Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-06-29
The Reckless
Hour *
By IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright, lvJ4, ~ lola FORESTER


ing
! She stood for n moment in the lobby
entrance and fastened the diamond
clasp on the chiffon and lace stole
around her throat The pin had been
safe enough She had volunteered go
ing back to the boxes for IT, and had
found 1t sticking In the velvet arm OF
| Aunt Victoria's chair, just where she
| had left It,
Did you think that l was never
! coming?" she asked as he reached
/ the carriage. The figure turned
| quickly at the sound of her voice, and
/ she found herself looking into Thorn
| tons eyes She caught her breath and
! stopped abruptly, startled and hesl-
| tating. afraid to let him guess the great
/ food Of gladneSs that swept over her
at sight of him. When one believes
n person to be In ManChuria IT Is some
! what bewlldering 10 meet that person
alone on Broadway at II p. m.
lie did not speak, merely opened the
door for her
"There is some mistake" she paused.
"Of course there is a mistake. There
always is when l come in for anything
good. The fact remains that the rest
have gone and that | was told to wait
for you"
"Who told you to waltz"
He took her by the elbow and helped
her imperatively Into the carriage.
II was with Mrs Culverton. She was
! in the third box, and l was late. Then
Gully came along and took her home
himself l believe your aunt told him
to wait for you, but he wanted to go
directly home, so took his place. You
don't believe mef"
ooh, yes, | do. At least | believe
part of It. You always twist the truth
and the fairy tale together so perfectly
one can only guess at which is which.
believe that Mr.. Culverton was asked
to wait for me"
Thornton ignored the discrimination.
He was gazing intently at the pale
young face 1t must be true all he had
heard at the club She did not look
happy. 1t was Vic Wilmington's affair
the digging up of Estevan. She always
had some twofor-a-penny title tagging
after her. 1t was only three weeks off
now The thought brought with 1t n
fash of recklessness. They would have
her for lifetime. Tonight for ona
short half hour she was his He leaned
toward her suddenly
GLADYS, are you sorry to see me|
Don't" Her eyes met his in half de
6ant entreaty. 1T isn't fair"
Fair to whom?"
ITO him"
Thornton's jaws squared aggressive
E.
"He hasn't anything to say about 1t
yet You needn't be frightened. The
wolf won't ea, you Won't they even
let you be glad or sorry"
Don't; please. please don't"
Say you are glad 10 see me-"
I'm not glad to see you. You went
away of your own free will. wish
you had stayed"
Until twas OverY
mo, forever she retorted passion
ately Il never wanted to see you
again"
He smiled 1t was Gladys way to
make one last final charge when she
knew she had lost the day.
You never wanted 70 see me again"
he repeated, because you are going to
marry man for whom you don't care
a snap Of your finger, and you did love
me-"
II did not" She faced him with
proud, hurt eyes and flushed cheeks.
He laughed with a riotous sense Of
happiness In her pain If he still had
the power TO hurt her there was hope.
It was the reckless hour.
You did, sweetheart, and you do
now, and you always will. You know
you will Manchuria or the moon, II
won't make any difference, not II you
marry hundred times, not If It's years
before we meet. l can always come
back like this and look in your eyes
like this and see love in them like
this"
She met his steady gaze, defantly
at first then In open confession, as
he said, and before he knew 1t she
had covered her face with her hands
and was crying He felt suddenly
helpless and ashamed.
GLADYS, don't do that. I'm brute
dear. I'm sorry. won't say another
word. I'm going back this week. Stop
dear. Gladys
He deliberately drew her hands away
from her face. 1t was a dear face
He had carried its memory with him
around the world and it had brought
him back to the starting point. He had
been poor-not decently, openly poor
but living on hope and blue sky and
terrapin. There was another Darby
Thornton who bestowed spasmodically
unexpected and irregular checks on an
undeserving grandson, also advice and
admonitlons. The weight Of gratitude
had become too trying Darby had
never been able to even up the balance
between the acceptance of the checks
and the following out Of the good ad-
vice and the admonitions
He had thought that Gladys had
known he was next of kin to Jobs
turkey. Everybody else did. He did
not mind. In a way II rendered him
harmless with undesirable parties 80
far as matrimonial intentions were
concerned. But Gladys was desirable.
He had known that she loved him.
He had left the day after the accident.
It had been her frank betrayal then
that had shown him his course for her
sake They had been on the train with
a party bound for the Whitney place at
RoScmcad. There had been an aCci-
dent in the tunnel to the train ahead,
and the one they were on crashed into
the rear cars. In the darkness there
had come the sudden jolt and jar OF
grinding brakes. Some people came In
a headlong rush from the front cars,
and a wOman's scream rang out shrilly
above all. He had just stopped be
side Gladys seat TO speak with her,
and She was laughing up at him when
the collision came. It was over In an
instant. All he knew was the vivid
EcnSc of her arms clinging around his