Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06


He silent for moment, Ticking at the weeds with
Mrs. Cheyne and you have nothing in common,
Camilla he said I'm afraid it isn't in you under
stand this crowd. The set in which she and | were
brought up little world in itself The things that
happen outside of it of its 1t doesn't
1t has its rules and its code of decency,
to which it makes its members subscribe. 1t is New
York in minaturethe essence the of its vices,
its virtues and its ollies 1t lives like that poison ivy
along the out its tendrls uxuriousy
in the direction of the sum- moving along the line of
least resistance 1t does not what growth
stunts what blossom learns to grow beneath its shade
to fade and droop perhaps to w1ther for lack OF ar and
sunlight"
Ard yet-theres Gretchen" she said "and you'll
He smiled almost gaily. Eyes, there are many
vision of their sturdy forebears whose mothers
young when the city still felt the impress of its early
austeritieS."
His brow dakened and he looked straight before him.
"What l am doesn't matter. l was born and bred in
this atmosphere. Isn't that enough?"
Its enough that you survived, that you too have
clean vision
NO that is not true" he said sharply. II can't see
clearly-Im not sure that | want to see clearly-not
now.
81 won't believe that, Cort. Back there at her house
you said something that was unworthy OF YOU that
showed another side of your nature the dark side,
like the shadowy places under the IVY want you to
forget that you said it, that you thought it,
even
Il can't" he muttered savagey. Il want someone to
between you-to make him suffer what | am
suering-to place distance between you that nothing
repair!"
Someone has already come between u.s." she said
gently. "The one l have in mind is the Cort Bent of
Mesa City, who used to help gather colurnblnes,
who rode with far up the trail to get the last ray OF
the sunset when the valley below already asleep
the shadow who shouted my name in the gorge because
he said it to hear the mountains send back
its echoes all sivered with the mystery of the in
finite who told of palace and gardens in lands
had seen, and of the men and women who had
lived in them, who sang to me in the moonlight and
taught me to dream"
Don't, Camilla
THAT boy | remember who lived years and
years ago when rich-rch in innocent visions that
he did nothing destroy. 1t was he who gave
idea that there who differed from those had
known before,-1nen in whose hearts tenderness
and in whose minds might find mirror for ones
harmless aspirations toward life that wasn't all ma
teral and commonplace He was my knight, that boy,
thoughtful Considerate, and gentle. He was foolish
sometimes; but loved him because his ideals had not
been destroyed"
81 lied to YOU Life is a cinder."
She shook her head "No, you did not lie to me-not
then. Later you did when you asked to to
New York Oh, know l can see more clearly now.
Suppose that now choose what you call your
luton of the tangle we've made of things. You'd like
to Jeff desert for Rita Cheyne that you could
have your way with me now"
Camilla | mad then. l thought you under
stood. Gretchen and L"
~ understand many things better than did," she
interrupted You were no more mad then than you
think | have always been willing to forgive
you for that wanted to forgive you because thought
perhaps you didn't know what you saying. But
you make it harder for me now The boy knew in the
West is dead, Cortland. In his place rides do
not know with shadow in hc eyes, of the
gay world who along the line of least resistance,
with little in his heart for the troubles of the
woman he offered to protect with his life"
Il would still protect you-that is what l am offer
ing
"How? By making me woman like Rita Cheyne
who changes her husbands though they fashion
in parasos You offer protection from Jeff refuse
it, And then she added little haughtly, "Im not
sure that need any protection