The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-02-23

by Heavens" he muttered. "Sit
back! Hide your facet"
Nv at is IT," she gasped family.
What is the natter"
The matter was that a portly over
dressed man was standing on the step
of St. James street club. He had
been conversing with the hal! porter.
and when he caught sight of Crawley
he waved his fat hand Familiarity.
Then he glanced at Crawley's CON-
panion, and gave vent to an exclama-
ton OF bewildered surprise.
christopher Columbus" he NUT
tered. and his cod-fishy eyes opened
| widely, as cunning leer came into
| fingered. It's Crawley's Gree Now
| Pm beginning to see things
The taxi passed swiftly down the
hill. Mr. Leveredge watched it, smil-
ing blandly, and drawing hard at his
cigar.
Crawley muttered something mar
ticularly and turned to Mrs. Brooke.
did you see who that was?" he
asked dramatically; then, suddenly
realizing that he was behaving rather
stupidity and that absolute calmness
was necessary, he added: That was
Leveredge. He saw me; wonder If
he saw YOU
| "Leveredge?" Her beautiful lips
parted and she leaned forward peer
ing in a dazed manner into his stern,
set face.
YES. Leveredge,' he answered
grimly, land it's ten to one he saw
you"
She hastily let down her thick white
veil. The man noticed her action and
laughed harshly.
TOO late now" he said. "Confound
it all, If that man saw you fl
! The woman laid her hand impul-
sively on his arm.
ooh. Noel" she pleaded TREMENDOUSLY,
don't be so angry with mel"
angry" He laughed shortly and
lapsed into moody silence again. His
thoughts We're beyond the expression
of mere words.
"Oh but you must speak to mel"
! she pleaded. Don't be cruel. You
are man. Noel. and II am only a
woman. Have some pity. | can't
bear it--no. can't, Noel! Oh, why
didn't you let me do it yesterday?
Why? II would have been SO easy!"
For you. perhaps" he answered
rather brntally. "You do not think of
me and--and your husband"
II have no husband" she answered
wildly
Godfrey Brooke--my friendf
She shrugged her graceful should
ers. There was almost petulant
tone in her voice as she answered:
you must know, Noel, that God
frey, whatever he may be to me in
the eyes of the law and in the eyes of
the world, he is not my husband;
do not love him. He is nothing to
me-"
| The man looked at her sharply.
| II don't understand such an argu-
ment." he said coldly. But tell me,
did you ever love him."
ooh. suppose scatter a fashion
/ don't know | have often wondered
| He was good to me, and l was very,
very lonely and tired and weak. He
was strong and rich, and-well some
how | thought he was going to be a
very great man"
And so he is
| 81 know. But then l had not met
you then. did not know what love
was. | was asleep, drugged, as it
were. 1t was only when you came
and awakened me that | understood.
Oh, Noel, you must know! Haven't I
shown you? Haven't l given you my
very life to do with as you chose?
And yet you speak to me as you do. =
You must not talk like that, Zoe"
he interrupted sternly. II thought We
clearly settled all that yesterday
! WAS it yesterday? 1t seems like a
hundred years. She shivered, and
something like terror ran through the
mans veins. A hundred years? Why.
since that time he seemed to have
lived through hundred lifetimes
Look here, Zoe" he said in low,
masterful tones, ARE you going to be
sensible or are you not? We have
little over an hour to discuss every
thing .and heavens knows there's
enough to discuss!" He groaned in
wardly. He was thinking of Brooke,
of Eva, and, above all, of Circe and
lLeveredge's implacable demands.
| Ito Be Continued.)