Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-09
CHAPTER XIV.
Elinor Makes q Resolution.

But why haven't you been here before7"
she FASTENED to add.
The young man hesitated, a touch Of
constraint in his manner.
Really, 1 haven't any excuse except"
mo excuse is better than a poor one"
she interrupted. and dropped lightly into
chair. so never mind about taxing your
ingenuity
well. won't then" said Charlie, with
a faint laugh. and drew a cigar from his
pocket. You don't object ?'-indicating
the weed. You never used to-
There are the matches-on the table.
she said, and settled herself more com
fortably in the large leather chair. But
what have you been doing with yourself?
she added, regarding him with something
of the half-proprietary air of the past
Not much he answered. You knew
that L went into Mr.. Strong's Office while
ago"
She nodded.
That has meant good deal to me-
he said 1t came just at the right time,
too He was silent a moment, smoking
thoughtfully.. Elinor studied the handsome
face before her.
'How-how did you happen to go into
Mr. Strong's Officer she at length asked.
rather hesitatingly.
Charlie proceeded to relate to her the
substance of the interview he had had with
Richard Strong.
But hasn't he ever spoken to you about
it?'' he added, as he concluded, an inquir-
Elinor colored little. MOT just how
how it happened to come about"
Perhaps he likes to leave the talk of
the street behind him." suggested Charlie.
still searching her with his glance.
1.-The street,! she exclaimed, quickly turn
ing the conversation. What yelled mys-
terry! Do women ever go there!
An ironicaI smile crossed the others face.
"Yes-some times! Spirtualistic mediums
and war widows for example! The COM
modore, you know" he added. has spe-
cial medium, although, for my part, don't
think the psychic force had much TO GO
with his cornering Hudson or Harlem.
"All that men seem to think about now
adays is--stocks!' she observed somewhat
irrelevantly.
And women-Stewarts S."
She lifted her brows, smoothing down her
dress refectiveiy with her hand.
The men have their exchange and the
women-theirsr' went on Dalton. senten-
tiously.
you mean all women think Of is-spend-
ing money!?
He held his cigar in midar. Her first,
sole and only ambition
blue ones.
1T seems to me heard of some one at
college who started very rapidly to get
rid of all he had
Charles face perceGtibiy changeo'
There wasn't much to get rid Of he said.
Some one else did the disencumbering
She laughed rather revengefully. L sup
pose it would have been just the same IN
the end
He did not answer, and rising abruptly,
she took few steps across the room
How would you like little music?
Charlie got up, too.
by all means! But you're not impatient
with me? Though that would be very ike
old times, AS a small girl you always had
your own way" he added refectively.
Did I?''
r hoy 10 W plOOedV'
He stood by her side now, her head on
a level with his shoulder. She smiled up
at him.
'Eloped? With your"
He overlooked the emphasis.
You must have been about ten; you
were angry at some one-your mother,
think-and wanted to run away from home.
So we started-I didn't seem TO have much
to say about it--only to go along-you were
on my sled and | was drawing you've
came to snowdrift and you fell into tt
And you" she Interrupted. ran away
of course and left me! But now-what shall
| play?'
He followed her to the piano. There
was that Gottschalk piece
She ran her fingers lightly over the key
board. Yes, that's it, he said.
Leaning on the piano. he watched her.
The light from the lamp fell full on her
face; the down-turned lashes yelled her
eyes, but although the white fingers scam
pered merrily enough, her features express
an unusually brilliant variation she hest
tated
Il think I've forgotten the rest'-and
Gottschalk merged into Chopin.
For a few moments she played with new
feeling and abandon; then her hands stop
ped again upon the keys.
81 don't believe l am very musical" she
said capriciously, and arose.
Charlie started. Il never heard you play
better"
She regarded him increduously.
He drew at his cigar; then held it out
with a smile.
Isn't this convincing bit of evidence?
It's gone out"
Quickly she went to the mantel After
such compliment"
The sentence remained unfinished in
words. but selecting a match she struck
IL and crossed to him. Above the fame,
he looked at her, and a sudden light seem
ed to kindle his eyes; their hands just
touched.
Thank your he said.
For some time Charlie fingered He
smoked not one, but three cigars and al
though he exerted his own conversational
powers, Elinor's vivacity of the earlier mart
of the evening seemed to desert her. At
length he arose
Il must really be off" he said IT left
Tom Marks waiting for me at the club
once on the street however the young
man did not show any disposition to
hasten 10 his destination He sauntered
along slowly, his brows knit. switching
no" ana 3fen aDSent-miDdedly with his
cane. The thoughtful expression of his
race changed by degrees to one of irrita-
ton. Ills cane cut the air sharply 'I'u
go there no more" he said suddenly, aloud.
and with a quick, decisive movement he
FASTENED his steps
After Dalton had gone and Elnor re-
turned to the library that Iowness of splr-
Its she had experienced before he came
seemed intensified. And with it came
certain Impotence. She looked at the
clock; Richard Strong was out later than
usual. She wondered what he was doing
The business conference must have been
unusually important to have detained him
so long.
In spite of the hour she felt wakeful.
Near the window the curtains moved
slowly to and fro, as If some unseen hand
were waving them to attract her atten-
ton. She half smiled as the fantasy
moved her; then holding her head a little
higher in seeming disdain of ghostly signs
and tokens, she walked to the curtains and
Iooped them up Immediately all porten-
tous indications ceased: the room felapsed
into its normal conditions. and with its
many shelves became simply place for
study and reflection.
Eiinor, however, moving restlessly around
the library. looked with indifference. II not
dfssaste. upon the ponderous volumes en-