The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-04-21
The Reckless
Hour
BY IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright, 1904. by lola Forester

$500 49,. SScVu w IL Will
Ing.
She stood for a m 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 60
ing back to the boxes for it. and had
found it 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 hest
tating, afraid to let him guess the great
GOOD of gladness that swept over her
at sight of him. When one believes
a person to be in Manchuria it is some
what b~ewildering to meet that person
alone on Broadway at II y. 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 l come in for ANYTHING
good. The fact remains that the rest
have gone and that I 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. believe your aunt told him
to wait for you, but he wanted to so
directly home, so I took his place. You
don't believe me?"
oh, yes, | do. At least l believe
part Of 1t. You always twist the truth
and the fairy tale together so perfectly
one can only guess at which Is which.
l 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 two-for-a-penny title tagging
after her. 1t was only three weeks off
now. The thought brought with it a,
fash Of recklessness. They would have
her for a lifetime. Tonight for one
short half hour she was his. He leaned
toward her suddenly.
GLADYS, are you sorry to see me?"
N Don't" Her eyes metshis in half de-
liant entreaty. 1T isn't fair"
Fair to whomT'
ITO him."
Thornton's jaws squared aggressive
".
HE hasn't anything to say about it
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. / wish
you had stayed"
Until it was over?"
mo, %forever" she retorted passion
ately. II never wanted to see you
again"
He smiled. 1t was Gladys way to
make n 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 a mar 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.
1t was the reckless hour.
"You did, sweetheart, and you do
now, and o always will. You know
YOU will. M%anchuria or the moon, it
won't make any difference, not IL you
marry a 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 it 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. l 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
terrapln. There was another Darby
Thornton who bestowed systematically
unexpected and irregular checks on an
undeserving grandson, also advice and
admonitions. The weight of gratitude
had become too trying. Darby had
never beer able to even up the balance
between the acceptance Of the checks
and the following out of the good adj
vice and the admonitions.
He had thought that Gladys had
known he was next Of kin to Jobs