The Washington times., 1913-06-14

II
~ furs; today she seemed like a
| delicate dream of springtime.
She wore a white. spotless muslin
gown; its exquisite simplicity had
been the triumph of a French artistic.
Her hat, large and dropping, was q
vision of pink roses and soft, creamy
lace. There was a dainty suggestion
of color about her throat-only the
sunlight seemed to discover. when
she moved, the faint glinting green
beneath the transparent folds Of her
gown.
She came over to Douglas with out
stretched hands. and he was pewil-
dered, for she had not smiled upon
him like this once during that long
"So ii is 1 who have had to come to
YOU" she exclaimed. taking his hands
in hers. May / sit down and talk
| for a little while? / am SO glad
everyone is glad-that you are bet
ter"
He laughed a little oddly.
"Eyeryone. Why, I could count on
the fingers Of one hand the people
with whom I have spoken since l
came to London"
yes" she said, but today you
could not count in an hour the people
who know you. You are very fortu-
nate. You have made wonderful
start You have got over all your
go easiiyT" He smiled again. and
She looked into his face. and she. too.
felt like shuddering.
You do not know" he said. NO one
will ever know what II Is hke-to go un-
| der-to be saved. as 1t were, by a mir
acle"
"You suffered. know" she muir
INJURED, but you gained a wondertui e&-
You do not understand" he said in
a low tone. "No one will ever under
you could have saved yourself 80
much" she said, regretfully, II you
had kept your promise to come ana See
Il could not" he answered. II lost
your address. It went into the Thames
with an old coat the very night !
reacIed London. But for that l should
You would have made me famous.
she answered laughing. I should nave
claimed the merit of discovering YOU
He locked puzzled.
"Of course, you know" she said,
how everyone has been reading those
wonderful articles of yours in the Cour-
Ter? You are very fortunate. You have
made a reputation at one sitting.
He shook his head.
"a fieeting one, I am afraid; can
understand those articles seeming life
like. You see, wrote them almost 1T
orally with my blood. 1t was my last
effort. / was starving, poisoned with
horrors, sick to death of the brutality
Of life"
Things had gone so hardly with you
them" she murmured.
He nodded.
From the first, 1 came to London as
an adventurer, IT is true. i knew no
one, and had no money. But the editor
of the Ibex had written me kindly. had
accepted a story, and asked for more:
Yet when l went to see him he seemed
Ito have forgotten or repented- he would
not give me a hearing. Even the story
he had accepted he told me he could not
use for a long time-and / was relying
upon the money for that. That was the
beginning Of my i'll luck, and afterWard
IL never left me-"
She sat for a moment with look in
her deep, soft eyes which he could not
il and wondered. 1t passed away very
soon, and she bent toward him with her
face full of sympathy.
Tt has left you now." she said softly,
come to take you for a drive? The doc
tor SAYS that II will do you good.
With a curious sense of unreaity he
followed her downstairs and took the
vacant seat in the victoria II was all
SO much like a dream, like one of those
wonderful visions which nd come to
him at times in the days Of his home
less wanderings. Surely 1t was an IL
lusion The luxurious carriage, the
great horses with their silver-mounted
harness, the servants in their smart
liveries and. above all, this beautiful
woman, who leaned back at his side,
watched him often with sort OF gentle
curiosity. -
At first he sat still. quite dazed his
senses at little numbed, the feeling OF
unreality so strong upon him that he
was almost tongue-tied. But presently
the life of the streets awakened him. IL
was all so fascinating and alluring
They were in a part of London Of which
he had seen little-and that little from
the cutters. Today in the brilliant sun
shine in clothes better than any he had
ever worn before. and side by side with
a woman whom every one seemed hon.
ored to know, he looked upon II with
different eyes.
They drove along Bond street at a
snails pace and stopped for few min
utes at one of the smaller galleries.
where she took him to see wonderful
Russian picture. about which every one
was talking Fancying that he looked
tired, she insisted upon tea. and they
stopped at some curious little rooms.
and sat together at a tiny table drink
ing tea and eating Strawberries such es
he had never seen before.