Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-22

RUT back in her cozy rooms the merciless.
- jeering imps of blackness still persisted at
her shoulder. Peter-her Peter-was gone;
had left her forever; would never return,
even if she wrote him; was even now speeding
to Chicago, to return only to marry the Allen
girl! This last vision was mercifully sub
merged in thick night-all but Peters eyes.
Then leaping, cracking dome of flame sud-
denly exploded with million flaming sword
thrusts. The Wide Mouthed Girl was chang
ing her bandage. More eternities of dense,
revolving blackness. More impertinent feet
on the stairs intolerable, well meaning muir
sympathy?
1.-TWO young ladies from your office to
inquire It's most important. Can they come
in?" the Wide Mouthed Girl was asking.
ooh, keep them away! Send them off,
said Jacqueline wildly. "They knew me be-
fore l died"
But these were not clumsy human feet;
these that battered and leaped and bounded
with uproarious joy, changing suddenly
to an insistent, whining yelp of woe, this
comforting, imploring wet nose thrust into
her face with passionate comprehension
@Jack, little Jack, precious!" said JAG
"And l can't even see you! Oh, Jack, when
you die, may you only die! I'm blind!
Tackums, Jackums, where's your master2"
HERE" said Peters voice from the door
IL way, and Peters bulwark arms were
around her.
She sat up trembling and laughed hys-
terically. "But you said you didn't want
me broken!"
81 lied!' Peters voice, strangely strangled.
@Do want your With all my heart and
soul, and Present and Past and Future, and
all the Powers of God and man, and this
and this-and this-and this-I want you
-broken!"
aGee!' said the Wide-Mouthed Girl from
the window.
3Then it's not so b-black after ALL" sobbed
Jacqueline. dts not bad at all, being
b1ind"
Within Peters arms all things became
possible. Within Peters arms on the brink
of the living grave from which he would
snatch her, she braced herself desperately
and who shall say quite unavailingly?-f
the first sacrifice she had ever dreamed of
making.
IL can't do it, Peter. I'd just be
weight around you," she moaned. "You
must leave me and 60 to Chicago, and
girl, please. P-promise me that, Peter.
Don't mind me- I'll manage someway-"
"And let the Light of my life 60 outa"
said Peter in a voice that defed the very
Hosts of Darkness. "No!" triumphantly.
3You can't do it, Beloved. Let me show
YOU"
He was still showing her when knock
interrupted.
THE two young ladies, Miss Harcourt and
Miss Ellsworth, they've come upstairs"
said the Wide Mouthed Girl "They say they
must see you. It's most important. It's
about a Fund they want to tell YOU
"The Store Relief, said Jacqueline family.
@No, not the Relief" Katherine Els
worth's eager voice through the door.
THAT couldn't, you see, because she'd
never joined it. But special fund, started
by her friends"
@Oh!" said Jacqueline, still more family.
"But you can't take their money: that's
impossible" said Peter decidedly. "Ill see
them and explain He pulled queer, legal
looking document covered with wine-colored
seals from his pocket. "Miss Torrey,' to the
Wide Mouthed Girl, "can you change her
bandage and pack her few collars and so
on, enough for two months in the mountains?
Here's the license, and once knew a minis
ter. l see you have ring"
0NIJE ooso~,o~,, a., ~ eborf ooI