Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-10

Q Night had fallen when they left the
clubhouse and the forward lamps OF the
car cut a broad path of light over ...e
snow. Wayne adjusted one Of the NOV
able seats In the tonneau so that he
faced the two women. and turned on the
electric light. The thing had its ridicu-
lous side: the pains Mrs. Craighill was
taking to be polite to the girl struck him
as funny: but by the time the car reached
the highway more serious reflections en-
gagged him. Jean Morley's account of her
walk afield was plausible enough and he
did not question 1t: he wondered whether
Mrs. Craighill's story had carried equal
conviction. An effort to assure himself
that ii was not important what the girl
thought found him looking straight into
her eyes, whose gray-blue depths and sor-
rOwful usefulness seemed more fathom-
less than at any Of their previous meet
ings. Her knowing joe the ball player
and chauffeur-the man who now guided
them home-added a puzZling factor; they
We're utterly irreconciable characters. His
glance rested first on one woman and
then the other as he unconsciously COM
pared them - Mrs. Craighill. trim and
smart. with the girl. whose shabby, dis
colored gloves. her plain little hat with
its rumpled feather, her cheap coat, were
vesture of different world. Only an
hour before he had kissed the one; he had
held her unresisting in his arms; she was
pretty, charming. amusing. but the glow
Of the afternoon had paled; their adven-
ture had ended on a frightened, smoth-
cred half note.
He had been checked in the course he
had marked for himself: whirled out OF
the straight current into the laboring wa
tiers of indecision He had resolved upon
an evil thing: he had hoisted sail and
steered for the rocks. but the plunging
depths might not be so attainable after
all. That potential superstition. latent
in us all, and to which strong men are
often susceptible. leased, him with ques-
tons as to why this girl had walked into
his life. There too. was Paddock. the
clerical sentimentalist. Only little while
before Paddock had crossed the threshold
of his office and struck down. in effect.
the cup with which he was about to con-
secrate his life to evil things. 1t is the
way Of the guilty to take counsel OF
omens; the knocking at the gate In Mac
beth" is the loud beating of every con-
ton played upon the figure Of Jean Nor
ley. drifting through the storm to the re-
mote house where a woman. weak as he
was weak, yielded herself to a kiss he
had calculated in coolest reason.
The occasional glances that Mrs. Craig
hill vouchsafed him meant his dismissal
for the time at least. 1t was plain from
her conduct that the ground here lost
might not easily be regained; but he was
surprised to find in his brooding that he
cared so little. Adde'S pique was absurd;
but he had kissed women before and they
were prone to magnify the gravity OF
their indiscretions and to sulk afterward.
His thoughts traversed circular track.
but the fire had gone out in his blood
Rousing from his absorption suddenly he
found Jeans eyes bent upon him. Won
dering, pitiful and sad. He had not heed
ed what the women were saying to each
other. but now Mrs. Craighill asked him
where they were and he looked out upon
the lights Of the city.
Shall we take Miss Morley home first?"
he asked.
Dear me, no! She must stop and have
dinner with us. Better than that, won't
you stay all night with me. Miss Morley?
It's still showing and it will be hard get
ting. about town tonight. You see. your
knowing Mrs. Blair makes 1t seem that
we all know YOU"