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

i am sorry IL is 100 Iate TO invite you OH
board, Mesdames; but in a few moments
you shall see Mr.. Henry Stuart if they can
| wake him.
MRS. COBB, with her hand pressed to
~ her heaving bosom, sank down on one
| of the packing cases with which the wharf
was encountered. As for me, the blood roared
| in my head. In few moments | should see
him again. How would he greet me? For
my base desertion of the other day had he
| forgiven me? Did he still
Across the scudding whirl of my thoughts
broke the voice of Mrs Cobb, ooh, Lii,
Lii, what shall doo Do you think that |
ever, ever shall see him again.
| turned toward her with a start. HIM
But of course she meant Victor And my
heart was smitten with sudden compassion
as | saw how old she looked under her tiara,
how tired and grief smitten and desperate.
| ooh, Lili there's no use talking, he did
look noble when he stood up and defied me
yes, just as stubborn as me every whit,
real chip of the old block. Everybody said
so. Yes, Lii, it's the strangest thing, but
everyone seemed to admire him. You see,
it was plain to be seen that he threw you
down, not you that went off and Tilted him.
Yes, my boy seemed to make quite a hit
that is, with everyone except the Duchess.
| tA1lu L lIllllk CldG perhaps eNcH Sic "ould
forgive me if she thought that you were
going to make good marriage with some
one else, after all
My heart leaped to pain. "Hush! Who
knows? So you are going to forgive Victor,
after ALP
| She made gesture of desperation. "Who
would have thought he'd have made such
hit? And, besides, he's my boy-ny only
bo-oy That little rat of a girl-it's hard to
take her in. But, after all, if she really loves
| my bo-oy-"
Ali Mrs Cobb's iron will, meeting with
its match at last, had to buckle and bend
| like that of any other loving woman. And
| then, as she said, Victor had made such
hit! So he wouldn't have to swing to that
strap that he hated so, after all? | was glad;
for when your heart is running over with
happiness it is nice to think that other peo
pie are going to be happy, too
"Then you'll speak to the Duchess, dear
Lii? If only she could be prevailed on to
come to Bar Harbor, after all"
"I'll speak to her mysef-or, no, if you'll
give me a card, I'll write her line that you
can send her. This very night immediately
| thought of Portia and smiled. Small
danger that the trip to Mount Desert, with
such alluring prospects, would be refused.
you'll come too, dear Lii, of courseo
WI IL DC q W J'iol liiN
"Lili!'
! 1t was Henry voice. Tall and pale in the
electric light, he came tearing down the
gangplank. He did not kiss me-though
should not have minded if he had. He just
seized my two hands and held them tight as
though he'd grind them to powder.
7 Ill, what has happened?"
- "Oh, Henry, I'm free! I've come to find
you. Oh, Henry, don't go away"
"What?@ he said in dazed way like
child suddenly walked from sleep.
| tried to tell what had happened; but
got things SO mixed up-Alrs. Cobb kept
| putting in explanations and defending Vic
| tor. whom no one, to be sure, was accusing.
| But Henry never listened to a word she
said. He never glanced near her. He kept
looking at me as though his eyes would
drink me up, and holding my fingers as
though his flesh would enter into mine.
"You radiant star, dropping down out of
the night! You mean you We come to belong
to meo You re mine now-mine, mlne?"
"Yes Henry, yes, with my whole heart, if
you want me"
He Strengthened himself with violent
effort as though to shake off the daze that
| held him, while the desire of my heart rushed
into my lips in cry:
| 9nl, uapr,- Jo,,'t uo auax-f oh Henry