Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-02

1 uIOuSC III TIC. A.
| You have en-
couraged- permitted me to count
His anger choked him, or was 1t the
haunting wisdom Of her eyes that
committed him to silence?
II don't know" she said musingly,
about-whether 1t is your brutality, or
the utter corruption of you that holds
me, or your wicked eyes Of woman.
or the fascination Of the mask you
! turn on the world and the secret Wis
| age, naked In its vice, that you re-
fashion. Count on that. Howard, for
that is all you can surely count on.
And now, at last. you know"
| AS he stood there it came to him
slowly that deep within him he had al
| ways known this: that he had never
really counted on anything else, though
| he had throttled his doubts by cover
| ing her throat with diamonds. Her
strangeness, her pallor. her acquies-
cence, the delicate hint Of depravity in
her, the subtle response to all that was
worst in him had attracted him, only
to learn, little by little, that the faint
Of corruption was only faint infect
ing others, not her; that the promise
Of evil was only promise; that he
had to deal with young body. but
an old intelligence, and a mind so old
that at moments her faded gaze al
most appalled, him with it's indolent
clairvoyance.
Long since he knew. too, that In all
the world he could never again find
such mate for him. This had. un-
admitted even to himself, always re-
manned a hidden secret within this Sc
cret man. an unacknowledged. un-
drawn on reserve in case of the fail
ure which I've. even in sanguine moods,
knew IN his inmost corrupted soul that
his quest was doomed to.
And now he had no more need OF &C.
crets from himself Now, turning his
gaze inward, he looked upon all with
which he had chosen to deceive him
self. And there was nothing left for
self deception.
"If marry you" he said calmly, lat
least know what am getting"
81 will marry you, Howard. I've
got to marry somebody pretty soon.
You or Captain Voucher"
For an instant a vicious light flashed
in his narrowing eyes. She saw 1T
and shook her head with weary Gym
icism.
mo, not that. 1t could not attract
me even with you. 1t is really vulgar
that arrangement. Noblesse oblige,
mon ami. There is depravity in mar
rying you that makes all lesser vices
stale as virtues"
He said nothing. She looked at him.
lazily amused; then, inattentive, turn
ed and paced the floor again.
"Shall 1 see you tomorrow" he de-
manded.
eff you wish. Captain Voucher came
down on the same train with me. Ill
set him adrift if you like"
lis he preparing for declarations
sneered Quarter
81 think so," she said simply.
"Well, if he comes tonight after I'm
gone, you wait a final word from me.
Do you understand" he repeated, with
repressed violence.
mo, Howard. Are you going to
propose to me tomorrow"
you'll know tomorrow" he retort-
ed angrily. II tell you to wait. I've
right to that much consideration
anyway"
every we'll. Howard" she said, rec
ognizing in him the cowardice which
she had always suspected to be there.
She babe him good night. he touch
ed her hand, but made no offer to kiss
her She laughed little to herself.
watching him striding toward the ele-
yator.
She turned leisurely. her slim hands
balanced lightly on her narrow hips.
and strolled into the second dressing
room, where Mrs. Nendenning sat sui
lenly indulging in that particular spe-
cies Of solitaire known as ''The Idiots
Delight"
"Well:" inquired Mrs. yendenninl&