The Washington herald., 1913-01-26
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IHE ENIHANIED HAI y -

name. She turned, hugging the hat,
the legal documents and the letter,
and hurried down the main stairs, I at
her heels.
Tell the driver. my address, I can
return alone"
decidedly The driver Is q stranger
to US both. insist on seeing you to
the door: after that you may rest as
sured that I shall no longer infict
upon you my presence, odious as II
doubtless Is to you"
As she was already in the cab and
could not get out without aid climbed
In beside her. and called the street and
number to the driver.
Legally the letter is mine; II Is ad-
dressed to me. and has passed out OF
your keeping"
You shall never, never have IT.
vehemently.
,, 1T is not necessary that should" I
replied, for 1 vaguely understand"
I saw that 1t was all over. There was
now no. reason why should not speak
my mind freely.
Il can understand without reading
You realized that your note was cruel
and unlike anything you had done, and
your good heart compelled you TO write
an apology: but your pride got the bet
ter of you, and upon second thought
you concluded to let the unmerited hurt
go on
VIII you kindly stop the driver. or
Does truth annoy your?
Il decline TO discuss truth with you
VIII you stop the dr1verT'
Not until We reach Seventy-nrst Street
West"
BY what right
The right Of a man who loves you.
There. It is out. and my pride has gone
down the wind. After tonight / shall
trouble you no further. But every man
has the right to tell one woman that he
loves her. and i love you. i loved you
the moment I first laid eyes on you.
couldn't help it / say this to you now
because / perceive how futile IL is What
dreams i have conjured UP about you.
Poor fool, When / was at work your
face was always crossing the page or
peering up from the margins. never
saw fine painting that did not think
OF you, or heard a fine piece OF music
that did not think of your voice"
There was a long interval OF silence:
block after block went by. never once
looked at her.
IF had been rich I should have put
1t to the touch some time ago: but my
poverty seems to have been fortunate:
II has saved me a refusal. In some way
I have mortally offended you: how, I
cannot imagine. 1t cannot be simply
because l innocently broke an engage
ment'
Then she spoke.
You dined after the theater that night
with a comic opera singer. You were
quite at liberty to do so. only you might
have done me the honor to notify me
that you had made your choice of enter
tainment.
So II was out. Decidedly It was all over
now. l never could explain away the
mistake.
i have already explained to you my
unfortunate mistake. There was and is
no harm that can see in dining with a
woman OF her attainments. But I shall
put up no defense. You have convicted
me. / retract nothing have said. do
love you
was very sorry for myself.
Cabby drew UP. ! alighted. and she
silently permitted me to assist her down.
I expected her Immediately to mount the
knuckle OF a forefinger against her lips.
and assumed the thoughtful pose OF one
who contemplates two courses.
Have you a stamp" she asked finally.
"a stamp?'-blankiy.
Yes: a postage stamp"
fumbled in my pocket and found.
luckily, single pink square, which l
of her tongue and stuck II on
the letter,
Now. please drop this in the corner
box for me. and take this hat over to
Mr.. Chittenden's-Sixty-n ninth
"What-
DO as I say. or l shall ask YOU to
return the letter to me-
l rushed OF toward the letter box.
drew down the lid. and deposited tbs
letter-my letter. When I returned she
was running up the steps, and second
later she had disappeared
hadn't been so happy in all my life
Cabby waited at the curb.
Suddenly became conscious that I was
holding something in my hand. It was
the benevolent old gentleman's stove
pipe hat,
I pushed the button. pushed il good
and hard. Presently heard a window
open cautiously.
What is it, asked a querulous voice.
"Mr Chittendenc'
Yes
well. heres your hat cried.