El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-08
AT THE THIRD TIME
BY L. NORRIS.
6kT DON'T care" said Ursula Dane
with conviction, running the
- nolyer lightly along the ron nar

6kT DON'T care" said Ursula Dane
with conviction, running the
poker lightly along the top bal
| of the CRATE. Everyone is supersti-
| tious on some point. It's a fact
Perfect nonsenser' calculated Jack
Taunton.
They had gathered together in Jack
| Taunton's flat, and now sat around
| the fire talking.
questioned Joan from the depths Of
the easiest chair. why is thirteen
unlucky, and why shouldn't you start
anything fresh on Friday or bring
May blossoms into a house?"
No one marked her questions, but
the medical student, Rama Khambatu.
1t was the first time he had come to
rehearsal since Joan's engagement to
Rupert Hayden was announced 1t was
stupid Of Rama to feel i'll used, be-
cause Joan had always made it quite
clear that she did not in the least care
for him. Rama's temper, never any
thing to boast of, had become yet more
uncertain. He wore the look of a man
who thinks the whole universe has
combined to hurt him. He spoke from
the shadoWy corner by the fireside.
I'VE are in the hands of fate" he
said. Fate, femorseless, rules our
WnOl6 lie. none 6ScdpC. Hdl WlllCil
is written on the forehead will come
1t is a proverb with u.s."
Don't talk in that creepy way"
protested Joan. Our will is free. You
speak as If we were puppets moved by
some unseen force"
1--WE are" protested Rama, quietly
"And, since man cannot control fate,
he tries to predict it. Men have
marked certain calamities and have
tried to make rule about their hap
penings. Here as elsewhere he would
generaIize and make laws. For in
stance, we say, The third time is
never"
stop that man. cried Rupert
Hayden, leaping from his chair. Il
have had enough Of this rot!''
The atmosphere suddenl became
tense and electrical. They were stas.
gered at his sudden vehemence Frank
criticism they were used to, but this
broke through all the laws of po-
likeness. And why was he so angry?
At the worst, Rama had only been
silly; Rupert felt he had gone too
far, and sat down shamefaced
Sorry everybody" he said, but I've
been trying to get away from these
words all day My nerves are a bit
rotten. I've been near death twice
since last night, and it's put me out a
bit"
How did it happen?" asked Joan, in
a voice she tried to make ordinary.
You heard of that smash in the
Castleton Road last night-wind blew
a great signboard down? I was close
by. A yard nearer and I would have
been done for, for a cert. Today they
were mending the elevator, and some
fool of workman left the gate of
the shaft open. 1 nearly stepped
down it, only Hunt just hauled me
back in time. I'm waiting for the
third time" he concluded, with a laugh |
that convinced nobouy.
That which is written on the fore |
head will come" repeated Rama, with |
q singular want of tact
They instinctively turned toward |
him. His eyes were narrowed into |
Sits of cleaning brown; as he |
crouched back in his chair he seemed |
to look not at Rupert, but beyond |
him, as if he saw something that was /
coming. He might have been that |
Fate of which he talked. Silence fell |
upon all, and queer feeling took them |
at the heart.
Ursula broke the silence.
I'm going home" she said. We've
talked enough for one night-too
much"
Rupert walked home with Joan.
wheeling his bicycle. Whatever his