Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-28
The Reckless
Hour *
BY lola FORESTER
Copyright. 1904. by Lola Forester

S
When she came out Of the theater
all OF the carriages had gone except
one. Some one stood beside It wait
Ing.
She stood for 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 1 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 hesI-
tating, afraid to let him guess the great
food Of gladness that swept over her
at sight OF him. When one believes
a person to be In Manchugja 1t is some
what bewildering to meet that person
alone on Broadway at IL p. m.
He 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 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. Culyerton. She was
In the third box, and was late. Then
Gully came along and took her home
himself. I believe your aunt told him
TO walt for you. but be wanted to go
directly home, so took his place. You
don't believe me2" sr
"Oh. yes. do. At least 1 believe
part OF IL. You always twist the truth
and the fairy tale together so perfectly
one can only guess ut 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 ut the club. She did not look
happy. 1t was Vic Wilmington's affair,
the digging up of Estevan. She always
had some two-for-a-penny title tagging
after her. 1t was only three weeks of
now. The thought brought with 1t n
fash OF recklessness. They would have
her for n lifetime. Tonight for one
short half hour she was his. he leaned
toward her suddenly.
GLADYS. are you sorry to see meT'
Don't" Her eyes met his In half de-
liant entreaty. 1T isn't fair"
Fair to whom?'
ITO him"
Thornton's jaws squared aggressive
~.
He hasn't anything to say about II
yet You needn't be frightened. The
wolf won't eat you. Won't they even
let you be glad or sorry?"
Don't; please, please don't"
Say you are glad to see me-"
I'm not glad to see you. You went
away OF your own free will. 1 wish
you had stayed"
Until IL was overT
mo, foreverI' she retorted passion
ately. II 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 TO see me again"
he repeated, because you are going TO
marry man for whom you don't care
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 q riotous sense OF
happiness In her pain. II he still had
the power to hurt her there was hope.
1t was the reckless hour.
You did. sweetheart, and you do
now, and you always will You know
You will. Manchuria or the moon, IL
won't make any difference. not IL you
marry a hundred times, not IL it's years
before We meet. i can always come
back like this and look In your eyes
like this and see love In them like
this
She met bis steady gaze. defiantly
ut 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 a brute,
dear. I'm sorry. won't say another
word. I'm going back this week. Stop,
dear. Giadys.-
He deliberately drew her hands away
from her face. 1t was n dear face.
He had carried its memory with him
around the world and il 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
admsnitions. The weight Of gratitude
had becsuae too trying. Darby had
never been able to even up the balances
between the acceptance OF the checks
and the following out Of the good ad-
vice and the admonitions. 1.gli
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 it rendered him
harmless with undesirable parties 90
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.
1t had been her frank betrayed then
that had shown him his course for her
sake They had been on the train wiz,
party bound for the Whitney place nj
Rosemead. There had been an acct
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
headlong rush from the front cars,
and woman's scream rang out shriily
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. 1t was over in an
Instant. All he knew was the vivid
sense OF her arms clinging around his
neck as he caught her up out of the
seat and their lips had met for the
nrst time with death three ear lengths