The evening world., 1914-02-25

felt her whole face burning. II didn't
know" she said. you shouldn't
have let me go on thinking''-
II didn't know. myself, until to-
day" he interrupted her stormily; Il
didn't know knew. that is But
when l saw you put your hands on
that villain Cayfcy, I wanted to kill
why ] wanted TO-" 49,
Turning suddenly to. look at her he
saw that she had buried her face in
her hands and was crying forlornly.
"Oh, I am q brute" he concluded. ito
have told you about It In this way"
What does the way matterf That's
not what makes It hard. It's loving
you 10 much. the way do. and hav-
ing to hurt you. It's having to lose
my Srother--the only brother 4! ever
There was long. miserable silence
after that. Finally he said: Jeanne.
~ you do love me as much a. that
1.-The way you do. not the way love
you, but love me any way-eould you
could you--marry me Just the same?
I'd never have any thought In tho
world but Of making you happy. And
I'd alwaye be there; you could count
on me. you know"
"Don't!" she interrupted CURLY,
bOut tuih uHo shSS Av''. ~
shivered, and drew away from him
With . little movement somewhere
near akin to disgust. 80
He WINGED at It. and reddened.
Then, in q voice that sounded cur
iously thick to her. curiously unlike
his own. he asked q question: IF
had told you all this . month ago
told you how I felt toward you. and
asked you. loving me the way you DO.
your Oh. suppose you would have
refused. But would you have shud-
dered and shrunk away from me-
like that?"
"Perhaps not" she answered
thoughtfully. i've changed . good
deal in the last month-since we
sailed away from San Francisco and
left the world behind us--our world
and came out into this great white
empty one. I don't know why that
IT,"
II know" He was speaking with q
sort Of brutal intensity that startled
her. II know. It's not In the last
month you've changed; It's within
the last twenty.four hours: its since
you saw and fell In love With that
murderous. lying brute of.a Cayley."
II don't know" she said very quiet
", whether you're trying to kill the
love I have for you-the old love--or
not, Tom, but unless you're very care.
full you'll succeed In doing 1t. don't
think I want to talk to you any more
now. not even sit here beside you. I'm
going to take a little walk"
He held himself riRidly still till she
had disappeared r rSoIea the s.n END dvs OF
and buried his face In his hands.
What tho thing was that reused
him to his present surroundings he
never knew. He was conscious OF no
sound, but, suddenly. he sat erect and
atared about him In amazement. It
had grown quite dark. 1t must be two
or three hours since Jeanne had left
the chair beside him and announced
that she was going to take . little
walk.
frst for he thought she must be close
by. But the infinite silence spaces
seemed to absorb the sound OF his
voice. There was no sign that any
had heard the words he uttered. Then
ne called louder.
II was not until he raised himself.
stiffly and clumsily. from his chair
that no realized that II was more than
dark: that the atmosphere about him
vas opaque with fog.
He CROPPED for the heavy walking
stick which leaned against the arm Of
his chair and. with its aid. hobbled
siowiy along tbs deck. IIis damaged
ankle was held rigid IN 4 plastss
baudass. Though the pain in II wa
less, he found locomotion difficult.
Az he opened the door at the head
Of tho companionway he called the
girls name again: and this time the
absence OF any answer frightened
him a little. though he tried to reason
himself out Of his fears. She had
gone below. no doubt. to her own
stateroom, and with the door shut
would hardly hear him. But he had
no thought OF accepting that explana'
ton without investigating further
Even II she were there and quite SAFE
he did not want to let another quar-
ter hour 90 by without finding her
and asking her forgiveness.
The steps were rather dificult to
negotiate. but by using both hands to
supplement his one good foot he sue.
} ceeded In creeping down them. and
! then In making his way along the
; corridor 70 the girls door.