Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30

finally. The question burst out as il
Mexico sat pretty close to his heart. and
he just couldn't help talking about it,
No" she answered, "but-Id like to-
I'd he swallowed the rest OF the
sentence. The look in his eyes suggested
something personal.
Tell me about it, she flung in, to fill
the pause: I'm awfuly interested in
Mexico And SO she was. She might
live there some day.
He didn't need urging. for the subject
was a vital one to him. He told her
about the country, and incidentally about
his work, not realistically, but the hopes
and ambitions would slip in occasionally
in a way that she liked. The little place
didn't seem absurd when she told about
it. and the putting through of that canal
was the greatest thing in the world.
I've got a shack down there-sreat, big.
airy rooms, and wide verandas. ham
mocks. everywhere, rows and rows oi
books and a piano. Nature plants the gar
den and furnishes the illumination The
stars seem SO close that you feel like pick
ing them and putting them In water on
the center table I'd like to take the-tne
right woman there. It's just little slice
out Of paradise
The right woman ought to be awfully
happy there"
She blushed 1t was almost an express
sion of opinion.
Are you counting me in?" he asked
with a smile
Naturally" she replied, in a tone that
might mean anything.
IF tire YOU" he said with a rather
boyish wistfulness. II wish you'd just give
me hint l haven't been much socially
the last three years. In the winter months
the city of Mexico is rather gay-it's al
ways summer. you know-and We sneak
off down there when We have hankering
for dress suit and a ballroom. But I've
never been a success with women. I'm
not diplomatic. and the women I've met
have always struck me as being super
fcial.''
He flushed, and smiled uncertainty as
she glanced at him, and started to add
something.
Don't excuse it,, she said. II feel i'm
mensely fattered that you should tell me
that
He was rather self-effacing. and for the
MI hnA
Eleanor when she encouraged him by
look or a remark. She plainly saw his
interest in her and took refuge in a gen.
tic, dignifed reserve to cover her own
feelings. She glanced at him once over
the top of her. book and caught his eyes
looking into her own. He put down the
magazine he was pretending to read and
came over.
I'm going to talk to you about Mexi
co.. he said. 'if you will listen" Then he
added abruptly: do you believe in affini-
ties?'
They discussed the subject at some
length. 1t took more than an hour to ex-
haust it. Meanwhile she told him many
things about herself. rushing on into her
dreamed Of. The very expression Of his
face was an inspiration She put into
words opinions she had hardly formed
even to herself, and how he seemed to
understand! She almost betrayed hersif
a hundred times, but he knew nothing OF
Eleanor Floyd, and he wasn't thinking OF
her. Eleanor seemed somehow showed In
to the acknowledgement.
1t takes only little thing to precipitate
n crisis Eleanor was hardly conscious OF
how it all came about. There suddenly
had come lurch, roar, jangle or dis
.cordant sounds, several cries from panic
stricken passengers and confusion. She
was aware of some one near-qute near
in fact, John Morton was holding her
hand.
Don't be frightened, it's all over" he
was saying.
She shivered, and sank back into her
seat. but he still held her hand.
I'm not frightened, really" she replied.
1T was all so sudden
"Ill go and see what the trouble is he
said auietly-too quietly. She had seen
the look in his eyes.
She sat there outwardly calm. with little
tremors running all over her. The women
were talking shriiiy; the men had gone out
hurriedly.
He came back in short time. spoke
few reassuring words to her. flung his
coat down, and went out again. rolling up
his shirt sleeves. She tugged at the win
dow. and finally got it up. She could see
some piled-up freight cars. and an over
turned engine in a cloud Of escaping
steam One OF the passenger coaches was
on fire She gathered together her belong
ings and his and put them on the seat.
Then she put on her hat and went out.