Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15

eyes were wide and bright. He laughed
as she spoke.
why should we change about tomor-
row." he said: II delight IN Tneo $, asss.
ing time? Don't let's have dinner till half
past eight. 1t Is absurd dining at eight
in the summer, and the hours before din
ner are so delicious. / don't feel as If I
could dress yet"
Lily had walked to the window and was
observing him closely. He stretched HIM
self luxuriously as he spoke, and she saw
he had cigarette in each hand, both or
w. were burning.
us that new plan, she said, smoking
two cigarettes at once?"
Yes, SO far as 1 am concerned, but not
original. Don't you remember the Pirate
King in Peter Pan smokes two, or was II
three cigars together. The moral Is that
you can't have too much of good thing;
one should take ones pleasures thick, not
thin. 1 am enjoying myself. 1t was an ex-
cellent plan to come down here. How
wonderful the light is, how good everything
smells!'
He turned a little on his sofa, SO that
he faced her as she stood by the window
with the light shining on to her delicate
Ar ia
And, my God, how beautiful you are,
Lny!" he said.
She left the window and came and stood
close to him. She felt certain as to wn ma.
he had been doing, she had been with him
before when laudanum gave MIN reiei
from of his headaches.
"Thurso, have you had any headache TO-
dayY' she asked.
Headache? No! I've forgotten what
headaches are like
Then why have you been taking lauda-
mum, opium, whatever it isl" she asked.
"I-havent," he said, stumbling for a
moment on the word
She went quickly across to the washing
stand. took up glass that stood there and
smelled it.
Where is the use of saying that?' she
asked.
He got up quickly, ashamed of having
lied to her, and ashamed of his stupidity
in not being more careful. But his shame
was infnitesimal compared to his anger
with her. She had come in and smashed
I'D all his happiness; instead of that Won
derful sense of well-being, of utter physical
and mental contentment, he felt only 1url-
ously enraged against her. He had taken
his laudanum, and what right had she to
break in upon the divine effects of it, rob-
bling him of what he had bought and PAID
for?
"And where is the use of your interior,
ing like this?' he said. you have spoiled
II all now. 1t would serve you right If l
took another dose now and did not come
down to dinner. You know nothing ABOUT
II at ALL l was a martyr to those nedo-
aches up in Scotland, and began, yes, l
began to get into the habit of it. But l
am breaking myself of it. Till tonlght l
hadn't taken any for two days, and was
not going to take any more for three Gays
and after that for four. You seem to thlnk
1 don't know what you think
She felt more tenderly toward him at
this moment than she had felt perhaps for
years. His weakness, his voluble lncoher-
ent weakness. as of child making eA-
cuses, touched her.
"Oh Thurso, you don't know What can
gerous thing you are doing. she sald. 10
be a man. and don't think about three Gays
and four days, but stop it now at once. Inc
longer it goes on the more dlfncuit you WIN
find It, Give me the bottle, or Whatever i.
is. like a good fellow and let me throw It
away You will be glad you nave zone So
every day of your life"
The effect of the drug was stu on MIN,
enhancing the beauty of the light ana OF
the country smells, enhancing, too, her
beauty as she pleaded with him. HIS an
ger died down. and as for his shame, her
appeal somehow mitigated that. The habit
he had begun to form was not yet deeply
rooted. his will was not yet overcome, ana
ali his best self told him that she was right
heyond any need or possibility of argument
He unlocked his dispatch box, anu LOOK out
a bottle, half empty.
Eyes, you are right" he said; mere IL is.
Don't despise me if you can help IT, LILY.
'.Thank you, Thurso," she said; thank
YOU most awfully. You will be so glad.
She went to the window and poured the
brown fluid out among the leaves OF the
ereeper Then she flung the bottle into the
shrubbery .
II ought to thank you," he said. And
l do Thank you, dear