Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-26
CHAPTER XIV.
Introducing Shakespeare.

The end of the street and no pursuing
steps. nor shouts OF accusing voices
Once round the corner I<oveland breathed
more freely: but with the white CLINT OF
his uncovered evening shirt. he was
marked man among men whose over
coats acknowledged winter and his one
anxiety for the moment was to get on as
far as possible in as short a time as pos
sble.
He had two or three small pieces OF
American money in his pocket, rather
more than equal to the value OF an Eng
lish shilling. and he thought OF hurting
himself into a tearing electric car, or
rushing up the steps Of an Il station
to board the first train that should come
in. But he did not know what destina-
ton to name. and feared that IL he pro-
fessed indifference as to the end OF the
journey, he might arouse suspicion. II
was wiser he decided. to go on foot,
lodging from the brilliantly lighted ave-
nues into the darker cross streets. and
so on, indefinitely, until 1t seemed safe to
call halt.
Before the unexpected climax Of his in
terview with Mr.. Milton Loveland had
still hoped for ultimate shelter and din
ner, but now he ceased to regard either
as likely goal OF his adventure. The
great thing was not to be caught by the
New York police and run in" for as
sault, clapped into prison. into print and
forever out Of the matrimonial court. The
present was very bad but there was hope
for the future, although Milton's hints
and strange manner had brought closer
the cloud OF dark presentiment until 1t
pressed like a thick veil over Loveland' s
eyes,
When he found himself in the Plaza.
and saw the black forest of the park bill
lowing away into distance like the gulf
of night he looked toward it as refuge.
If only it were still open at this hour!
II only he could get in!
His doubt died at birth: for big motor
car whizzed by him and into the velvet
gloom. Evidently Central Park was not
shut to the public at night.
Loveland followed the car: and though.
| moving ghostlike along a tree-walled
road. he had not quite the wished-for
sense Of being botted out by darkness. 1t
was good to escape from glazing lights
and staring people
When Loveland became accustomed to
the gloom it took on color to his eyes.
and turned from black to q deep, trans
parent blue. which shimmered round him
like the shadows Of spirit forms: and far
away. where flared the lights of the
Great White Way" the dusk was beaten
into sparks Of flame. as If dying torch
blazing eyes of motor lamps and yellow
winking carriage lights moved along the
dim drives, and drew the night in after
them like folding curtain.
Val turned out of broad thorough
fare Of the park into a quieter road to
avoid the procession Of vehicles and the
faces that peered from their windows.
There were no faces in the world that he
wanted to see now. save his mothers and
Lesley Dearmer's. and he was ashamed
of the longing which ached in him for
those two.
Buck up. you blighter.' he admonished
himself. Don't be an ass or a baby"
II was easy to lash his soul with sage
advice. But he felt very small and pitiful
in the vast unfriendly city, where it
seemed that there were warm Overcoats
ard good dinners for everybody except
the Marquis of Loveland.
He strayed aimlessly along winding
way haunted by a melancholy fragrance
of dying leaves. and silence that rus
tied with scurrying thoughts which could
never enbody themselves in words.
In the great Illuminated canyons of the
New York streets electricity Outshone the
stars, and it was hard to tell whether the
moon lived or died. But above the park
hung sky like bell. purple in its
dome, and touched with metallic CLEANS
at the rim where the earth lights climbed.
And by and by that purple paled slowly
with the moon-dawn that sifted down in
silver dust over the black trees whitening
the autumn mists that chung close to the
GRASS like a face cloth on the dead.
LOveiand was bitterly cold nOw-cold
all the way through to his heart-but he
flung himself down on bench under a
low-branching tree, and wondered desc
lately il he had found his quarters for
the night.
Ito be continued tomorrow