Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR MARCH 70. 1914

mean you'd call it all off now-at the last
minute?"
She nodded her head, her eyes on the
ground.
4My God!7 he moaned, and turned away.
at would be all wrong-to marry Har-
rowby," she said family. Because I've
come co-I-oh, Dick, can't you see?a
"See? Of course see!' He clenched his
fists Cynthia, my dearest
space In his agony he thought of leaping
over the rail-of letting that be his answer.
But not would disarrange things so-it
might even postpone the wedding!
Cynthia, he groaned, @you can't under
stand! 1t mustn't be-1've given my word.
l can't explain. l can never explain. But
Cynthia Cynthia
Back in the shadow the girl pressed her
hands to her burning cheeks. "a strange
love- yours she said, "a love that blows
hot and cold .
Cynthia isn't true-I do love
you-"
aPlease! Please let us-forget' She
stepped into the moonlight, fine, brave,
smiling. @Do we-dance?"
@Cynthia" he cried unhappily. IF you
II think 1 do. The music has stopped.
Allan has the next dance-he'd hardly think
of looking for me here
She was gone!
MINOT stood alone on the balcony. He
AVA was dazed, blind, trembling. He had
refused the girl without whom life could
never be worth while-refused her, to keep
the faith!
He entered upon the bright scene inside,
slipped unnoticed to the elevator, and, still
dazed, descended to the lobby. He would
walk in the moonlight until his senses were
regained. Near the main door of the De la
Pax he ran into Henry Trimmer. Trimmer
had a newspaper in his hand.
whats the matter with the women now
adays?" he demanded indignantly.
Minot tried in vain to push by him.
4Seen what those London suffragettes
have done now?" And Trimmer pointed to
a headline.
1What have they done?" asked Minot.
GDone? They put dynamite under the
statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square
and blew it sky high. 1t fell over into the
Strand"
aGood!' cried Minot wildly. Good! l
hope it smashed the whole of London!'
And, brushing aside the startled Trimmer,
he went out into the night.
Il was nearly Twelve o CLOCK Wnen Mnot,
l somewhat calmer of mind, returned to
the De la Pax. As he stepped into the court
yard he was surprised to see crowd gath
cred before the hotel. Then he noticed that
from second floor window poured smoke
and flame, and that the town fire depart
ment was wildly getting into action.
He stopped-his heart almost ceased beat
ing. That was her window! The window
to which he had called her on that night
that seemed so far away-last night!
Breathlessly he ran forward.
And he ran straight into group just de-
scended from the ballroom. Of that group
Cynthia Meyrick was member. For mo-
ment they stood gazing at each other. Then
the girl turned to her aunt.
@My wedding dress!' she cried. u left it
lying on my bed. Oh, can't possibly be
married tomorrow if that is burned!'
There was a challenge in that last SEN
tence, and the young man for whom it was
intended did not miss it. Mad with the in
justice of life, he swooped down on a fireman
struggling with wabbly ladder. Snatching
away the ladder, he placed it against the
window from which the smoke and flame
poured. He ran up it.
@Here!" shouted the chief of the fire de-
partment, laying angry hands on the lad