The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-04-21
CHAPTER xxIll-contInued.

There was sufficient light to enable
him to see clearly the face Of the
passenger-its pale oval and the eyes
whose gaze chung to hi with an effect
of confused fascination.
She sat quite motionless until one
white-gGoved hand moved uncertainty
toward her bosom.
That brought him to; unconsciously
lifting his cap, he stepped back
pace and started to move on.
But at that she bent quickly forward
and unlatched the door. 1t swung wide
to him.
Hardly knowing what he was doing,
he accepted the mute invitation,
stepped into the cab, took the empty
seat beside her, and closed the door.
Almost at once the block was lift
ed, and the car moved on with a jerk,
the girl sinking back into her corner
with a suggestion of breathlessness,
as though the effort she made to seem
composed had been almost too much
for her strength.
Her face, turned to Lanyard in the
half-light, appeared immobile, ex-
pressionless; only her eyes were alert
with anticipation. But she said moth
ing.
On his part. Lanyard felt himself
hopelessly confounded, in the grasp
of emotions that would scarcely suffer
Il % A oh
sessed his mind that she should have
opened the door to him no less than
that he should have entered through
It. Dimly he understood that both
had acted without premeditation, and
he asked himself: "Was she already
regretting that momentary weakness
or whatever it had been?"
why did you do that?" he heard
himself demand abruptly, and felt that
his voice sounded harsh, strained, un-
natural.
She stiffened slightly, with nervous
movement Of her shoulders.
Because l saw you"
did you want to talk to me, per-
haps?" he prompted.
81 was surprised; l had hoped-be-
iieved-you had left Paris"
She surveyed his costume with a
curious glance, perplexed.
why are you dressed that way? Is
1t a disguise?"
"A pretty good one-as a matter of
fact, the national costume of one in
my present station in life"
But you are wrong. recognized
you instantly, didn't l? And those 9TH
ers-they're as keen-witted as I-cer
tainly! Oh, you should not have
stopped in Paris!"
Il couldn't go without knowing what
hAd become of you"
Il was afraid of that" she confessed.
Then why"
"Oh, | know what you're going to
say! Why did run away from your"
Then, since he said nothing, she con-
6inued unhappily: Il can't tell you.
mean, Bdon't know how to tell you!"
She kept her face averted, sat gaz-
ing blankly out Of the window; but
when he remained mute and unre-
sponsive-in point of fact not knowing
what to say-she turned to look in
quiringly at him, and the glare of
passing lamp showed him her counte-
nance profoundly distressed, her
mouth tense, brows knitted, eyes cloud |
ed with perplexity and appeal
And Of a sudden, seeing her so tor
mented and so piteous, his indigna-
tion ebbed, and with it all his doubts |
of her; dimly he OWNED that there |
was something behind this dark fabric
of mystery and inconsistency that,
however inexplicabIe 1t might seem to
him, excused all her apparent faith
and instability Of character
and purpose. He couldn't look upon
this girl and listen to her voice and be-
lievo that she wasn't at heart as sound
and sweet and tender and loyal as any
that ever breathedl
A wave of tenderness and compass
sion swept his heart, and he realized
that he didn't matter, that nothing
nattered so long as she was spared
0 ne slightest pang of self-reproach.
He said very gently: Il wouldn't
have you distress yourself ON my ac-
count, Miss Shannon. | quite under
stand there must be things can't un-
derstand-that you must have had
your reasons for acting as you did"
''Yes," she said evenly, but again
with eyes averted-'I had; but they're
not easy. .hey're impossible to explain
y you /