Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10

enough you tn1flK tel
him you spent the night at the hotel and you do not
know where the man spent the night. 1eu him you
went back home the next day.
She sighed and threw out her hands in little gesture
of hopelessness. am afraid, she said slowly
3Afraid?" he laughed, Scorn1ng the idea.
3Afraid of his people, of his training They think
so much of birth and convent1onallty.
3You need not tell them. He is the only one who has
the right to know Why, he's the hero OF this place!
What do you how all the rest OF them crack their
heels on the tombstones of their ancestors he knows
and understands? And he will understand. The hero
always understands"
Il can't do it," she repeated defiant again.
The Englishman went over and put his cool hand on
hers "If YOU do not tell him. he said smiling into her
eyes, "there will be the truth between you-never
And some day. somebody who knows the story will tell
him. will always be there to help as was tonight
know you as everybody else in Detonade knew you.
There is finer or better than YOU He loves you,
you say If he does love you he will take you into his
arms when he hears the story. He knows you re too
good for him.
aBut suppose-suppose, she said fearfully, @he dis
trusted me?" She moved restlessy in the big chair
if the thing was too heavy for her brain. "Ah, Mr..
Harlegh" She breathed softly, this is my first great
happiness! You know what my life out there was,-
poverty and privatons. And my father-why, he
struck me once, Mr. Hareigh! He beat mel" She
shuddered, and put hand to each of her cheeks
aNow am about to be repaid for all | endured
can dream out the dream of my girlhood. When my
father struck me- felt two thngsthe crushing shame
of such treatment, and the desire the yearning. for
happiness in the future. When is Inundated,
he is kept up, believe, by his confidence that some
misery her salvation is the savage desire tor the happ
ness She knows the world owes her
Her words came very fast, and she grpped the arms
of the chair until she whtened the tips of her fingers
aAnd now | am about to be given that happiness for
which longed of which felt confident in my
degradation. 1t is the happiness that carries with it
means to woman. Mr. Harlegh, the first gittering
bubble of happiness. Do you ask to break it. to
throw away? Shall tell George that my father beat
me and abused me, and that II compromised myself
in an insane desire escape it all by marrying man
who of pity, asked me to be his wife! What would
he think of me? He worships me now, Mr.. Harlegh
f-if- 1t would break my heart. 1t would-realy!"
Hareigh stood up straight taking his hand from Miss
Berrys and laughing. an the first place. he said
SNielson will know that any man who asked you to
marry him in love with YOU In the second place,
you exaggerate the consequences of that episode 1t
doesn't look bad you think. It's all your imagl-
nation"
The Englishman walked the length of the and
back IF you don't tell him. he said, Il shall"
3You" she said sharply. "Why would you dare to
interfere1"
aFor your own future happiness he answered, hands
in his pockets, his lips wreathed in smiles Just think
what it would mean if somebody who had been IN
Detonade met your husband in New York or Washing
ton and told him the story. You think such thing
impossible. You remember Sam Walcott? He's
millionaire now, with homes in New York and San
Francisco. And Dick Jackson he struck it rich and
hangs around Washington half the year. You see you
won't escape it. Isn't that true?"
Il suppose So" she assented sadly.
sYou know" he supplemented "these little things
make no difference before you're married; but mat
rimony multipies past mistakes.
He paused; but she did not answer, and he walked
to the window, pulling aside the curtain that he
might look out Above the sound of the hddles in the
ballroom there rang out from the thcket the tumutuous
song of the mockingbird
A TRAP drew up at the gate, and tall, heavily built
= with his left shoulder perceptibly higher than
the other stepped to the ground
aCome here!' said the Englshman for the first time
making his words command
She went to the window.
@Look!" he said, and pointed to the big man, who
had his hand on the latch of the gate.