The Washington times., 1914-07-04
OUT OF THE NIGHT

come TO see me frequently this season.
Promise. You won't hide yourself. viii
your
his farewell with meaningless polite
ness. then as the physician prepared to
see her to her carriage she said:
mo! Stay and gossip with our in
valid. It's only a STEP
She walked quickly to the door.
flashed them smile and was gone
Suydam heard his patient counting
as before.
"Onei Two! Three
At twenty-five the elder man
CROPPED his way to the open bay window
and bowed at the carriage beneath.
There came the sound Of hoofs and
rolling wheels. and the doctor, who had
taken stand beside him. saw Miss Moore
turn In her seat and wave them a last
adieu. The blind man continued to
nod and smile in her direction, even
after the carriage was lost to view.
Then he felt his way back to the arm
chair and sank Imply into 1t.
Gone, I-ril never be able to see
her again.
to tighten niscrably.
Gould you see her at all7'
Only the outlines: but when sne
comes back in the fall II be as blind
as bat" He raised an unsteady hand
to his head and closed his eyes Il
can stand anything except that! But
to lose sight of her dear face The
force Of his emotion wrenched a groan
from him.
II don't know what to make Of her.
said the other why didn't you let
me go, Bob? 1t was her last good-by;
she wanted to be alone with you She
might have
That's iti'' exclaimed Austin II
was afraid of myself. afraid I'd speak
IL I had the chance" His voice was
hard. for sometimes / think she loves
me. she's so sweet and tender-and in
those moments am god. But know
it can't be; that it Is only pity and
gratitude that prompts her. heaven
knows I'm uncouth enough at best, but
now / have to exagscrate my rudeness.
play part-the part of numbering.
ing. He bowed his head in his hands
and closed his dry, feverish eyes once
more. Its cruelty hard and I can't
keep 1t UP"
shoulder and said. with husky tender
ness:
7 don't know whether you're doing
right or not. I-hah suspect You are
doing her bitter wrong"
oh. but she CARLISLE can't love
mel" Austin rose as IL crishtened-
She might yield to her impulse and
marry ms. for she has heart Of gold.
but # wouldn't last. She wouit learn
some time that II wasn't real love that
prompted the sacrifice. Then 7 should
die &c., .--
The specialist from Berlin came but
refused to operate. declaring bluntly
that there was Ec use, and all during
the long. hot, summr1 days Robert
Austin sat beside bis open window
watching the liskt die out of his eyes.
waiting, waiting, tor the time to make
his sacrifice. -.-.
Suydarn read Mar1nion's cherry let
tore aloud. wondering the while at the
wistful note that sounded now and
then. He answered them in his own
which she had never seem
One day came the announcement that
she was returling the first week in
October. Already September wss part
ly gone. so Austin decided to SAL in
in a week. At his dictation SuUydam
wrote to her. saying that the strain OF
overwork had rendered a lCnS vaca-
ton necessary. The doctor writhed in
ternallJ' as he penned the careful SEN
fences, wondering IL the hart Of the
chosen words would pre-
vent her sensing the truth back of
them. AS the days passed he judged
Il had, fer no answer came.
bare. the trunks packed on the after
noon before Austin's departure. All
through the dresry mockery OF the
process lie had withstood his friends
appeal, his stern face set, his heavy
heart full of iespairing stuobornness.
way about the premises to fix them
In his memory, then sunk Into his chair
beside the window
lie heard a knock at the door and
the stranger to enter. then
rose with a gasp OF dismay. Marmion
Moore was greeting him with sweet,
yet hesitating etfusiveness-
II thought you were not coming
back until next week" he stammered.
We changed our plans" She
his face as best she could in
the shaded light. a strange. anxious
surprised me-"
''The doctors orders" he said care
essly. They say l have broken
down.
Know! l KNOW What caused II!
she painted. You never recovered from
that accident. You did not tell me the
truth l have always felt you were
hiding something from me. why? Oh.
Why"
''Nonsense" He undertook to laugh,
put failed in a CHASTITY manner. I've
been working too hard. Now I'm pay
SHow long will you be gomez she
':oh, I haven't decided. A long time,
he replied, In a tone that
oewildered her. 1T is the first vaca-
ion l ever had; l want to make the
most OF tt
"You-were going away without say
ng good-by to-your old friends" Her
Fps were white. and her brave attempt
o smile would have told him the truth
had he seen II. but he had only her tone
o go by so he answered indifferentIy.
'All my arrangements were made,
couldn't wait.
You are offended with me-" said
Miss Moore after a pause. How have
hurt you? What is Il; please? IL
nave been too forward. perhaps?''
He dared not trust himself to answer,
md when he made no sign she went on
painfully.
Il am sorry. did not want to seem
.uch good friends" spite OF her ct-
orts her voice showed her suffering.
rhe man felt his lonely heart swell
NTH impulse to tell her all. to voice
lis love In one breathless torrent OF
words that would undeceive her. rhe
,tran Of repression lent him added
when he strove TO explain
md II left her sorely hurt, His cold
filled her with u sense OF