Tombstone epitaph., 1917-09-09

She got to thinking of the flight of a great bird wheeling up higher and higher on his powerful wings. Sud denly and to her consternetion. she felt her eyes flushing up with tears. She tried to blink them away, but they came too fast.
 Presently he dropped short in his walk-stopped talking, with gasp, in the middle of a sentence. and looked into her face. She couldn't sSe him clearly, but she saw his hands clench and heard him draw a long breath. Then he turned abruptly and walked to the window and for & nor | tai. endless minute there was a silence
 Something happened during that moment while he stood looking into her tear-flushed eyes-something mo inentouS-critical-w no previous experience in her life had prepared her for. And 1t had happened to him. too. His silhouette as he stood there with his hands clenched. between her and the window, showed her that. What underlay her quiet was won der and fear. and more deeply still, a sort of cosmic contentment-the acQui- essence of swimmer in the still. ir- resistible current of a mighty river. It was distinctly relief to her when her mother cane in and. presently, Por- tia. She introduced him to them, and then dropped out of the conversation altogether. As If 1t were a long way of. she heard him retailing last nights adventure and expressing his regret that he hadn't taken her to his sister to be dried out, before he sent her home.
 She was aware that Portia stole look at her in puzzled, penetrating sort of way every now and then, but didn't concern herself as to the basis of her curiosity. It wasn't until he rose to go that she aroused herself and went with him into the hall. There. after he'd got into his oyercoat and hooked his stick over his arm, he ieavetaking. Only it didn't turn out that way. For the effect of that warm, 1.-the grip flew its flag in both their faces.
 You're such . wonder" he said.
 She smiled. "So are y-you." It was the first time she had ever stammered in her life.
 When she came back into the sit ting-room. she found Portia inclined to be severe. Did you ask him to come again?" she wanted to know.
 Rose smiled. T never thought of it." she said.
 Perhaps it's 1usr as we'll" said Portia. Did you have anything at all to say to him before we came home. or were you like that all the while? How long ago did he come" "I don't know," said Rose behind q very real yawn. 'I was asleep on the couch when he came in. That's why I was dressed like this" And then she said she vas hungry.
 There wasn't. on the whole, a hap pier person in the world at that mo- nent.
 But Rodney Aldrich. pounding along at five miles an hour. in a direc- tion left to chance. was not happy. Or, If he was, he didn't krow 1t. He couldn't yield instantly. and easily. to his munitions, as Rose had done. He felt that he must think-felt that he had never stood in such need of cool, level consideration as at this moment.
 But the process was impossible.
 Anyway. 1t was a remark Frederica had made last night that gave him something to hold on by. Marriage. she had said. was an adventure of which no amount of cautious thought taken in advance could modify the es- sential adventurousness. There was no doubt In his mind that marriage with that girl would be a more won- derful adventure than anyone had ever had in the world.