The Washington herald., 1911-02-25
CHAPTER XVI-Continued.

CHAPTER Continued.
She had been schooled in the art of
acting, but not in the art Of dissimula-
ton: she had been of the world without
, having been worldly; and sometimes she
was as frank and simple as a child. And
worldlineSs makes a buffer in times like
these. Cath we thanked God for his own
shell, toughened as 1t had been in the
war of life.
| Look" he exclaimed, thankful for the
diversion. There goes a big liner for
Sandy Hook How cheerful she looks
with all her lights, Everybodys busy
there. There will be greetings tomorrow,
among the sundry curses of those who
| have not declared their Partisan models. !"
They paused by the rail and followed
the great ship till all the lights had mar
! rowed and melted into one; and then.
| almost at once, the limitless circle of
pitching black water seemed tenanted by
! themselves alcne.
Without warning she bent swiftly and
kissed the hand which lay upon the rail.
How kind you are to me!'
| oh, pshaw" But the touch Of her
lips shook his soul.
| Cathewe was one of those sure, quiet
men, a stafT to lean on. that a woman
may find once in a lifetime. They are,
as usual thing. always loving deeply
and without success, hut always invari-
ably cheerful and buoyant. genuine phi
| losophers. They are not given much to
writing sonnets ur posing; and they can
stand aside with a brave heart as the
| other man takes the dream out of their
| lives. This is not to affirm that they do
not fight stoutly TO hold this dream:
| simply that they accept defeat like good
| soldiers There are many heroes who
I -
| that the whole heart of Hildegarde Won
Mitter had yielded to another. But it had
been thrown. as it were, against a wall;
| there was this one hope, dimly burning.
that some day he might catch it on the
| rebound.
| ''Why are not all men like your she
asked.
The world would not be half so inter
| esting. Some men shall be fortunate and
others shall not: everything has to bal
| ance in some way. I am necessary to
| one side of the scales, as a weight
He spoke with a levity he by no means
felt.
You are always making sport Of your
self"
Would it be wise to weep? Not at all.
I laugh because I enjoy it. just the same
as l enjoy hunting or going on voyages
of discovery
ITO have met your'' childishly.
Don't talk like that 1t always makes
me less sad than furious. And how do
you know? II it had been written that
| you should care for me, would any one
| else have mattered? No. 1t Just is, that s
All So we'll go on as we have done in
the past, good friends. Call me when
you need me, and wherever 1 am I shall
| come" =
How pitifully weak I must seem to
your
| You would be no happier if you wore
a mask. Hildegarde, what has happened?
What power has this adventurer over
you? l cannot understand. He was man
enough to say that you were guiltless OF
any wrong
He said that" turning upon him
sharply. She could forgive much
He could not see her face, but by the
| tone of her voice he knew it had bright
| ened- Yes. did a freakish thing the
| night we arrived at the Killigrews'. 1
| forced him into q corner but 1t did not
| pan out as hoped. So far as IL touched
| me, II wasn't necessary, as / have told
you a thousand times. Your past is
| nothing to me; your future is everything,
and want II, God knows how 1 want it,!
| Well, wished to find out what kind of
man he is, but wasn't successful Hill
| degarde," and he pressed his hand down
| hard over hers, Il could find priest the
day we land If you would love me. You
will always remember that"
"As If I could ever forget your kind
\ pess But you forced him; there is no
merit in such a confession. And 1 won
der how you forced him. 1t was not by
fear. Much as 1 know him. there are
still some untitled pages. I would call
him a scoundrel did 1 not know that in
parts he has been hero. What sacri-
| fees the man has made, and with what
| PATIENCE
TO what end?" quietly.
mo, no, Arthur! I have promised
him.
He took her by the arm roughly. LET
US make two or three rounds and go
back. We shan't grow any more cheerful
| talking this way"
He loves her 1 saw II in his eyes,
and I must stand aside and watchr'
so must l." he said. Aren't you just
| a little selfish, Hildegarde?"
Il am wretched, Arthur, and / am a
| fool besides. Oh, that were cold blood
| ed like your women, that could eat out
my heart in secret; but can't, 1 can'tr'
BUT you have courage, only use 1t. II
| what you say of him is true, rest easy.
| She is not in his orbit. She will not be
| impressed by an adventurer of his
| breed"
THANK your with a broken laugh. Il
am only an opera singer, here on suffer
ance"
"oh, good Lord! didn't mean It that
way. Let US finish the walk" savagely.
On the afternoon of the second day out
1 tea was served under the awning, and
Capt. Flanagan condescended to leave
| his bridge for half an hour. Through a
previous hint dropped by the admiral