Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-25
Septinnus
By WILLIAM J.LOCkE
Copyright. 1903. by the Phillips Publish
ing Company
CHAPTER X-Continued.

She started bolt upright on the sofa, the
feminine ever on the defensive.
YES" said Septimus. quickly. Don't
you see? If you will go through the form
of marriage with mech, just the form,
you know-and we both disappear abroad
somewhere for a year-I in one place and
you in another. IL you like-then We can
come back to Fora, nominally married,
and-and--''
"And what?" asked Emmy. stonily.
And then you can say you can't live
with me any longer. You couldn't stand
me. I don't think any woman could.
Only Wiggleswick could put up with my
ways"
Emmy passed her hands across her
eyes. She was somewhat dazed
"You would give me your name-and
shield me-just like that Her voice
quavered.
1T isn't much to give. It's so short. -
he remarked. absently. I've always
thought it such silly name
You would tie yourself for life to a
girl who has disgraced herself. just for
the sake Of shielding her?'
why. it's done every day. said Septl-
mus.
''Is it? Oh. God. You poor innocent"
and she broke down again.
patting her shoulder. It's all settled,
isn't 1t? We can get married by special
license-uuite soon. I've read of it in
books. Perhaps the hall porter can tell
me where to get one. Hall porters know
everything. Then we can write to Fora
and tell her it was runaway match. 1t 8
the easiest thing in the world. I'll go and
see after it now
He left her PROSTATE on the sofa. her
heart stone cold. her body Tapped in flame
from feet to hair. 1t was not given to
him to know her agony of humiliation.
her agony Of temptation. He had but fol-
lowed the message which his simple faith
took to be divine. The trivial name of
Dix would be the instrument wherewith
the deliverance of Emmy from the house
Of bondage should be effected. He went
out cheerily. stared for a moment at the
hall porter, vaguely associating him with
the matter in hand, but forgetting exact
ly why. and strobe into the street. feel
ing greatly uplifted. The broad-shoul-
dered men who jostled him as he pursued
his absent-minded and therefore devious
course no longer appeared potentia, cham
pions to be greatly envied. He felt that
he was one Of them, and blessed them as
they jostled him. taking their rough man.
ners as a sign of kinship. The life OF
Holborn swallowed him. He felt glad.
who once hated the dismaying hustle. HIS
heart sang for joy. Something had been
given him to do for the sake of the worn-
an he loved. What more can q man do
than lay down his life for friend? Per-
haps he can do a little more for allowed
woman-marry somebody else.
Deep down in his Heart he loved Fora.
Deep down in his heart. too. dwelt the
idiot hope that the miracle of miracles
might one day happen. He loved the
hope with a mothers passionate love for
1-4~ ,A1 s~,oI- oSt> 1hG L., ,ss,<e
unfit to live among the other healthy
hopes Of his conceiving. At any rate he
was free to bring her his daily tale OF
worship. to CLEAN look OF kindness from
her clear eyes. This was his happiness.
For her sake he would sacrifice it. For
Zora's sake he would marry Emmy. The
heart of Septimus was that OF knight
Grant confident in the righteousness OF
his quest. The certainty had come all at
once in the flash OF inspiration. Besides.
was he not carrying out Zora's wish? He
remembered her words 1t would be the
greatest pleasure he could give her-to
become her brother. her real brother. She
would approve. And beyond all that. deep
down. also. in his heart he knew it was
the only way-the wise, simple. heaven
directed day.
The practical, broad-shouldered, COM
nonsense children of this world would
have weighed many things one against
the other. They would have taken into
account sentimentally. morally. pharisaic-
ally. or cynically. according to their vari-
Gus attitudes toward life. the relations be-
tween Emmy and Mordaunt Prince which
had led to this tragic situation. But for
Septimus her sin scarcely existed. When
a man is touched by an angels feather
he takes an angels view Of mortal fraii-
ties.
He danced his jostled way up Holborn
till the City Temple doomed through the
brown air. 1t struck a chord of associa-
ton. He halted on the edge Of the curb
and regarded it across the road. with a
to assist memory. 1t was q church. Peo-
pie were apt to be married in churches.
Sometimes by special license. That was
it! A special license. lie had come out
to get one But where were they to be
obtained? In properly civilized country
doubtless they would be sold in shops.
like boots and hair brushes. or even IN
post Offices. like dog licenses. But Septi-
mus. aware. Of the deficiencies of an In
complete social organization. could do no
better than look wistfully up and down
the stream Of traffic. as it roared and
flashed and numbered past. policeman
stopped beside him. He appeared SO lost.
he met the mans eyes with a gaze SO
questioning that the policeman paused.
want to go anywhere, siro'
Yes said Septimus. II want to go
where / can get a special license to be
married.
Don't you know
mo. You see,' said SeptimuS, confiden-
TALLY. marriage has been out of my line.
But perhaps you have been married and
might be able to tell me-
Look here. SIR said the policeman,
cycling him kindly but officially. Take
my advice. sir: don't think of getting
married. You go home to your friends"
The policeman nodded knowingly and
stalked away. leaving Septimus perplexed
by his utterance. Was he Socrates of
constable with Xantippe at home. or
did he regard him as mild 1unatfc at
large? Either solution was discouraging.
He turned and walked back down Hol-
born somewhat detected. Somewhere in
London the air was thick with special Ii
censes, but who would direct his steps to
the desired spot? On passing Gray<s Inn
one of his brilliant ideas occurred to him.
The Inn suggested law: the law. sOlic-
itors, who knew even more about licenses
than hail porters and policemen. a man
he once knew had left him one day after
lunch to consult his solicitors in Grays
Inn. He entered the low. gloomy gate
way and accosted the porter.
Are there any solicitors living in the
inn?"
Not SO many as there was. They're
mostly architects But still there's heaps.
Twill you kindly direct me to one?'
The man gave him two or three adj
dresses, and he went comforted across the
square to the east wing. whose Georgian
mass merged without skyline into the
fuliginous vapor which Londoners call
the sky. The lights behind the bljndless
windows Illuminated interiors and showed
@clro ptnA Troy INC