The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-04-04
CHAPTER TxIil-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-g loved 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 Unattached 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 jerk,
the girl sinking back into her corner
with 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
hopelessiy 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
it. 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, I'M
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.
Il was surprised; | had hoped-be-
heved-you had left Paris"
She surveyed his costume with a
curious glance, perplexed.
why are you dressed that way? Is
it a disguise?"
"A pretty good one-as a matter of
fact, the national costume of one i'll
my present station in life"
But you are wrong | recognized
you instantly, didn't I? 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"
II was afraid of that" she confessed.
Then why"
"Oh, | know what you're going to
say, Why did l run away from your"
Then. since he said nothing, she con-
tinued unhappily: Il can't tell you. |
mean, don'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
uuiringly at him, and the glare of a
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-
ton 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 inexplicable it might seem to
him, excused all her apparent faith
lessness and instability of character
and purpose. He couldn't look upon
this girl and listen to her voice and be-
neye that she wasn't at heart as sound
and sweet and tender and loyal as any
that ever breathed!
wave of tenderness and commas
sion swept his heart, and he realized
that he didn't matter. that nothing
mattered so long as she was spared
one slightest pang Of self-reproach.
He said very gently: Il wouldn't
have you distress yourself on nv ac-
count, Miss Shannon. l quite under
stand there must be things l can't nm
derstand-that you must have had
your reasons for acting as you did"
Yes she said evenly, but again
with eyes averted-'1 had; but they're
rot easy they're impossible to explain
% you