Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-22
CHAPTER xxvIu-Continued.

CHAPTER XXVIII-Continued.
mo, I'll do nothing of the kind; but
she won't come"
Her tone caused him to look at her
quickly: but she met his gaze quietly
and asked:
How did you get on with Miss Morley
after 1 so considerably left you alone
this morning? This has really been
| very busy day. hasn't it?''
Wayne's heart sank at the mention or
Jean. 1t was in this room that very
morning that heaven had seemed SO near.
Mrs. Craighill had followed her inquiry
| with glance to see why he ignored her
question. He had turned forward the
table by which Jean had stood when he
took her hand and held it to his face. He
did not answer her question. but stared
duly into the fire. where the events OF
the day Knocked him in microscopic
| flashes. Mrs. Craighill raised herself to
| her knees and brought her face close to
his.
Are you in love with her. -Wayne?"
What IL / ann" he snapped, stirring
uneasily and drawing slightly away from
| her.
I'D be sorry il you were in love with
any one, think; but you mustn't let her
too handsome for a poor girl: l suppose
I was. too." she concluded with sigh
| She found and caressed his hand. The
| faint. elusive perfume of her siiken robe
the light touch Of her hand. the fine pre-
cision of her profile, the pretty red lips
and heavy-lidded, smiling eyes combined
to quicken his heartbeats. She was mere.
quite within his reach, a wounded bird.
with bruised wings, asking shelter. The
revenge he had carried in his heartz since
the night he read her letter announcing
| her engagement to marry his father was
attainable-he knew IT by all the manifold
his nature to hers. She was. as Tom
Walsh had said, fragile. like glass; and
| he was q veritable weathercock. the
winds plaything. His hand closed over
hers. she drew nearer and her head lay
on his breast. and he stroked her fair,
bright hair.
ITS good to be happy. 1 wish I be-
longed to you. II things only went right
In this world I should, and We should
have dear times together"
Her bare arm stole about his heck: the
touch Of 1t kindled his blood like flame.
"You are tired OF it," he asked. In q
low voice.
YES" she answered. softly.
You've been cheated: you paid big
price for the happiness you didn't get"
He doesn't care the least bit. / don't
| interest him. You might think ne would
talk to me when he was in trouble. but
he keeps as far away as he can. But
I'm really not SO bad-am I. Wayne? I'm
not ugly. or stupid. or so very foolish!
He1pressed her hand for answer.
Don't you think I'm as nice as Jean?
She's big and strong and handsome-and
she's interesting-I can see how she ap-
peals to you; but ,nere's 80 much she
doesn't know. Don't you believe 1 Know
more than she does"
His hand relaxed; she was aware thar
he drew away from her. He rose. almost
flinging her away.
For Gods sake, Addie. don't talk to
me OF her; don't speak OF her.
oh" It was the exclamation OF re-
stand" she pouted. You seemed lonely
and 1 was trying to be good to you. OF
course. then. she is wiser than | am. II
I'd known how it stood with you
shouldn't have spoken of her at all.
"She knows what you don't know; she
knows me-. e
"Then she must be very wise!'
"She knows ten thousand things You
never dreamed Of; she has watched them
bring dead men out of the pit; she has
heard grimy children crying for their
dead fathers. She knows the real things;
but life to you is only a candy box with
pretty pictures on the cover.
This may be very interesting" she re-
marked. coldly, but I'm afraid you're
going to bore me. l don't think care to
hear about dead men and the pit and
children crying. Good night.
He was safe for the moment. Her ref
erence to Jean had steadied him. but he
was not sure of himself. He felt that
Jean was there by the table, where he
had pressed her hand to his face; the
viol-like chords of her voice were in his
ears: he saw the light of her countenance
and felt the benediction of her spirit.
Mrs. Craighill had never understood
him less than in that instant when, half
turning to leave, she saw the far-away
look of his eyes, the strengthening OF his
figure and the Indifferent glance that
showed his acquiescence in her departure.
1t was at this moment that the lights
in the hail. which they had turned OF
when they sought the library, flashed on
again. Mrs. Craighill sprang to the switch
inside the library door and darkened the
room. The hall lights fell only family
across the library threshold, but as she
peered out through the portieres Mrs.
Craighill saw her husband slowly de-
scending. clad in his dressing gown. some
papers in his hand. Her heart tore at
her breast as she waited. When he
reached the hall she was quite sure that
he would come into the library and she
put her hand over her mouth to stifie her
frightened breathing. But he turned to-
ward the little coat room and she heard
him at the telephone. She was faint
from fear. but Wayne caught her wrist
and held her. Col. Craighiil was dictat- |
Ing q message to the telegraph ONCE: |
cries for help these messages were.
Wayne knew, to friends In New York and
PhiiadeIphia, and they added testimony |
to the worst Wayne knew OF his father
plight
Come" Wayne whispered to the shrink- |
ing woman-"come.
He drew her across the room and |
through q little-used door that communi- |
Gated with the rear of the house. to q
circular stairway that led to the upper