The San Francisco call., 1910-03-27

~ARTER could not be sure at first that it was
Jerry Coskar, but he saw that the man whose
- face had put him on the alert slipped away
toward the rear of the house through the brilliant
thronging rooms. He moved slowly in that direction,
keeping careful watch as he exchanged salutatons
stopped a moment with an acquaintance.
He had rather expected some difficulty. This was
Marion Keths wedding night. Coskar could still
make trouble the schoolgirl affair she had had
with him, and he so entirely discredited in
the world of gold and purple that he longer dared
show his face in crowd. The Virginan caught one
glimpse of the face in the second room and was
convinced. When he reached the last room the man
he trailing had disappeared. And that meant
action
He returned to the entrance hall Dorothea Pull
sain standing the lower stairs. Dorothea
was to be one of the bridesmaids and he could not
have asked better ally. He stepped UP just below
her.
Where is Marion?" he asked eagerly.
with her gown" the calm young womans
all sufhcing answer.
Listen, please It is very important that 1
should see her. No. Please don't waste time being
cynical superior. I'll grant you all the sharp eff
fects you could make without struggle There is
something she should know Immediately
Excellent" returned Dorothea without moving
What should she know? That her romantic iance
is wearing chestnut wig in her honor or that
he will support his declining years to the altar on
crutches?"
Il knew you'd do it." said Carter Indignantly
We'll, what do you expect?"
Il expect your aid What if If is out of the way?
] wouldn't have you if it had been an ordinary
matter, would II"
She regarded him with more interest "You are
you, you wish to hold parley with girl who is just
about to be married, who is now the most important
person in the house and who is at this moment the
of whirng system of excited maids relatives
and friends. Is that alp"
He nodded and she broke her graceful pose against
the balustrade We'll to do the thing properly you
will have the staircase, as they do in all
dark and romantic intrigues You can take your
chances with the servants"
She glided away toward the upper floor and he
turned back along the hall 1t was an old fashioned
double mansion, in proper accord with the hung
name and ancient fortune of the Keiths The house
belonged to Marions grabbed old uncle, who had
happily loaned it for the OCCASION since Mrs Keith
had adequate quarters of her own. He had es-
tabshed precedent condition to the loan that the
ceremony should be held the gded reception ROOM
where such affairs took place when he was young
Society found the aged house and the faded appoint
ments amusing and quaint The Keths were really
n, whatever their cccentricity there was nothing
be said.
Never So Beautiful
Carter found the stairs and climbed in the
black well to the next landing, where he waited with
the door held ajar. She presently and he
stepped forward to meet her. In the faint glow of
the hall lamp the sheen of white that fell about her.
the fair pale face, the firm, young shouders-al her
gracious figure seemed to hold distinct radiance
Never had he seen her SO beautiful and thought
swept Min for moment the thought that he had
read the signal in her eyes and that something
had answered within him. He sharply conscious
of the months that had passed since he had been
with her, and of the fact that those months had been
the last of her girlhood. Only, for moment and
the old, leaping fame smothered once more He
found himself speaking before he had quite reganed
his balance.
Jerry Coskar is here" he began abruptly Have
you heard from him agan?"
Her face was whittier than the high lights of her
gown she looked him He knew with the
strange understanding which bound him to this
woman, that it was the sudden sight of him rather
than his words that the color from her cheeks
and brought hand falterng to her throat He
repeated his question She shook her head SLOWLY
and answered in low voice:
NO. I've never heard from him since the time
you kept hisa from
"BIacknailng you" Carter took the word from
her quickly and "He was invited by
any chance?"
No"
Il knew that, of course But he's here, and I'm
very much mistaken if his hacker and friend who
aided him in the former affair is within call
Fortunately they did not have an opportunity to