The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-11-03
VOL. LIMO. a..

into the brown of his chin. by Joye,
he's handsome chap he commented
to himself
Gale consulted his watch.
Just think" he said as he slipped
1t into his pocket again, Sin a few hours
l shall see her. We're due at Biebrich
at $50, and then Wiesbadenm He
was like boy in his fresh gladness.
But" said the judge slowly, trying
to get into the spirit of the thing, you
see, you didn't tell me. Her husband
has died, has he, and it's all plain sail
ing ut last?"
"Died?" All the boyishness went out
of Gale. The stern sadness about his
mouth was plainly percepuble. mo,
he hasn't died, and she hasn't got a
divorce, but were going to play at tho
old, old game of pretending We're
| going to pretend that that COMPOUNDED
rake is dead, and we're going to begin
our lives afresh"
| The judge stroked his chin in a way
| that meant he was seriously troubled
| All the clerks in his offices knew that
sign, but ii conveyed nothing whatever
| to Gale.
Yes, and next month we're going
back to the States together. We
rs that quite fair to the woman, do
you think" broke in the judge quietly.
Il dare say she may love you enough
TO sacrifice herself, only
Love me enough:" repeated Gale
enthusiastically. And then more ten
hn
risk life with me. l, too, am willing
now to risk it, although there was a
time when | wasn't"
Love isn't everything, my friend
pursued the judge meditatively. ut
isn't everything not even from the
worlds point of view. Have YOU
thought, when you're advising her to
take this step with you, of what the
world will say?'
"Oh, likely enough, the world will
call her Il fool But let the world go
hang. When two people love each
other as much as she and l do l tell
you there isn't much else that counts
We are very serious, aren't WEI
Chance acquaintance should enjoy the
fleeing moment. What a lot Of people
are going 10 get off at Bingenn'
The meditativc look had not left the
Judges eyes While Gale had been talk
ing. When he ceased he recalled him.
self with an effort.
BEG pardon! Oh, yes, all the Bae-
dekcr people"
The kindly judge had taken such
fancy to Gale that he hated to see him
go wrong, and as the dusk deepened
thickly he made one final plea.
Il can't forget what you've been
telling me about-about the lady In
the case" said he solemnly. You see.
l am so much older than you are" he
went on in lower tone of voice, that
you can't surely take offense Noe
Then | may speak? It's like this: If
the woman. you love runs off with
you, the world isn't going to say she's
Drawing it. Do you realize what o.
thing you suggest means to nice wo-
man-that the people she likes won't
speak to her; that her friends must be
among a set of people who really are
what she is only called, and that she's
thrown away everything but love for
q man
ooh, you don't understand" inter
rupted Gale.
-"who didn't have love big enough
for her to keep her from running her
life" finished the judge calmly. Now,
Of course, if this hdy's husband is
brute or doesn't support her, or any
thing like that, she can leave him and
get a divorce in regular order. I'm
not in for divorces myself, though per-
haps that's matter of taste. But if
she leaves him and runs away with an
other man
Another MANI" echoed Gale amaZ-
edly, Then an expression of under
standing dawned in his eyes and he
burst into happy. hoyish laugh.
The judge stared at him for mo
ment. This lfkable chap was fncom-
prehensiblG after all.
Don't you see:" Gale began, grasp
Ing his arm heartily. shes not going
to run off with any one but her hus-
band, the reformed rake. The lady in
the case has been my wife all the
time"