Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-10

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rent in her thoughts
nowadays.-Is Life Worth Living?
For her. at least, it meant getting up
at an uncanny hour in the morning. Ii
meant standing In a crowded. foul-smeli-
ing car. 1t meant taking letters all day
at the alternate dictation of two stodgy,
middle-aged business men. 1t meant
skimping on lunches and dinners for the
sake of a summer vacation. To intermit
such Improbable reflections she had re-
course to the book which she was read
ing. And then her eyes, injurious, lack
luster, rowing along the row opposite, fell
on a face.
1t was a face that she had not seen
more than half dozen times all told. 1t
WAS ,na ia face that she not seen
same face about which. nightly she wove
her waking dreams And it had all its
old magic. The wintry world suddenly
put on the glamors of May. Her heart
began to leap, her head to whirl, her
blood quickened to racing speed. Pray
ing that her emotional illumination would
not flare through her skin, she managed
to follow up her recognition with bow
and a smile.
Lawrence Crane had arisen and was
coming toward her. She made place
at her side. In another instant heA hand
was in his. This is perfectly charm
ing"' she was saying
What way he had How his gaze
seemed to drink her down. 1t seemed to
assure her that there never had been.
Hn fhnr III
bored he must have been, was her next
thought.
You're the last person in the world
I expected to see." she managed to say.
She tried to meet his eyes, but she
could not sustain his gaze.
But her glance had shown her that
he was quite as "bonny"-that was her
word for him-as she remembered him.
Tall. broad -shouldered. and with some
thing of the glory Of the college ath-
lete lingering about him. he had an
array Of charms. From the crisp, wav-
ing hair. through the straight profile
and down to the square dimpled chin.
he was a man who would arrest a
woman's attention anywhere.
ITS providential," he announced. She
felt his amused gaze beating through
her eyelaSheS. I've only been here a
day or two and I've had 1t on my mind
That is tonight, 1 may add-unless
you're going to be cruel and find an
other engagement.
There was the old fascination in his
voice-she noted them one by one
well-remembered tricks of infection: it
was distinctly a magnetic" voice.
AS for her. all the blood in her body
was surging back in waves into her
trayed itself in the color coming in and
out of her pale cheeks. She tried to
| lift her eyelids, she tried to speak; both
feats were impossible. She looked
straight ahead. To her blurred vision.
Broadway streamed by like pennant.
you're not going to have another
engagement" he urged; where do you
live?"
With a tremendous effort she gave
him her address. Somehow she added
work. 1 suppose" Her voice was
hoarse and her throat parched.
-"Of course I know all about it. Will
you be home tonight?" He was rising.
She tried to stay the culver Of her
lips But she had to hold the lower one
still with her teeth after she had said.
"Yes I'll be at home"
How wonderful he was! How hand
some. 1t made her dizzy to meet his
eyes in that long-ago visit to Helen.
Undeveloped. silent, awkward as she
was, every word that he gave her SEEM
ed a caress Now it was even worse
his very presence was a ViDrauon, MS
words were bliss.
Was she dreaming? Had the skies
fallen? She tried to find something to
hold to. "Everything comes to him VINO
stupid reiteration. She wondered II
that explained Next she was conscious
| of being glad that she wore Helen S
gray dress-it was the most becoming
1 he lS-f q a
seen Helen in it again and again. But
men never remembered. Would Helen
really have married him she wondered.
He had engaged in a desperate h1rta-
| ton with her cousin during that week
that they had both met him for the first
time, and his Irritation had actually lap
ned over the announcement OF Helen
betrothal to another man. The nrst
she heard of Helens broken engage
ment, six months ago, was that Law
renee Crane would renew his suit Per-
haps he had. and perhaps Helen. mao
refused him. She would not speak 10
| him of her. she decided-especially now
when there was GOODNESS between
herself and Helen.
Was life worth living? 1t was joy to
get up at the uncanny hour In the morn
| ing. 1t was bliss to stand in a crowd
ed. foul-smelling car. 1t was rapture
taking letters all day long at the alter
nate dictation of two stodgy, mloole
! aged business men. 1t was ecstasy TO
skimp on lunches and dinners for the
sake of a vacation!
She ran from the car to the office. She
raced up the four fights of stairs-no
elevator could hold her spirits that morn
ing Opening the door with jerk. she
rushed in. precipitating herself into the
arms of six feet of the other sex about
| to rush out.
my hands are up he said, without
further parley. MY moneys in my in
| ner coat pocket"
She laughed and drew back. But
what are you doing here?" she demand
ed in the next instant.
I'm Merriam, the new partner. You've
got me roped thrown and t1ed-but don't
mind me"
She stared at him nonplussed. He
| looked fresh, young. absolutely untamed,
and yet he might have been thirty. His
| skin had been weather beaten until it
was cheerful mahogany. He had big.
| unabashed gray eyes as clear as