The Washington times., 1914-01-08
THEHOUR CONFLICT
By A. HamitOn-GibbS @E!gns Igls 4 Coz
of "Cheade & Son" ETC.
Copyright. 1g12 by Frank A. Munsey COD

three fat fingers.
Thank you" said Everard.
The stairs were narrow and winding,
and there was no carpet. Some of the
| banisters. were missing. The paper was
peeled off the wall and hung in strips.
On the first landing two children peer
ed at him from a half-open' door, and
began whispering to each other excited
ly.
Everard hurried up the next flight
They were the type of child who carried
| ones clubs at WimereuX.
A card nailed to the door facing him
| on the landing caught his eye in the
>dimness. He struck a match and looked
I OF it and then tapped at the door Ii
was Ruddy's room at last, thank
heavenI
There was quick step inside and the
door was flung wide Here you are at
| laSt-oh 90
The light in the room shone out into
the passage. Framed in the doorway
was a young girl. She drew back and
her hand went TO the door.
Everard removed his hat Il beg
your pardon" he said. rs this Mr..
Yes" The voice was slightly antago-
nistic. He's not in just now"
Erin sorry to have bothered you.
was going to ask him to come and
dine. Would you be kind enough to tell
him came? My names Leyden." Ever
ard told himself that this girl was the
explanation of the we"
Angy's hand dropped from the door
oh, please don't 60" she said. He'll
be in almost any moment He's only
gone out to buy some kp-to buy some
things. Won't you come in?"
She stepped back to make room.
Inank you said Everard. IF you're
sure it's not
He went in, and she closed the door.
The studio was lighted by two tin Gil
lamps, behind whose chimneys were pol
ished tin reflectors that looked like
( flancmange shapes, and the black and
whites all round the wall lent a very
cheery atmosphere.
Angy went across and lifted n mass
! OF papers off one chair onto the door.
From the other she took up a bundle
Of needlework
Which one will you have?" she ask
ed: Her eyes met his frankly, without
trace Of self-cOnsciousness. They were
very big and brown.
II nave the one you weren't sitting
much"
She laughed-it was like a musical
tTickle-and sat down.
EVerard looked for a peg or table or
something on which to cut his hat and
STICK. There was 10 peg, ard th. able
was Uttered with brushes, pens, pencils
paper, anu All lIle 5ESnS OF WOrk. he
dropped his hat on the floO- beside his
chair and prOpped the stick in q corner.
So this was Ruddy's wife, whom he
mad described as "one of Gods own
angels" and poor little kid" He
watched her as she continued the sew
ing which he had evidently Interrupted,
and wondered whether she had made
the dress she had on. 1t was very sim
pie, blue serge with little patterns
stitched round the neck.
TnB- l,~ra lie -
fingered. Her head was bent over her
work and she had masses Of dark hair.
Two slender ankles appeared beneath
her short skirt and cnC Of her shoes
wanted mending. The thimble cleaned
s her right hand mOyCd in and out rap
idly.
From the street beneath came the
cries OF the fruit vende:s ana a faint
smell of paraffin.
Angy looked up at him. Wasn't it
you Ruddy met the Othec night in the
Gambrnus?"
Everard nodded. Y owe yau an apol-
Ogv for that"
Her eyes opened wide. AN apology!
Why"
Well, I'm afraid I kept him from
getting back here at the time he prom
ised. I'm awfuliy sorry. 1t was ell
tirely my fault"
''Oh. no." said Angy. I never ex-
pect Rudy until he comes in. You see.
ne gets so interested in things and for
gets all about time. At first | used to
worry. but now I'm used to il. Was he
like that at Oxford"
He would have been if we had al
lowed IL, but whenever we wanted him
We fetched him. The other night was
the first I'd seen him since he was
since he left oxford, and that's over n
year"
Ruddy had not only told Angy that he
had been sent down, but had given her
glowing accounts OF his funeral "
punCtuateG with TUaTs of laughter, and
there wGS an elaborate pencil drawing
hanging in a corner OF the arrival of
the pToctOTs on the scene and the sud-
den flight OF many weirdly dressed un-
dergTaduates from the file of hanson
cabs which followed the "hearse" con-
tanning Ruddy and his few goods and
clothes.
All the same. the girl noticed that
Everard had checked himself quickly
from giving his friend away 1t was
very nice of him, she thought And
then she turned her head toward the
feet on the stairs, feet coming up
thump, thump, thump, two steps at a
time.
"Hore he comes she said.
The work dropped into her chair and
she opened the door.
Here We are" said Ruddy. Half a
dozen beauties. all stiff and Shiny" He
held out something wrapped In news
paper and then caught sight OF Everard
''HelIo! How are you? You're Just in
time TO have dinner with us. Look
here" He UnroIled the newspaper and
held out six kippers for EVerard's in
spection. Don't they look great? Why
you simply can't get 'em at the Carl
TOM He flung a hand through his
hair.
Angy smiled and took the fish from
him. She had refrained from telling
Evcrard at the door that Ruddy had
been buying kippers, not because she
felt self-conscious about it. but from