Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-22
Her voice was high and
JONAS SPURLOCK
who can raise a million dollars at an
hours notice, but who can't raise boy.

Deerehurst?" Her voice was high and
strained.
Gore made a gesture of contempt:
"Deerehurst-" he began, hotly; then
suddenly his tone changed.
Mrs Milbanke," he said, earnestly,
whatever you may say, whatever you may
do, cannot believe that In your heart you
are in sympathy with these people, whose
with honor, money. emotion-anything,
everything with the SAVIOR Of risk and the
possibility of gain.
You have no Justification for belonging
to these people. You have the good things
of life, the thing many women are forced
to steal-position, a home, good hus-
band"
At the last word Clodagh started violent
ly. And with quick. impulsive movement
Gore turned to her afresh.
You are intoxicated with life-or what
seems to you to be life You are forgetting
realities. 1 have seen your husband He
is an honest, simple, trustworthy man
who loves you"
The tone of his voice came to Clodagh
with great distinctness. 1t seemed the only
living thing in world that had suddenly
become dead. While she had been sitting
rigid and erect in the stern Of the gondola
everything had altered to her mental vision
everything had undergone fundamental
change. The purple twilight; the mystic
rious night scents; the breezes blown in
from the lagoon had become intangible
meaningless things. She was conscious of
nothing but Cores clear words, of her own
soul stripped of its self-deception. At last.
with faint movement, she turned toward
him.
''Take me home' she said, in numbed
voice. II wish to go home
At the words he wheeled round in sudden
protest But as his eyes rested on her cold
face a tinge Of self consciousness chilled his
observation-disclosures and the suddenly
remembered fact that his action was, after
all, unJustihable. His own figure suddenly
stiffened
''As you wish of course" he said, quietly
II suppose my conduct seems quite unpar-
donable."
For one fleeing second an impulse-a de-
sire-crossed Clodagh's face; but as it trem-
bled on the brink of utterance Gore leaned
forward in his seat and gave a quick, i'm
perative order to the gondolier. mopent
later they had glided up a narrow water
way and emerged again upon the Grand
canal
From the door and windows OF Clodagh's
hotel a stream Of light was still pouring
out upon the water. AS they drew level
with the terrace she turned her face away
from this searching radiance and rose
Good night" she said. in an almost in
articulate voice. Goodnight. Don't STIR
Don't help me-"
But Gore had risen also, and in a sudden
return of his earlier more impulsive man
had chilled him.
MRS. Milbanke," he said quickly.
But ClOdagh eVaded MS eyes ana Win q
sharp nervous movement shook her head.
mo" she said. mo Don't help me. I
don't want help"
Stepping past him with an agile move
ment she ran up the steps and across the
terrace to the door Of the hotel.
Obeying a dominant impulse. Gore turned
to follow her. but as his foot touched the
side of the boat he paused, drew slowly
back and dropped into his former seat.
With almost breathless haste Clodagh
ran up the silent staircase of the hotel,
and entering her own room, turned on the
light; then, walking straight to the dress
ing table, she paused and stared into the
mirror at her own reflection.
The sight of that reflection was not re-
assuring. Her face looked colorless, as
only olive-tinted skin can look: her wide
eyes, with their narrowed pupils. seemed
almost yellow in their intense clearness.
while her whole air. her whole appearance
was frightened, tired, panied. AS she
looked a nervous panic seized her and she
turned her gaze away.
With freedom to look elsewhere, her eyes
roved over the dressing table and suddenly
dxed themselves upon large, square enve-
lope bearing her name, which stood
propped against scent bottle.
In nervous haste she picked 1t up and
looked at 1t uncomprehendingiy. It was
unusually large and thick and addressed