The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-05-29
BY JOHN HUNT
CHATTER TX

The hall hour before OliFer came
hurrying thru the midnight Powell
street crowd seemed an eternity 10
me.
My discovery OF Annals identity.
combined with the battle aghinK,
my old Affliction. had left me bag.
gard Bit irresponsible. was
leaning against the gray bulwark
OF the Flood building when Oliver
rushed NJ.
look like ghost what's wrongT
Everything" answered. and !
could feel the cold sweat breaking
out Anna sterlIng-the giri I
she's an inmate OF - Alley
dive Just found out Saw her
up on Pacific At. an hour ago.
Who he qucried. bending
close Anna sterling7 She isn't
tho Girl you're in love WITH Why
Il was she I was telling you about
AZ dinner tonight She's that client
Of mine. Surely there must be
some mistake. John. Is II Anna
sterling-'Nan'7"
That's what the waiter called
her there. too" replied apathetl.
caliy.
Something in me was crumbllng
into ruins--the splendid structure
OF my iove-falling into hot. hor.
rihie wrecksse.
Here" he responded. taking
charge OF me like n trained nurse.
brace M. Let's get up on the hill
and talk this thing out" He led
me 10 Powell cable car and we
rode up TO California at. walking
to the crest above the Fairmount
hotel where the city spread below
In shimmering. misty field OF
lights and shadows.
And there We paced back and
forth. anguishing. fighting Il out.
the big heart and steady spirit Of
oliver like n beacon and a haven
in the blacklist hour OF my life.
Toward morning he turned to me
suddenly. laying his hand on my
shoulder.
Marry her. John" he said. II
know the girl. She's kept a clean
spot In her soul. She's only been
on the alley a short time. Before
that she was a foolish. drifting girl.
but never vicious one. Now love
has regenerated her"
He argued with a strange inten.
sity. as tho he himself had
much at stake.
But how do I know" inter.
rupted. she may have been toy.
ing with me as she played with all
the others7"
oliver was talking again. choos.
INK his words. his hands clenched.
Il have known Anna for 10
years" he said. Il went to school
with her. | know the heart OF her
where she has kept that clean
spot. realize fully the tremend.
GUS responsibility ! assume in ad-
vising you to marry her. but. John.
out OF the depths OF our long friend.
ship-as | would counsel my
brother-I do urge you, IL your love
withstands the shock, marry Anna
Sterling"
IL was amazing, preposterous,
Harding's advice. And yet re-
spcoted the peculiar courage Il
must have required to utter It, The
crucial TO him as TO me.
But why" I demanded. didn't
she tell me in the first place? Why
was she so concerned to keep me
ignorant7"
Don't you know why, John7"
Inquired oliver, with an mex
pllcable usefulness. az Is be.
cause love came TO her, toe:
came with incredible swiftness.
She wanted 20 keep your re-
speot She was pltlably con.
cerned 90 treasure the one fine
thing that had entered her
vsrIegated lie. She told me
about Il months ago. But
never suspected II was you
who had won her heart at last"
Again that wlstfulness pos.
sessed him.
"a wonderful thing has
come TO me- she told me. But
II can't last. It's too good TO
be true. Some day he'll find
out about me and then II will
all be over. | never expected
II TO 90 further than friendship
and ! thought couldn't have
much friendship In my life
but II has run away with me.
I'm a bad woman. but this 10 a
clean, fine love. Ny great ad.
venturel Just TO touch his
hand sometimes, 40 hear his
voice, to sit beside him In the