The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05

-OIl d 1lll1S kept neE lace mo-
den, shutting out the present,
jealously living with the wonder
full thing that had happened to
to her. 1t was wonderful as
anything she had dreamed might come
when she had written him that letter.
And IL she needed any proof of his love,
she had had 1t in the moment when he
had let her go. There he had tran
scended her hope. She felt lifted up,
she felt triumphant, though the triumph
had not been hers. 1t was all his; he
had saved her from her own weakness;
his was the miracle How he shone to
her, The dark, swaying hollow of the
carriage seemed still full of his pres
ence, full of his hurried whispering
and again she seemed to see him stand
ing outside the window in the deep blue
evening holding out his hands to her
cry of Il love your
He had been wonderful in a way she
had not expected. He had shown her
SO beautifully that he could be reached
in spite of his obsession. Might not
she hope to touch him just a little fur
ther? Was there any height now that
he might not rise to? She seemed to
see the possible end of it all shaping
itself out of his magnanimity. She
seemed to see him finally relinquishing
his passion for the jewel and his pas
sion for her for the sake of something
finer than both. She had seen ii fore
shadowed in what he had done this
day-having them both in his hands
he had put them away from him. Ysc
in that action she knew there had been
no hnality. She had touched him, but
she had not convinced him. and as
long as he was unconvince he would
be at her again in some otner way.
Her hands dropped from her face,
and she confronted the fact drearily.
NO" she thought, "he never gives up
what he wants"
She looked out of the window. The
flickers of gas lamps fell intermittently
through 1T upon her. Her queer vehicle
wasrattling crazily-jolting as If every
spring were at its last leap. She was
out of the quiet, blue street Mont
gomery avenue, with its lights, it's gilt
tering gilt names and Latin insignia
was travelling by on either side of her.
The voice of the city was growing
louder in her ears, the crowd on the
pavement increased At intervals the
carriage dipped through glares of cleo
trio lights that illuminated its interior
in flash broader than day-the ragged
cushions, the raveled tassels, the limp
swinging shutters, and, glimmering in
the midst, wild and disheveled, herself
in all the little wavy mirrors. She
sat looking out at the maze of NOV
ing lights and figures without seeing
them, intent on an idea that was grow
ing clearer. larger, moment by moment,
in her mind.
Kerr's appearance in her garden
his capture of her-had not been the
fantastic freak it had seemed
He had had his purpose. He had
taken her out of her environment;
he had carried her beyond succor
or menace just that he might carry
them both so much further and faster
through their differences. They had not
reached the point of agreement yet.
but might they not on some other
ground. where they could be unchal-
lenged? 1t seemed to her II she could
only meet him on her own ground for
once-instead of forever on Clara's or
Harry's-only meet him alone, some
where beyond their reach. 1t might be
accomplished, it might be brought to
the end she so wished Yet where to
go to be rid OF Clara and Harry, the
two so closely associated with every
fact of her life?
The hack, which had been moving
along at q rapid pace. slowed now to a
walk among the thickening traffic. and
from a mere moving mass the crowd
appeared as Individuals stream of
dark figures and white faces Her eyes
slipped from one to another. Here one
stood still on the lamp lit corner. look
ing down, with lips moving quickly
and silently. 1t was strange to see
those rapid, eager, moving lips with
no sound from them audible. Then her
eyes were startled by something ia
miliar In the figure, though the direct
down glare OF the ball of light above
him distorted the features with shad-