Bisbee daily review., 1913-02-25

than he had ever looked into WON
an'si
And then. at last. the life schedule
of Virginia Delaware was verified. At
last. the inevitable. happened.
on one of these many trips TO New
York. Miss Delaware had been alone
In her apartments at the hotel for
most of the afternoon. In the evening,
before the dinner hour. she was sum
moned TO meet Mr.. Rawn in one OF
the hotel parlors. At once she noted
his suppressed excitement. He scarce
could wait until they we're alone. In
far corner of the roon. before ex-
planning to her the cause.
Il don't like to say this. Miss Della
ware" he began. but I've got to do
III"
what do you mean, Mr.. Rawn 90
she replied in her usual low and clear
tones.
There's been talk"
TAX? About what?"
"Usi"
About us? What can you mean,
Mr. Rawn?" she asked.
The world is so eonfoundedly
small, my dear girl. that It seems ev.
erything you do is known by every
body else. or course, a man Ike my.
self is in the public eye; but We've
always minded our business. and it
ought not TO have been anybody else's
business beyond that"
no
has happened"
But now, tonight. now--just a
little while ago-I met this fellow Ack'
erman--you know him-big man in
the eompany-used to be general traf'
fc manager down in St. Louis. on tho
old railroad where / began-well. he
was drunk. and he talked"
What could he say2"
HE got me BY the coat collar and
proceeded to tell me how much--how
much-well. to tell the truth, he con.
nected your name and mine. II he
wasn't drunk-and a director-rd go
down there yet and smash his face for
him, What business was 1t of his?
OF course, men don't mind such things
20 UluCu- nut Ni2Eu IL NOtAlG5 " gpu
why. my dear girl!"
The truth has already been stated
regarding John Rawn: that, batra-
chan, half-dormant for almost half
a century, and then putting into bust
ness what energy most men put into
love and sex. he had passed a life OF
singular innocence, or ignorance. as
=, / 80
nanced much gossip about women. be.
cause he had little interest in the
topic. The grande passion marks
most OF us for its own now and again.
or is TO be feared now and again; but
the grande passion had passed by John
Rawn. He was now approaching fifty
years of age. Married he had been,
and divorced; but he had not yet been
in love.
He now spoke to his like, his mate
in the hunt. Of the opposite sex. a
young woman who at that very mo-
ment was as beautiful a creature as
might have been found on all Man.
haitian, a woman known in all Man.
haitian now as the mysterious Lady
of the Lightnings." the goddess Of the
stock certificates of one of the most
mammoth American corporations, a
creature over whom Manhattan's most
critical libertines were craZed--and
helpless: moreover, a woman who, out
of all those in the great carayanserai
at that moment might az well as any
have been chosen as the very type Of
Of 10 n
hood alike. But she had not yet been
in love.
Il don't understand, Mr.. Rawn." re
peated she slowly. What possible
ground could Mr.. Alderman have had?
You surely don't think he could have
spoken to anyone else?"
u wouldn't nut that past Alderman
when he's drunk. II he'd talk to me.
he would to others. And you know
perfectly well that when talk begins
about q woman. it never stops!"
mo. that is the cruel part of IT."
Her voice trembled just enough. her
eyes became Just sufficiently and dis
creetly moist: she choked little, just
sufficiently.
1T is cruel" she said, with a pa.
thetic little sigh, "but the hand of ev-
cry man seems TO be against a woman.
Did you ever stop TO think. Mr.. Rawn,
how helpless. how hopeless, we really
are, we women"
He flung himself closer upon the
couch beside her. his face troubled. as
she went on with her gentle protest
"All my life I've done right as near
~ as ! knew, Mr.. Rawn. Perhaps I
was wrong IN coming 10 trust so much
to you-to depend on you so much II
all seemed so natural, that I've just
let matters go on. almost without any
thought I've only been anxious TO
do my work-that was all. But this
cruel taiksabout us-well-it can have
but one end. I must go"
!, Go? Leave me? You'Tl do nothing
of the sort, III take care Of this thing
myself. say-TlI stand between you