The Washington herald., 1912-11-10


@1t-I-wanted-shat is-ifs abou'
PeeGir
thin line.
weir he repeated in the sans
cold, uncompromising tone.
sWell" Diciey Aoundered on, ~you
see, old chap, its such Z beastly mess"
1T d. But you needn't have taken
the trouble to come md tell me about
/ Il. Is that allfs He made as il to
/ rise and show his visitor out. Dickey
made an eager gesture of denial.
| Mono, Admission" he went on
hurriedly. "You see-Peggy-Peggy is
cut up rough about this"
The lids slowly dropped half way
down over the gray eyes.
"Yesf Did Peggy send you to me?''
inquired Admission at last.
"Oh, no-no," replied his lordship,
hurriedly.
There was a moments silence. Then
Admission rose, walked over, and put
his hand on Ellerdine's shoulder.
"Ellerdine." he said, in not unfriend-
ly tones, as he looked into Dickey's
blinking eyes, you lied like-like q
gentleman to me that morning in Paris.
Whatever else you are, ! know that
you are a man of honor. You know
more about this than / do. ! guess
every one does" he added, bitterly.
Don't you think-dsn't you know
that IL am right?"
Dickey got up suddenly. "Why-of
course you arew he cried. impatiently,
but that is not the point. Right
what's that got to do with it? Think
of the beastly mess! Think of Peggy r.
Admission WINGED and turned abrupt
ly away.
YES" he said, and Dickey felt but
did not understand the anguish in his
voice, II do. Cood-by, Ellerdinew p
And the next thing Dickey clearly re-
membered he was on the sidewalk in
/ front of the club. He was never able
to understand why Admaston ended
the interview just as Dickey thought
he was convinced.
Many years ago there was a prince
who roamed in a garden of flowers all
the day. II was written that he might
seek the bloom that he desired above
all others and make it his, and so find
happiness But he must take but one
One he plucked, but when he had
pressed it to his lips he saw another
that he desired more. The first he
tossed aside and plucked the new
bloom. As SO he wandered through
the garden and then was DISSOLUTION in
his path. At last in the very heart of
the place of beauty he came upon a
wondrous rose With a cry of JOY, he
dropped the last plucked blossom and
sprang forward to seize the rose. And
10! the thorns were ever in his way.
Torn and bleeding, he strove to put
them aside until he sank to the ground
and died And his blood watered the
rose so that it grew more strong and
beautiful.
All the years of his manhood COL
lingwood's simple If selfish system of
life had been to take what goods the
gods sent him and be happy. If the
gods were not prompt enough with
their consignments, he was not averse
to helping them help him amuse him
self.
More than a few women had loved
him and had gained from their love
varying degrees of unhappiness and
misery, according to their several ma
lures. But until he met Peggy Carew
he had never loved 4 woman. And
about the time he realized that he did
love her, George Admission asked him
to be best man at the wedding.
Continued success with women is
likely to give the most lcvel-headed
man the impression that he is invinci-
bic. Collingwood was possessed of
mental power and a sense of proper
tion lar above the average. but he had
never been routed by woman. He
wanted Peggy, and it never occurred to
him when he laid seige to her heart
after her marriage that he might not
win in the end Innocently, Peggy
gave him all sorts of encouragement.
He was sure that she loved him. and
for once in his life he honestly re-
joiced. This time he was sincerely in
love
The fact that she was married to his
best friend scarcely gave him mo-
ment's pause. He loved Peggy and
Peggy loved him-nothing else mat
tered. He intended no clandestine, TN
hallowed intrigue He would steal in
the open. Peggy made a mistake in
the man of her choice. That could be
righted. and it was just to the three
of them that it should be-
The shock came when he learned that
night in Paris that Peggy had simply
been amusing herself with him-that
she liked his looks and his admiration
and attention and had never given him
a serious thought beyond that point. |
1t was a wholesome experience, albeit |
an unpleasant one. 1t gave him a |
cleaner view of right and wrong thar
he had ever had before, and when the |
crash came a few hours later, the |
chivalry that was in him broke the
now cracked and always rotten shell |
that had warped it for years. His only
thought was to save the woman he |
loved at any cost to himself.
He determined to see Admission and |
make a final effort and convince him |
that he should withdrawn the suit |
Admission was out" Collingwood |
waited and gave him his choice Of talk
ing on the street or in his apartment |
Admission coldly invited him upstairs.