of the
house, to the old bench in the garden.
There she sank down, her face hidden
in her arms; there on the spot where
she had first seen Crailey Gray.
From there, too, had risen the sere-
made of the man she had spurned and
insulted; and there she had come to
worship the stars when Crailey bade
her look to them. And now the strange
young teacher was paying the bitter
price for his fooleries-and who could
doubt that the price was a bitter one
To have the spirit so suddenly, cruelty
riven from the sprightly body that