Evening star., 1914-02-08
JUDITH'S LAST ASSIGNMENT
Continued from page II

Continued fl1on page II
were sputtering in their last talow, as she
not Delafield-led the way toward the
door, toward the moonlight, led in her mad
ness, in her need to keep the madness up.
Presently it would be all over,-the kiss
and they would come back and tell everyone,
and she would be safely over the Divide into
the butterfly incarnation.
The innkeeper's family, heavy and slow
of motion, had to be jostled a little. and
there were Others crowding toward the
outer air. Judith lifted her eyes as she
would have pushed past-and looked straight
into those Of her editor.
He looked back with eyes that burned a
great truth into her soul; then. Il want
you!" He caught her arm and drew her out
into the moonlight. Il am going to take
YOU home-now Get into the car"
Dumbly she climbed in, quickly he jumped
in after her, snapped the door, and gave the
order. Then he turned to the group:
Miss Wells is needed in town. he ex-
planned briefly. They were off.
WITH an air OF ownership he put his
arm about the ragged little khaki
figure and drew the throbbing head down on
to his breast. Not a word was spoken as
mile after mile the great car lcaped over the
mountain road, sending its light far out
ahead, etching out the tall trees. the ferns,
the reddening maple leaves: while far below
shone the bay, silver white in the moon
light. Not a word was said; but back into
the little butterfly came pulsing red blooded
life, all mixed up with delicious odor OF
tobacco and problems and worries and the
price OF eggs and new hats and the happy,
everyday human affairs that belong to this
very planet Mile after mle-and life
throbbed glori ously on, and the road length
ened out, and she wondered if after all it
was only dream and she would awake
presently on her fir bough bed and gaze up
alone at the stars, praying
"'The Mist building burned today.
You've lost your job.
1t seemed such trivial thing to mention
in such great moment.
I'm down to bedrock: got to begin all
over again
And that wasn't worth bothering about.
The girl that marries me will never drive
financial success.
Why did he trouble to tell her these ut
terly irrelevant things when the moonlight
said all that mattercd d-and his splendid
strong arm and-and that delicious odor-
Little rooms, Judith, a new start-econo-
my
And you!- 1t said itsef-it breathed
itself. Startled by the boldness OF her own
words, she laid her head on his shoulder. 1t
was then that he bent and kissed her.
They had nearly reached town when he
drew from his pocket small parcel. Open
ing it, the moonlight caught the glimmer Of
metal. 1t was the bracelet of two closely
twisted ropes Of gold, the one she had Sc
lected thinking it was for Helen. He clasped
it firmly on her small sunburned wrist The
thought OF Helen brought a flash OF the old
pain, and as though what was in her mind
must be also in his he said:
Il have your friend Helen to thank for
everything. She explained you to me this
evening while The Mist was smoldering
My dear child, it was never Helen for me.
save as Your friend. someone to talk to about
you. He drew her closely, tenderlv. to him.
"Ah, Princess, why did YOU put so many
gray hairs all unnecessarily into your editor 5
heado'
"And YOU almost sent me over the Great
Divide But her voice trailed dreamily,
and she relapsed again into happy silence:
all that seeming too trifling to talk about.
END OF THE SERIES