Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-13

taking the seas broad on her bow so that he
could feel the shock of impact as she bored
into them. Her seaworthiness and power
delighted, and he listened in vain for a note
of protestation from the quivering engine.
There was no time for thought OF his own
problems; but above the roaring of wind
and water he seemed to hear the hooking
laugh of Abby Kempton, and her voice as
she spoke of the woman he loved whether he
wanted to or not.
The Connecticut shore was now quite dis
tinct. He was surprised when he looked
astern to see how far he had come; so he
slackened speed and made a wide turn, TAX
ing a ducking in the trough and swinging
round homeward bound. With both wind
and sea astern, the Vas-y ran like fright
ened leopard, and the seas chased after her,
their green crests leaping vainly as she
sprang away from the harbor mouth. With
in the bay the sea pack gave up the chase
and fretted out their discontinue on the
sands of the bar, while their quarry, bone
in her teeth, sent them back the wash of her
wake and sped home in safety.
Brooke moored her at the pier; then
walked slowly up the hill to the house. His
ride had brought into service an unused set
of muscles, and the cool and damp of the
open water had stiffened them. IF you
her SOP" Why not9 1t seemed simple
enough few short words, and he was
lightened of his burden. He would have
liked Natalie to know, if she had been any
one else but Natalie; but he had only to
summon vision of her and the thing was
impossible. He could not bear that words
which were so deep in import to him should
fall on intolerant ears. Abby's taunts were
only mockery, refined and skilful kind of
bull batting she sometimes INDUCED in when
his obstinacy or obtuseness provoked her;
but they still fingered in his mind. She had
set about his ears a swarm of fancies; but,
like Pandora, she had kept Hope captive. 1t
angered him to think how the long nights of
vigil when he fought the fight that had re-
suited in his self placement could be set at
naught by few idle words.
MYTH an effort of will he addressed his
w mind to other matters. After the bath
andlunchh he whistledfor the poodles and, pipe
in mouth went for a walk round the place.
The foundations for the swimming pool had
been laid, and the maSonS were busy putting
on the bricks. He walked over to the tool
shanty and looked over the blueprints with
the foreman. 1t was going to be handsome
improvement and to cost twenty thousand
dollars at the least He visited the stables,
kennels, and garage, where idle men sprang
to their feet at his approach and busted
themselves with neglected tasks. Etienne
the chauffeur had brought from town the
new racing machine and was getting ready
for a trial spin. Garriott sent the dogs to
the kenn Is and went with him.
So the afternoon passed. AS dinner hour
approached, Garriott felt less inclined than
ever for society and 'phoned his excuses,
pleading indisposition, to Mrs. Schuyler
He dined alone and went up early with his
pipe and a volume from the library. The
book was one that required no effort of con-
centration, and he soon lost all sense of time
He was conscious of the ringing of the tele-
phone bell, and later the sound of an auto
mobile on the driveway. Evidently there
was joy riding here too; but that was none
of his affair. So he filled his pipe again and
finished his book at sitting; then with
sigh let it fall into his lap. He raised his
eyes and looked before him-at the Bolted
Door. 1t was still the symbol of thwarted
hope, the semaphore that signaled block on
the road to happiness.
SUDDENLY he started forward in his
~ chair and the book dropped to the floor.
Was the sound he heard knock, or had
imagination played him trick? 1t was so
small sound that he was sure he must be