Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-02

Grace, changed to rough clothes and went
to see what could be done to help. Not that
they had any particular hope; but they
chafed at being idle in such a crisis. The
billiard room was deserted, the cardroom
dark, and one by one lanterns began to fit
in the direction of the nine hole where JOS
slipper had been found.
TT was quite dark when John came, and
= besides the horror of its being dark there
was no news. He knocked SOFTLY came in,
spread out his hands helplessly. He was
tired and dusty, and his clothes were torn
where evidently he had struggled through
gaps in wire fences. When | met his clear
gray eyes and the look in them | moaned.
Then he gave way too, and sat down, bury
ing his face in his hands. knew the truth
he loved her. He had waited a long time to
love, then had tumbled in pellmell and the
woman was 10! | obeyed an impulse and
put my hand on his bowed head.
"We're going to find herr l whispered
brokenly.
ayes, we are going to find her!" he repeated
grimly.
"One OF the newspapers suggests that per-
haps she was abducted and held for ransom.
In that case, there's chance"
He came to his feet with an exclamation
and eagerly scanned the paper l gave him.
IF they are holding her-if only they will
demand ransom!' he said hoarsely. "Great
God! if only they will"
"You think they have killed herr | cried.
mo, nor he denied. "She's alive! She
must be alive! Why, she's got to live, live!
She shall live!"
1t was an awful thing to see him go to
pieces, and he had completely. The effort
he made to control himself made it all the
more pitiful. His lips were white, he could
not hold the paper steady, and when he
spoke his words, try as he did to keep them
from being so, were tragic. | didn't know
what had happened between him and 10 the
evening before; but | knew what was going
TO happen if she ever came back alive; and
no dressmaking nonsense and false pride was
going to have anything to do with it. When
a man waits for nearly forty years to fall in
love, tornado-and that's the most siren
uous thing | can think of-couldnt stop
him. He folded the paper and put it down
gently.
"If the cursed scoundrels are after ran
son." he said, "they will take care of her.
It's growing cold," he shivered; but the
breeze that came in was hot and sultry,
"and she has only one shoe. Louie, does
she know how to use that revolver?'
"She can plug dime at fifty yards, l
replied remembering that somebody at the
CllD OIlCe Sd1u TIC NOulu Ike W SeS IleI pug
a dime at fifty yards.
"Then why didn't she shoot?' he de-
manded suddenly.
ats an awful thing to shoot man, now
isn't it," I demanded in turn, seven if he
is thief"
"Great Lord, no. when she's in danger.
It's self defense"
"Well, that S the way I'd feel about it, and
that's the way she would too. Perhaps,
when she realized there was danger, it was
too late.
He was exasperated with me. He couldn't
see that womans mind works differently
from mans. He came close to me after a
moment, drew me into his arms, and placed
a very brotherly kiss upon my forehead
Women he said softly, women are
angels"
THE worst continued to happen Just at
that particular instant Hap banged on
the door and, without waiting, suddenly
opened it. 1t was an awfully awkward stu
alton. There was John with me in his arms
John who never looked twice at woman
in his life-and l practically engaged to Hap
and Hap looking as if something had ex-
ploded just under his nose. l know went
red, and I'm sure l should have done some
thing foolish, if Johns self possession had
not saved u.s. He continued to hold me in