, 1918-12-26

| so tremendously embarrassed her,
and she wondered uncomfortnbly, as
she met many a pronounced stare, If
anything were wrong with her attire.
After all. why did she wish to see
that lOng-absent one? Was II to sat
isfy herself once and for all that he
really had ceased to care? And then
he came. There was nothing unusual
about it If he, n successful artist, were
in the city this hotel would be natur-
ally the place where he would dine.
Yet the heart of Jane beat almost to
suffocation. inc she clasped her hands
tightly to control the emotion which
surged within her. And, after all,
came a vague sense of disappointment.
Something was lacking about the man
that had been there in the youthful
long ago. Was 1t the bright air of con-
fdence which had pdrvaded his per-
sonality-or what? Jane could not
tell. She only knew that his face was
white and haggard as from loss of
sleep, that his dark eyes burned rest
lessly.
A sudden light of recognition famed
for a moment in the eyes which direct
ly met hers. Half-smiling, Jane leaned
forward, her hand extended in greet
ing. Then her hand fell Imply back
upon the table, for he had turned
away, deliberately ignoring her pres
ence. Her lips trembled like those of
a grieved child as he rose and passed
from the room. He had remembered,
yet very evidently wished to see her
no more. And past all the patient,
weary years this fact had power to
stab her with a new and poignant
pain.
If he were ashamed to acknowledge
his old-time friend here. before them
all, Jack Gordon had changed.
She had still quite a few dollars left
she counted them over r~egretfully;
her spirit of holiday had flown. 1t
was, as she passed down the main
street the following morning. that Jane
came face to face with h picture.
She did not need to lear forward,
discerning his name upon the can
vas; the work was so truly his own.
In an art room 1t stood displayed, with
a ticket, For Sale"
Breathless, eager, Jane fastened into
the store. 81 wish to buy that pic
ture,' she said. with a fine disregard
for price.
"Fifty dollars" announced the dealer,
land remarkably cheap for Mr.. Cor
don's work."
Jane closed her eyes in quick men
tai calculation. "I1l take it," she said.
"Where tor asked the dealer. 1--WE
box them carefully" And Jane gave
her Hillcrest address.
Out again in the street she stopped
dazedly. counting the change in her
bag. She had just money enough to
take her to lower Hillcrest-she would
have to walk home from there. But
hope, like the berries, again forced Its
bright way.
"He must have remembered" she
murmured joyously. The placing OF
the picture required much care. Jane
standing upon n chair the following
! evening. seriously studied h ques
ton. After all, 1t was good to be back
in the Did familiar room. And ther
came a ringing of the bell. If" an
ticipated Jane; then. smiled at the
folly of her thought. She waited a
moment. nevertheless, to loosen softly
the waves of her hair; 1t was so she
had worn 1t ten years ago. Then she
opened the door.
John Gordon did not speak until he
had entered the room, until his quick
glance n raveIed from James face
back to the picture.
"You-stin live here?" he asked abb
ruptly.
She nodded dumbly. "From the
suite you were registered in at the no
tel" he said, "as I saw you last night,
from the price you paid for my very
small picture. I fancied," he waved an
arm about. 'that o had grown away
from this. that you had perhaps in
herited money"
Jane spoke slowly. II have no
money" she told him.
"Then," he said, and bitterness was
in his tone. "'you bought he painting
out of pity for me. You have heard
of my failure. Fol all these discOur-
aging yenrs I've pressed doggedly on.
refusing TO give in. Persisting In my
foolish dream of success. When I
ceased writing to You 1t was because
I could not bear to have you know of
my failure. to sacrifice your life to
n useless promise. When the great op-
p%ortunity should ONE and with It
success, then I would return worth
lily to you" The man paused. at
did not come" he added quietly. But
trong than myself was the yearn-
ing to see. and learn of you again. So
I came back. The picture was offered
as a last hope, to defray present ex-
penses.
when | found your name to be that
of the purchaser, l realized fully the
humility of my failure. Last night l
wished to shrink away in my shabbi-