Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24
The Parted Curtain
Continued from
Continued from page s


to last, and filled with the indefnable sense
that sometimes comes to a person on the point of
recalling name or perhaps musical air quite
familiar but for the moment forgotten. Then
the impulse passed, leaving a d1Sagreeable
sense of bewilderment and vexation.
The place keeps reminding me of some
thing" said he; but l can't think of what it
Miss Wellesley did not answer, and they moved
forward again. When almost at the center of
the arena Griscom heard sudden gasp at his
elbow. He turned, to see the girl standing
poised, her head pushed forward and slightly
turned to the side, and her arms rigid the
palms of her hands turned backward and the
fingers apart. Her face tense, colorlesS,
while her eyes had suddenly grown dark and
vague.
sweet sickening smell?'
Gomez said Griscom in low voice.
She made little motion with her hand. then
caught her breath quickly. 1T will soon be
overl' she muttered.
Gomez Griscom repeated, and dropped his
hand on her forearm, which was bare.
THE girl swayed as she stood. Griscom half
turned, drawing her after him. AS he
did her shoulder brushed against his own.
He felt her breath on his cheek as she turned
her face bindly toward him. By instinct his
arm went up to support her, when she leaned
against him heavily.
/" 1t will soon be overi' he heard her mutter
almost in his ear. and with the words there
came again rushing in upon his intelligence the
sense of all having been enacted before This
time the echo did not elude him.
my dream!" thought Griscom.
For the moment the place swan before his
eyes, not vaguely, but with the clear details of
his vision vivid in shape and color, peopled.
clamorous, with the hot sand burning the soles
of his feet and the reek of heavy perfumes
mingled with the loathsome, sickening odors
that steamed in his face from the blazing
cod nd
crossed. smooth and sinuous, their black shad-
ows crawling beneath them. Then came the
echo of the mournful chant and dinning above it
the uproar of the multitude, the staccato cough
ings, the flashing of bare limbs and the blind
ing, dazzling sky as he turned his eyes aloft
A S quickly as it had come the vision faded.
leaving its recollection, but not the picture
seen as real and present thing The tumult
faded to silence; the banners no longer famed
against the azure sky; the walls returned to
their ruined outlines; and the dazzling light
went out of the sand.
He looked about him with a dazed face,
when his eyes rested on little knot of people
at distance who were looking toward him
with amused faces, when for the first time he
realized that his arm was thrown about the
shoulders of the girl at his side, while her hand
was tightly clasped in his. Her head was
dropping, and as he looked into her face he saw
that it was white as chalk and that her lashes
rested on her cheeks.
Miss Wellsley!" Griscom's voice was
tremulous and mufled. He dropped his arm
to support her under the shoulders.
miss Wesley-are you feeling better?"
She raised her head, her eyes opened sudden
ly, and for moment she stared at him in
bewilderment.
What did you say?" The color came slowly
back into her face What is it?''
do you feel badly?" asked Griscom.
Peel badly? No, only little giddy. What
was the matter? My head got swimming all
at once" She gave a little laugh. Il feel as
though l had just wakened-from dream
She freed herself gently. Il must have been
too much in the sun to-day. They warned me
against it; but l am so strong as rule"
Griscom looked at her curiously. Let us
60 out" said he, land sit down for moment
somewhere in the shade
She nodded, then turned, and they walked
back toward the entrance. Outside the gate
the girl paused and regarded Griscom with a
perplexed look.
''How odd!" she said "Inever felt like that
before. What do you think it was?'
Perhaps" said Griscom quietly, it was
the sun and the glare on the wall"
"Do you think so? l feel quite well. And
really did not have good look at that place"
She half turned Let's 60 back
NO. said Griscom firmly, I'VE have seen
enough of the Colosseum"
But l don't understand"