Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19


smile had been SO radiant, when the brown of
her eyes had been softly lighted and glowing,
when her checks had 50 mlrrored her beauty.
How superb she was. he said to himself.
How splendid was her acting He could al
most forgive himself for having played the fool.
His heplessneSs, his deienselessness, had been
all but warranted. But her smile could befud-
die him no more He took off his hat, with
certain cold elegl of grace. His face still
wore that chiseled appearance of stonelike
hardness.
oh" she cried, in her irrepressible happi
ness of heart. You're home! You're safe
I'm glad!'
1t was nothing, her cry that he safe.
She had worried only for the deserts customary
perils. but this he could not know. He was
almost swept from his balance by her look; for
bright bit of moisture had sp ~ung to her eyes
and her smile took on a tenderness that all but
conquered him anew.
:" delivered your letter in Starlight" he
said. " | return your brothers rep Z" He had
taken the letter from his pocket. He held it
forth
She took it. If memories of Glen started
rushingly upon her, they were halted by some
thing she felt in the air, something in the cold
set speech of the man she loved as never she
had thought to love a creature of the earth
She made no reply, but stood looking peculiarly
at him, question written plainly in her glance.
" If there is nothing more" he added, per
NIT me to wish you good day" He swept off
his hat as he had before, turned promptly on
his heel, and departed the scene forthwith.
SHE tried to cry out, to ask him what it
- meant but the thing had come like a blow
1t had not been what he had said SO much as
the manner of its saying; not SO much what
she had heard what her heart had felt. A
deluge of ice water, suddenly thrown upon her.
could scarcely have chilled her or shocked her
more than the GOODNESS that had bristled from
his being.
Wholly at loss to understand, she leaned in
sudden weakness against the frame of the door
and watched him disappearing Her smile was
gone. In its place a dumb, white look of pain
and bewIld rnent had frozen on her face. Had
not that something, akin to anger which her
nature had felt to be emanating from him, re-
NAMED SO potently to Cypress her, she could
almost have thought the thing a Joke some
freakish mood of playfulness after all the other
moods he had shown. But no such thought
was possible The glitter in his eyes had been
unmistakable Then what could it mean3
She almost cried as she stood there and saw
him vanish. She had counted so much upon
this moment! She had prayed for his coming
safely back from the desert. She had SO utterly
unbound the letters ON her love! Confession
of it all had been ready in her heart, her eyes,
and on her lips Reaction smote her dulling
blow. Her whole impulsive nature crept back
upon itself, abashed, like something discarded,
flung at her feet inglorously.
"Oh-Van!" she finally cried, in weak
hurt utterance, and back along the darkening
letter pressed hard against her breast.
WAN, for his part, far more torn than he
could have believed possible, proceeded
down the street in such a daze drunken
man might experience, emerging from liquors
false delights to lies cold, mercess facts.
The camp was emptied than he had ever
known it since first it was discovered. Only
handful of the reservation stragglers had re-
turned The darkness would pour them in by
hundreds.
Halfway down the thoroughfare Van paused
to remember what it was his body wanted. 1t
was food. He started again, and was passing
the bank when some called from within.
Hello there, YAM came the cry. Hello!
Come mr.
Van obeyed mechanically. The cashier
Rickart, it was he who had shouted the sum-
mons. a little, gray eyed. thin faced man, with
a very long mustache.
How are vou Rick" said the horseman
familiarly. Whats going on?''
my boy, haven't you heard-you?" inter
rogated Rickart Il thought it was funny you
were loafng along so leisurely. Didn't you
know to-day was the day for the rush,"
Il did," said Van. What about it,"
Not much. his friend replied, except your
claim has been jumped by McCoppet and one
I Sear1e RpcfUicl who ont the fart that