The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1915-01-16

louder. rising to the bright stars
themselves. The dances that had
furnished so much bitter conversa-
ton at table began to break out
Minot hunted up the balcony ard
stood gazing miserably down at fairy
land below.
There Miss Meyrick found him
when the fifth dance was imminent.
rs It customary for girls to pursue
I'm sorry" he said weakly. Shall
we go in7"
TITS $3.50 glorious out here"
He sighed---a sigh OF resignation.
He turned to her.
"You asked me-what II woman'a
greatest privilege" he said.
rs Ito change her mindr~
She looked timidly into his eyes.
"It-is," she whispered family.
The most miserably happy man In
history. he gasped.
"Cynthia! It's too late-you're TO
be married to-morrow. Do you mean
you'd call It all on now-at the last
minute7"
She nodded her head. her eyes ON
MY God!" he moaned. and turned
away.
1T would be all wrong to marry
Harrowby." she said family. Be
cause I've come to-I-oh. Dick. can't
you seer"
seer OF course see!" He clinohed
his fists. Cynthia, my dearest"-
open space. In his agony ne thought
OF leaping over the rail-of letting
that be his answer. But not would
disarrange things so-it might even
postpone the weddingi
Cynthia" he groaned. you can't
understand, 1t mustn't be--Ive given
my word. can't explain. 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.
"Cynthia-that isn't true-I do love
your
"Please! Please let us-forget."
She stepped into the moonlight. fne.
brave, smiling. do we--dance?"
"Cynthia!" he cried unhappily. IF
You only UNDERSTOOD
II think 1 do. Tho music has
stopped. Harrowby has the next
dance--he'd hardly think Of looking
for mo here"
She was gone! Minot stood alone
trembling. He had refused the girl
without whom life could never be
worth while! Refused her. to keep
the faith!
He entered upon tho bright scene
inside. slipped unnoticed to. tho ele-
yator and, still dazed. descended to
the lobby. He would walk In the
moonlight until his senses were re-
gained. Near the main door of the
De la Pax he ran into Henry Trim
mer. Mr.. Trimmer had a newspaper
in his hand.
whats tho matter with the women
nowadays?" he demanded indignant
ly. Minot tried In vain to push by
him. "Seen what those London Suf-
fragettes have done now" And
Trimmer pointed to a headline.
what have they done" asked
Minot.
Done? They put dynamite un-
der the statue of Lord Nelson In
Trafalgar Square and blew 1t sky
high. 1t fell over into the Strand
Good" cried Minot wildly. Good
hope to hell 1t smashed the whole
the startled Trimmer. he went out
into the night.
It was nearly IL o'clock when Mr..
Minot, somewhat calmer of mind. re-
turned to the DE la Pax. As he
stepped into the courtyard he was
surprised to see q crowd gathered
before the hotel. Then he noticed
that from a second floor window
poured smoke and flame and that
the town fire department was wildly
getting into action.
He stopped--his heart almost ceased
beating. 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 a group
just descended from tho ballroom. or
that group Cynthia Meyrick was a
member. For a moment they stood
gazing at each other. Then the girl
turned to her aunt.
my wedding dress!" she cried. II
left 1t lying on my bed. Oh. / can't
possibly be married tomorrow II that
Is buIned!"
There was a challenge In that last
sentence, and the young man for
whom It was intended did not miss It.
Mad with tho injustice Of life, he
swooped down on a fireman strug-
Ing away the ladder, he placed II
against the window from which the
smoke and fame poured. He ran up
1t.
"Here!" shouted the chief of the
fire department. laying angry hands
on the ladders base. "Wot you do
ing You can't go In there"
why the devil can't II" beloved
Mlnot. Let go OF that LADDER"
He plunged into tho room. The
smoke filled his nostrils and choked
him. His eyes burned. He staggered
through the smoky dusk into another
room. His hands met the brass bars
Of a bed-then closed over something
soft and filmy that lay upon It. Iis
seized the something close. and hur-
ried back into the other room.
A fireman at another window
sought to turn a stream OF water on
him. Water-on that gown!
He ran across the lawn and stood,
a painting. limp, battered. ludicrous
figure before Cynthia Meyrick.
II hope It's the right one" he
said, and held out tho gown.
She took his offering and came very
close to him,
II hate you!" she said in a low
tone. 81 hate you!"
nm n~D n WV