Putnam patriot., 1912-09-06

are not my fault. It may interest you to learn that Archer Ross broke his engagement to me last week, to marry a chorus girl"
 He looked at her, then.
 Yes" she agreed. Dramatic pun. ishment, is it not? You can regale Miss Floyd with the tale. You are on your way to her, of course"
 Miss Carlisle!"
 She rose, drawing around her the heavy folds of velvet. He saw now the faint lines about her delicate mouth and the new hardness of her tawny eyes. She had suffered, was suffering also.
 Congratulate her from me, MT Stanton. At least she has known a man. whatever 1t has cost her"
 Yes. Floyd had played mans part Whatever the anguish of losing him, 1t was a matter of congratulation to have known him. It never occurred to Stanton that Valerie Carlisle might have meant him. himself
 It was afternoon when Stanton ar. rived in New York. among the snow sprinkled, hilarious crowds that thronged the streets. And then he first realized that this was the day be- fore Christmas. Christmas? Holiday? With q vague impulse to escape it all he hailed a taxicab A girl with her arms full of holly brushed past him as he reached the curb, a man in uniform stopped him with a hastily recited plea for aid to the hungry poor. At him Stanton looked, and put yellow bill in the outstretched hand.
 Sir" the man cried, pursuing him with ready book and pencil. What name? So generous"
 Floyd" Stanton answered, and stepped into the vehicle
 The address he gave to the chauf- feur was that of the quiet uptown apartment house.
 The little old Irishwoman clad in black silk opened the door. He fan cied she had aged. but on seeing him she broke into beaming smiles and ushered him in with eager welcome.
 The girl who was like Floyd was standing in the firelit room. As Stan ton paused on the threshold, she re- treated against the window opposite, her fingers winding themselves hard into the draperies, her marvellous gray eyes wide and fevered. So they gazed at each other. dumb.
 You can not bear to see me?' Stan- ton first found voice. q have no right to blame you-God knows I under stand. Yet Floyd would tell you that it was not my fault. I did not throw away his life by recklessness.
 She gazed at him still, yet it seemed to him that during a brief second consciousness had left her and return ed. that now she looked at him differ ently. almost wildly.
 "I have been near death, also he resumed q have seen no newspa- pers, I do not know what they have told you. But the accident was pure accident: if he could have been here. Floyd would have borne me out in that. I have wantonly risked his life with mine at other times, then. no
 Her sensitive face had changed, she, too, found speech.
 q never thought of blame," she protested unsteadily. Never. You drove straight and best. You look so ill.,"
 He drew near her. long past conven- tionalities.
 q have been i'll. I have now little strength to waste aside from my pur- pose. Jessica. have come for you. as he once gave me leave to do. You have no one left, nor | Will you mar ry me?H
 Her fingers wound harder into the curtain, he saw the pulse beating in her round throat as she flung back her head with FIoyd's own boyish movement
 You love mel" she questioned. just audibly, grave eyes on his.
 ~ thought you knew. Yes.-
 She shook her head, her smile sad.
 Me Ralph Stanton, or Jes F1oyd's twin."
 The acute question pierced deep. Out of Stantons suffering leaped the truth in a cry of vehement passion and force.
 'T do not know, Jessica, Jessica, I do not know, want both I love you. want you for my wife; left with him. I would have missed you If I cared for you because you were like