The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-26
HOLLOW OF F: HER HAND
By GEORGE BARR MCUTcHEoN.

spring: through all the varying stages
Of their growing intimacy; through
the interesting days when he vain,y
tried TO translate her rnatchless beauty
By means Of wrctched pigments: up
to this present hour in which shc was
revealed, and yet not revealed. to him
Her vivid face was always before him.
between his eyes ana the thin white
paper on which lie sCribbled SO eagor-
iy. Her icVerish eyes We're looking
into his; she was reading what he
wrote before IT appeared on the sur
face of tho sheet.
His letter to Iictty MAS a triumph
Of skill and diplomacy. achieved after
many attempts He found it hard not
+ TO say too much, and quite az difficulr
not TO say too little. lIe srent hours
over this uli-imno!tant miss!ve. Al
last IL was finished. He read and re
read IT, searching for tho slightest
/ flaw: = fatal word or suggestion that
might create IN her mind the slightest
doubt as 10 his sincerity. She WAS
sure TO read this letter a great ruanr
times. and always with the view 10
hnding something between the line.
such as pity. resignation. an enforced
conception OF loyalty, or even faith
He meant that she should find nothinu
/ there but love II was full OF tender
ness. full OF hope. full OF promise He
was coming 10 her with steadfasl.
enduring lovc In his heart he wanted
/
There was 40 mention OF ChalIis
/ Wrandall ana but once was Sara
name used. There was nothing I'm tn.
letter that could have BETRAYED Their
JOINT secret TO the mos, acute out
ider. and Yet sh" would understand
Iha' ne had wrung everything from
SaIits lips. Her secret Nag his
II" decided that IL would not bo SAFE
I 70 anticipate tho letter by a c..ble.rar,
Z ~ was not likcly that any message H.
could send would have the desired ef
/ fect Instead OF reossuring her. in ALI
alarm.
steep did not come to linn unt,l
I after 3 O'Clock. At two he rot up ana
/ deliberately added "a postscript 20 IT,.
letter he had written It was III TIM,
nature or poignant plea for sara
I NFandaA Even "a he penued the linc-
he sAuddered at The thought ~ ,yh..t
j she had planned to do to IIcttv In.
Teton. Staring hard at the blncl; win
dow before him. the pen sim in his
h"nd. lac allowed his thoughts 70 owen
SO Intimately on the subject OF MS
: well meant postscript that her asher,
face WIKI it's burning owes seemed T.,
take shape in the night bcyoud. /,
MAS lon~ time before ne could gct
ria OF the illusion Afterwards ho t,Iaf
To conjure up iietty's face AND TO drive
out the likeness az tho other woman.
and found Mat be- couid not recall :.
single feature in the face OF liz
girl he loved
/ When he rcaered Southiook I'm tn,
f. morning. lac found tirtt nearly All ~
The doors aud windows we're boarded
. "p. wagons were standing in tho
stable yard laden with trunks ana
crates Servants without livery were
scurryng about the halls There was
IN an OF iinality ABOUT their move
mcnts The place Was heiug dcsolatcd
/, Yes sir" SAID Walton, In rcply 10
ms question. Sc are in a rush Mrs
/ Nrhnda!l expects 10 clos, tho 'ousc this
evening, sir. W. all 20 up this after
rocn. suppose you know. sir. We
ave taken new apartment in town"
No" exclaimed Booth
Yes. sir. We ave, sir. They've been
decorating II tor the pawst two weeks
seems like she didn't care for the old
one we ad IS matter OF fact
didn't care much for II. either She's
taken one OF them hc&ponstV. ones
looking out over tho Park. sir. You
know We used 10 look out over Madi
son Avenue. sir, and God Knows it
wasn't hinspirin'. Yes sir, W. 20 nm
this afternoon. Mrs Wrnndan will be
down IN second thank YOU, sir"
Booth actually was startled by her
appearance when she entered the room
a few minutes later. she looked posi-
lively i'll
NY dear Sara" lie cried anciouslN
self Ill! Come, come this won't do"
~ shall h- all right iu a day or
two she said, with a weary little gcs-
turc. II have been nervous. The strain
Was too great, brandon. This - the re
action, the relaxation YOU might say"
Your hand is hot, Your eyes looIs
fevcrish You'd better sec your doctor
as soon ~ YOU get to town An ounce
of prevention, you know"
! Well" she said, with searching
tnni, int D.
TO here"
Yes. Posted it at o'clock this
morning"
4 trust YOU did not 10 so far as
towel. To volunteer word in my bc
half. You were not to do that, you
know
He looked uncomfortable. I'm afraid
did take your name in vain" he
equivocated You are "a wonderful
woman sara" he went on. moved To
f. tho remark by "a curious influence that
he could not have explained any more
than he could have accounted for the
sudden eush OF emotion that took pos
session Of him.
She ignored the tribute You will
persuade her to come TO New York
with you
For your sake, Sara, II she won't
come for mine"
she knows the cugc is open" was
her way Of Diminishing the subject. 81
am GLAD You came over. have II
letter from Leslie. it came this morn
ing. You may be interested in what
he has TO say OF IIetty-and OF your
self She smiled family. He is de
termined that YOU shall not be without
Il friend while he is alive"
Les isn't such Il rottcr Sara Hes
spoiled, but he is hardly TO be blamed
for that"
II will read his letter to YOU" sho
said and there was no little signif-
! canoe in the way She put it. She held
the letter in her hand. but he had failed
10 notice ii before. Now lie saw that
i: was crumpled ball of paper. lie
was obliged To wait for minute
! two while She restored IL TO a read
able condition, Gle was III London
when this was written" She explained,
turning to the window for light. She
glanced swiftly over the first page
until She found tho place where she
meant to begin. 81 suppose Hetty
Castleton has written that wo met in
| Lucerne two weeks ago" she read.
"'Curious coincidence in connection