Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-23
CHAPTER XIV.
The Shadow Repudiates His Alleoianc,

| at table in the Pacific Gardens At that
'oof great throng of varied aspect
| 'io"ued the place to the doors: Young
"oihen IN abbreviated skirts, armed with
/ waning glasses; poets artists and writer's
uiia-bohemlan of both sexes; broad ia ced
ieu'ohs, scattered here and there drinking
| III the melodies of Strauss and the brew
vi uaihprihus with equal satisfaction. But
| charlie was oblivious of the entertaining
character OF his surroundings. The ping,
ping! OF the rifles In the shooting gallery:
| -, nc eiahkihg or the balls in the billiard
| room ana the occasional rumbling of the
| bowling alley alike failed to arouse him
~. an ADJOINING table sat a person as OBJ
| servant OF the passing spectacle as Dalton
wa, Vas inoiHerent to It, His little eyes spark
| ieo' ne bestowed a good natured glance
upon ms companion, a fair lady from the
| Piatonfan republic of artists that made
i h!eeker street their haunt and their home
| ..,S see .hat young fellow over there?" he
saio' jerking his chubby thumb with Ill
concealed satisfaction toward Charlie
ne one or those that's played out. Made
| MS first money in my Office and then
Here the Jolly Boy related in substance
from his point of view the history of his
connection with Dalton. Threw me Overt"
ne concluded In a lively tone. But 1 told
him every dog would have his day.
L suppose the Rossiters got aWay all
| right?'
Tom. after a discouraged lapse into mute
ness, again essayed to awaken In Charlie
sense of the clarifying properties of con-
versation and good fellowship.
Dalton did not look up. Il suppose So"
he answered.
'They should be well out on the briny
by this time" continued Mr. Marks Were
you at the wharf? No? Strange, Mr.
Strong wasn't down either. l saw him on
the street at the time the boat adver
tised to leave. Business, 1 SUPPOSED
Charlie stroked his glass with nervous.
How long does Mrs Strong expect to be
absent?'
Il don't know"
Dalton's gaze wandered to the Jolly Boy.
That gentleman nodded over-cheerfully; his
countenance displayed Enthusiastically that
he was glad to see the young man under
the circumstances, but Charlie neither per-
ceived nor was aware of the beaming com
placency.
1T will be dull without herr" said Tom,
musingly. AS he spoke he was wondering
if he should see as much Of the fascinat-
ton ton as 0 formerly e what do the doctors
say about Mr.. Rossiter?"
II didn't hear
Very unselfsh of Elinor-Mrs. Strong
to go along. to take care Of him, isn't it?'
Talk about something else, Toni"
The words seemed to burst from Dalton
in spite of himself.
Upon the platform young woman be
high heels as she moved across the stage,
parodying the Grecian wiggle, the Grecian
hop or the other fantastic movements in
separately associated with the fashiona BILE
bend For a moment Mr.. Marks listened,
but neither the song nor the hop and wig
gle long absorbed his attention. His con-
Germ was for his friend whose uncertain
temper perhaps. was not altogether to be
wondered at under the circumstances.
Charlie was down" and the other was
sticking by him. task both thankless
and difficult. For several day Daltons
manner had puzzled the other: sometimes
he had even wondered If there was any
thing except financial matters to worry
him.
Don't think Of 1t. Charlie he now said
earnestly. You'll pull up. 1 don't exactly
know how much money you owe, or quite
what has happened but I'm sure they
and connections-theres Mr.. Strong, for
example
Dalton laughed oddly.
The Rossiters are relatives-and Eli
"Elinor!'
Charles face had changed like flash;
its expression arrested Mr.. Marks atten-
tion held it. A moment they stared at
each other.
"Charlie," said Tom. A light seemed sud
denly to burst upon him. 'You-and Ell
nor
Dalton flicked the ash from his cigar.
Hold oni' he said savagely. For some
time silence continued between the two
young men. Dalton's glance was aggres-
sive as If the shadow, not he, were at
fault, and Tom stirred uneasily. Conflict
ing thoughts moved him. He saw Charlie
as he had seen him in the days of their
early friendship; the brilliant, handsome,
though somewhat careless, Charlie of old
college days He saw him now-and the
present seemed unreal and wrong. The
been in Richard Strong's office; that he
owed much to Mr.. Strong, yet
Mr.. Marks ,stroye to check this train of
if ashamed of his own thoughts.
Suppose we co. he said finally.
"You can ~ 4--.,-.-
simulat ted ease II do feel Dit sleepy"
Something in Toms eyes held Dalton; he
scrutinized him with curling lip. Mr. Marks
shifted his weight to his other FOO.
Good night" he said, feeling his face
grow little redder-
Good night answered Charlie, shortly.
Slowly Mr.. Marks turned away and as he
vanished Charlie again reached for the
matches, selected one, struck II. 1t burned
his fingers and he dropped 1t. Like a BASIL
isk the jolly Boy watched him
If Charlie was thinking of Tom 1t was
only in an incidental way; that gentleman
was not a consequential figure; the change
thatshad come over him seemed important
chiefly In indicating his own altered for
tunes. Perhaps for a moment Mr. Marks
had had the power to awaken his resent
ment by an implied IL not spoken criticism,
but only for moment. Another vista
wider il1imitable-passed before him.
pocket; drew forth an envelope. and after
a moments hesitation. opened It and began
to read.
"Never-never write me again as you did
today"
What had he written? He hardly rsmem-
bered; he recalled now only II passionate
haste and smiled. scornfully at the Inef-
ficacy of his own words
"You must understand Lean never
you again. You will know what l meant
when l said blamed myself. have been
foolish, wicked, and so | write-but moth
ing can change that-I cannot see you,
Elinor.''
Dalton folded his arms; MS heart beat
fast against the closed hand that held her
letter Vividly the details and events of
that night, but a few weeks old, came back
to him. the sudden madness that had swept
over him until he knew NOT what ne said;
only that he held her in his arms-a sweet,
wild moment, broken by her tecrs, an I'M
controllable fit of weeping. Then after
ward. the feverish, amending days,
How long did he sit there? Already had
the sober, music-loving Teutonic element
departed. An influx from the ;heaters re-
placed the -stafd, domestic elemen+. The de-
scendants of the children of Isreal that had
been feasting- their eyes at -,ue ballet or