Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-19
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
The Face in the Flame

ihe race IN the tlame
A BROAD SPREADING box cider
a. tree grew on the bank Of the lake
tust where Katherine npnroo,hod II
fror, ,bo r,ood r.,io .L.,,,
Z oii@o"'"l oldu'heS 'A''ndeu ABOVE the
water in one direction. and as far back
from the shore in the other. creating a
perfect ana extensive shade IN the day
tlme, and enveloplng oil things beneath
IL IN black darkness at night. There
was rustic bench under it, whore
Roberta and her'companion were seat
ed, facing the lake. and. therefore, with
their backs toward katherine as she
stealthlly approached them from among
the trees.
Under the tree. against tho surface
Of the water that shone in the starlight
beyond, Katherine could discern the
outlines of both figures with just enough
dis1nctness to determine one from the
other-to know which was the man,
and which was the woman.
They were seated very close together :;
the mans left arm was stretched along
the back of the beuch behind Roberta !;
they seemed to be convcrsing earnestly.
but their voices were tuned to a pitch
so low that even when katherine had
approached them as near as she dared.
she could hear no word distinctly that
was uttered between them
It became very quickly evident to
her that whatever might have been the
reason for the clandcstine interview
its purpose had been already accom-
r plished, for even as katherine attained
z position from which she might have
overheard them had they continued. they
got up from the bench and stood facing
one another.
katherine stood behind the trunk
of giant old growth hrmIoCk. with
her 1.-THE and slender body pressed
closely against it. and with her head
bent forward so that she could look
past il; but the dropping branches Of
the box elder hid their heads and shoul-
ders from her sight But she was able
TO see that the man held both Of Ro-
berta's hands tightly "IaSpPd in his
and she was aware that h" bent nearer
as if to touch his lips lightly against
Roberta S forehead,
q They parted then--and katherine mad
heard not word that had passed be =
tween them
Roberta gIided away swiftly and
noiselessly, and was lost to sight around
a winding of the path along the shore,
which, by the way, would have brought
katherine directly upon them had ShC
pursued that course instead of cutting
across through the trees on her way
to the Nest
The man remained
He stood quite still until Roberta
had disappeared then he sat down Oh
the bench again. struck match. and
applied the fame of it to his cigar with
the burning match cupped in his hands
hut with his back toward katherine
for all the world as if it were done
.purposely to tantaliZe her.
s She had the mad notion that the mar
was her brother Rodprick. and sh,
could NOT rid herself Of that copyic
,ion and rot STRANGE naradox she fclt
She almost knew. that il could no
Il. 90
ue uas taII broad of shouIder wei
h,iIt and carriod himself like a sol
dior she had heen ablp to discern tha
n,,ch Eyorv itcm of that dcscrintion
= tar os II wont would nnnIy to Rod
s;oL Jaxwilton hnt 60 wnnlJ II ami,
~ nreciseIv "a thousands of others
she had pot hoard with anv distinct
n.ss tbe sound of his voice. and sh
was NV no means surc that she wouI,
ramsmher Roderick's II she couId bra
him sneat She believed that she would
bnt She was doubtfnl. TOO 50 man
yesrs had come and gone since sb
hsd listened to il and Iovod il
sbe Mad boep onIv girI thor wit
hsr hair in braids down her back, Pre-
aao;ons and wise bevopd hcr wear,
-" hnt airI rovortboIoss An
Roderick was already Young ma
.';.h drooning tLonyb somowha