The Washington times., 1914-07-04
Copyright by The ..nk A. huns-y Company.

and wounded, 81 she babe him adieu
when the occasion came. and with
aching throat went plindly out and
Gown the stairs.
The instant she was gone Austin
leaped to his feet. the agony Of death
upon his features. Bresthlessly he be-
gan TO count.
"one, Two, Three
He felt himself smothering. ana
with one sweep of his hand ripped the
collar from his thorat.
Five, Six! Seven
He was battling like a drowning
man. for in truth. the very breath OF
his life was leaving him. A drumming
came into his ears. He felt that he
must call to her before ii, was too Iats-
He was counting aloud now, his voice
like the moan of man on the rack
Mine. Teni"
A frenzy to voice his sufferings swept
over him. but ne held himself. Only
moment more and she would be gone;
her life would be spared this dark
shadow. and she would never know.
Toward the last he was Keeling. but
he cont nued- to toll the seconds with
the monotonous regularity OF a time
piece. his every power centered on the
process The idea came to him that
he was counting his own Pickering
pulse-throbs for the last time. Vita
a tremendous effort Of win he smoothed
his face and felt his way to the open
W ndow, for by now she must be en-
tering the landau A moment late-
and she would turn to watt him her
last adieu Her last. God How the
seconds Jagged. That internal thump-
ing in his ears had drowned the noises
from the street oelow. he relt that
Tor all time the torture OF this mo-
ment would live with him
Then ne smileu. lie smiled blindly
out into the. Caring sunlight, ana bow
ed And bowed and smiled again.
cnnging to- the window casing to sup
reached the corner. He freed one hand
and waved II gAyly,a then with outlining
arms he stumoied pack INTO the room.
the not tears coursing down the
Marmion Moore halted upon the
stairs and felt mechanically for her goia
ehatelaine- She recalled dropping u
upon the center table as she went for
" ard with hand outstr etched to greet
austin, and turned back, then Eesi-
ne would not misappreheno the mean
ing of her reappearance, she nedi-
taxed. so, summoning her courage she
mounted the stairs quickly
The door was half aiar "a she had
left It in her confusion, Mastering Q
Careless smile she was about to knock.
then paused Austin was facing her IN
, the middle of the room, beating time.
He was counting aloud-hut was that
his voice? In the brief instant she had
been gone he had ehansed astounding,
that she. stood plainly revealed. he
made no sign OF recognition. hut merely
counted on and on, with the voice OF
a dying man. She OWNED that ss.me-
thing was sadly amiss, and wondered
Tor an instant IN he had lost his senses.
She stood transhxed. half minded TO
fee, yet held by some plying desire
to help, then she saw hin re4cn Icr-
ward and srope his way uncertainty 10
bled against a chair: he had 10 feel
for the casing. Then she knew!
She found herself inside the room
staring. with wide, -aff-igh.ed eyes at
him, one hand pressed TO her bosom 70
still It's heavins She saw nm NOD
mis- cha silly attempt to smile She heard
the breath signing from hts lungs ana
heard him mutteripg her name. Inen
he turned and iurched past her. crop
ing, sropins 10. s ms ssaiT yoc enc chea
Mfr Austini" -
The man froze in his tracks, then
swung his head slowly from side to
side, as 10 listening.
what The T Tosd , fame n mom. sns
s.Marmion," He spoke her name as II
to test his own hearing. 1t was the
first time she had ever heard MIN use
her maiden name.
arms length Of him, then stretched
forth a wildly shaking hand and passed
IL before his unwinking eyes rs sne stun
disbelieved. Then he heard her moan,
"Marimon!' he cried again -, ny
God, little grill heard you go!r
Then this. this is the reason. sne
said ''Oh-h-r
what are you doing. here? Why
did you come back?" he DEMANDED
II forgot my-No! God sent me
There was a pause during which the
man stroye to master himself, then ne
asked in the same harsh accents:
How long have you been hereY
Long enough to see and 10 unoer-
well. you know the truth at last;
I-hays gone-blin6-" The last woro
caused his lips to twitch- He knew
from the sound that she was Weepins
Please don't. I have used my eyes
too much, that is all. II is-nothfng
No, No, Mo-" she said orokenly.
Don't YOU think / understand? Don't
you think I see II all now? But why
why didn't you tell me? Why!
When he did not answer she repeated
God sent me back. IL was no.
meant to be so unhappy:
Austin felt himself shaken as IL oy
panic He cried hurriedly:
You see, We have been such sooc
friends. I knew 1t would distress you,
WANTED to spare you that You Were
good comrade to me; We were IKE
chums Yes We were chums. y"
friend could have been dearer to M
than you, Miss Moore. l never had
sister. you know. IL thought OF ycC
that way, and l. he was strugglac
desperately TO save the girl. but n
incoherent words died on his lips a
check against his arm.
You must not try to deceive me any
more" she said gently. Il was here
know the truth. and want TO DC
happy"
Even then he stood dazed and dis
believing until she continued:
Il know that you love me. and
love you.
1T Is pity he exclaimed hoarsely
You don't mean Il" But she drew
herself closer to him and turned hec
tear-stained face up to his, saying
wisttully: . ...s..
IF your dear eyes could have seen
they would have told sou long ago"
oh. my lovei'' He was too weak 70
resist longer. His arms were tremb-
ling as they embodied her. but In his
hn.rt was /, eiadnsss that cor,neS n blls