Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-28
WRITTEN FOR THE STAR BY HoNoRE w1ILsrE.

citement. In that instant there rose
clear whistle call, a call weirdly sweet,
with strange wild note of madness in II.
Immediately. unnoticed save by Alex, II
was drowned, but it's effect on the new
stroke was electrical. With a hoarse an
swering whisper Alex flung himself
ceased. Beside himself with excitement.
he grasped the tiller ropes with shaking
hands.
Keep it, keep it, keep iti'' he shouted
Again Alex hurled his body al the oar.
Again a quickening of the stroke with the
crew responding magnifcently. No thought
now of anything but that stroke that must
be quickened more and more until
Let her go, fellows, said the coxswalh'
with a great sob of exultatfon. The
Redell- Houghton race was ended, and Alex
had won!
1t was an exhausted eight that staggered
from the shell to the pier. Houghton haa
gone mad as well she might. Far up ana
down the beautiful little river throbbed the
Houghton yell. From every side hooked
men, bowling and half sobbing with ex-
element, who hoisted the painting crew
upon their shoulders and formed trl-
urnphaI procession to the boat house.
Alex breathless and trembling escaped
from the crowd and fed to the dressing
rooms When he emerged a half hour later,
refreshed by his bath and rundown, lhe
crowd still thronged the river bank, cnat-
ting laughing and reviewing the race: Alex
was an unusual and striking inquire IN nus
perfectly cut outing toys. Well over six
feet erect as an Indian, slender, sinewy-
this alone would have caused the crahlis
of heads as he moved through the throhs'
But there was more; was Inc perfect
classic head crowned with waving brown
hair, and something of hauteur. and some
thing of sadness in the beautiful young
features that set him apart from MS lei
lows. Alex was making slow progress, ioi
at every step he was stayed to be thwacKed
on the back, to have his hand shaken MAD
", to be praised and adored until at iast'
Laughing and flushed, he reached the pres
dents lawn, where tea was pelns setFeu.
He stood there unnoticed for moment
staring at the beauty of the scene; the old
stone mansion, ivy covered. the green VI
the lawn with the blue of the river spark
ling beyond, the yellow fiecks or June sun
shine through the oaks. 1t was quite per-
feet, and yet-and yet-Alex did not seem
wholly absorbed by the familiar beauty ol
the presidents home. He glanced restiess.y
from group to group with disappointment
growing In his face. With an exclamation
OF Impotence he turned toward the campus
then stopped. ,...s
Coming down the steps OF the presioen. >
piazza was a girl scarcely out or her teens
a girl whose slender loneliness was so per
feet that 1t kindled the Imagination TO nre,
while it touched the heart with somethiis
subtly pathetic. She bore herself regahy'
svvith a proud uplift to her beautiful mead
And that head with It's mass of bronze
hair. the exquisite oval of the face, the
soft dignity of the curved lips, the oeep
sweetness of the violet eyes, was III
crown for the fine graciousness of the
plant figure.
"Ah." breathed Alex, lat last! l thought
I'd find her here"
He crossed the lawn quickly. Marcia.
he said
The girl turned her rose-tinted face TO
his. ooh, Alexr' she cried. l am so proud
of you
Alex shook hands as lingeringiy as ne
dared wondering how hands so delicate
and yelvety could be of any service to the
owner however dainty she might be. L
can't understand" the girl went on, draw
ms her fingers away, how you o.d II
against such odds.
Neither do l. responded Alex, and 1
would not If it had not been for He
stopped with the look of excitement re-
turning to his face.
For what?" asked Marcia.
Il can't tell you. It-Marcia, 1t was
the queerest thing in the world!
The girl looked uI ITO his race. me
violet eyes were very soft and endearing.
Cant you tell me-not even me, Alex?
There was something very strangely SINH
lar In the expressions of the two pairs OF
eyes that gazed so eagerly into each other.
Something sad something that said that,
for all their youth, the owners had known
much of sadness and loneliness. Alex shook
his head sadly.
mo, not even you, Marcia. You'd only
call me foolish"
You are so mysterious Alex. I've