Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-04-06
CHAPTER xxIIl-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-gloved hand moved uncertainty
toward her bosom.
That brought him to; unconsciously
lifting his cap, he stepped back a
pace and started to o on.
But at that she bent quickly forward
and Unmatched 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
1oF H6E eng
Her face, turned to Lanyard in the
half-light, appeared immobile, ex-
pr~essionless; only her eyes were alert
with anticipation. But she said moth
ing.
On his part, Lanyard felt himself
hopelessly COMPOUNDED, in the grasp
of emotions that would scarcely suffer
him to speak. A great wonder OBJ
sessed his mind that she should have
opened the door to him no less than
that he should have entered through
1T. Dimly he understood that both
had acted without generalization, 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 a nervous
movement of her shoulders,
Because saw you"
did you want to talk to me, per
haps?" he prompted.
II was surprised; I had hoped-be
lieved-you had left Paris"
She surveyed his costume with @
curious glance, perplexed.
why are you dressed that way? Is
1t a disguise?"
"A pretty good one-as a matter o.
fact, the national costume of one il
my present station in life"
"But you are wrong. I recognized
you instantly, didn't I? And those 9th
ers-they're as keen-witted as I-cer
tainly! Oh, you should not havt
stopped in Parish"
Il couldn't go without knowing wha
had become of you"
II was afraid of that" she confessed
Then why"
"Oh, l know what you're going Il
say! Why did l run away from you?
Then, since he said nothing, she con
tinued %unhappily: 81 can't tell you.
mean, / don't know how to tell you'll"
She kept her face averted, sat ga1
ing blankly out of the window; bu
when he remained mute and unre
lsponsive-in point of fact not KNOWN
what to say-she turned to look ir
Equiringly at him, and the glare of
passing lamp showed him her countC
nance profoundly distressed, he
mouth tense, brows knitted, eyes clout
ed with perplexity and appeal.
And of a sudden, seeing her SO to-
tmented and SO piteous, his indigni
ttion ebbed, and with It all his doubt
Iof her; dimly he OWNED that ther
twas something behind this dark fabri
of mystery and inconsistency tina
however inexplicable it might seem [
him, excused all her apparent faitl
s~essness and instability of charactt
and purpose. He couldn't look upo
this girl and listen to her voice and b
llieve that she wasn't at heart as soul
and sweet and tender and loyal as an
that ever breathed!
A wave Of tenderness and compa
sion swept his heart, and he realize
that he didn't matter, that nothir
lmattered so long as she was spare
one slightest pang of self-reproach.
He said very gently: Il wouldn
have you distress yourself on my a
count. Miss Shannon. I quite unde
stand there must be things / can't u
Iderstand--that you must have ha
your reasons for acting as you did"
Eyes" she said evenly, but aga!
with eyes averted-"T had; but theyI
mot easy. they're impossible to expla
70 you"