Evening star., 1919-02-23
CHAPTER X.
The Golden Doors.


room at the Grantham, and kept a
careful eye upon the proceedings
across the great room at the little
corner table known among the wait
ers as "Mr. Loveman's table"
clifford watched many persons
speak briefly to Loveman. He tried
to guess what the shrewd little law
yer might now be up to. Among
those who came to Loveman's table
he particularly noted dark, perfect
ly tailored young man, of perhaps
thirty, with the 1.-THE slenderness of
the expert dancing male. clifford
knew him by name and reputation
and already he had set him down as
one he must watch, together with
LoVeman and Bradley.
But for all his efforts to concen-
trate upon his present business
Clitford's mind kept shifting back to
Mary Regan, 1t was a most difficult
situation which she had taken upon
herself the daughter of one famous
criminal, the niece of another, the
sister of another, and herself former
participant in criminal acts--secretly
married to rich yound man who
knew nothing OF her past, and
who was dependent upon the
approval of an autocratic father
TO succeed in the soaring worldly
plans she had admitted to him with
such cold frankness would require mar
velo,s skill, marvellous daring marvel
GUS Self-control Well--skill daring
control, she had them!
But there was Loveman to be consd-
cred. Clifford asked himself if he had
oeduced Alright Lovemans plans con
cerning her. loveman's words spoken
in the early hours of that morning. aud
spoken with mockery glintng through
his habitual amiability OF manner, came
IL Il, I,,., ...t, .l,.
have any little plan under way. Clifford.
| wonder how close you've come To
guessing 1t? Now, | wonder"
Looking over at the cherubic face of
the shrewd little lawyer. Clifford felt
for the moment all the doubt that these
words iad been intended to arouse. Had
he, perhaps. guessed only a part of
Ioveman's plan'-o was he altogether
wrong?
And Chfford's restless mind flashed to
his last act in the destiny of Mary
ReGan; the extreme measure he had re-
sorted to in taunting her into that inn
pplsiVe marriage with Jack Morton; and
then his telling her with almost brutal
directness, during the brief moment just
before she and Jack had motored off
that he had come to realize that only
going her own worldly way, only the
experience of life. could avail to awaken
the real woman that was in her.
He wondered. But only time, as ii
uLroiled its film of unborn events, could
answer these questions. He could now
do no more than hope the best results
for Mary Regar---whereVer she might
With an effort Clifford brought him
self back TO his present business. and
again gave sharp attention to that dark
~ handsome figure of the dancing man,
And then--hs heart skipped heat Or
two. Across the line of his vision. com
ing from the main entrance of the gold
room. and conveyed by suaNe captain
81 bad Nta,. ,l
Jack Morton. They were ushered to IA
side table and at once rell into intimate
talk
Clifford, after his first surprise, watch
ed them closely; and he quickly per
ceived that, though she smiled and
chatted. not more than the surface of
Mary's attention was given to her hns-
band OF a dozen hours He tried to
look beneath. to what was going or in
the hidden deeps of her mind.
That mind was teeming. For her this
was a moment of triumph, Of eXultation.
AS she had told Clifford, with her cool
directness, she had analyzed herself.
and had decided that she was world
ling, and. moreover she knew herself a
competent worldling The things in life
that to her were worth while We're lux
ury. admiration, the pleasures that
money could buy. She had dreamed this
dream--and here was her dream come
true!
Her quickened eyes. with a new sense.
swiftly took In this great room, deco
fated in gold and black and with hang
ings OF kingly blue brocade, and
with smartly dressed people at the
tables or swinging in alluring rhy thnl
in the latest dances. After the studied
maneuvers. and sometimes necessary
seclusion OF life with her uncle. all
this gayety, and richness. and free
dom warmed the heart of her desire,
All this was now, hers!--hers when
ever she wished it!
1t was as IL golden doors had swung
open. From her subconscious mind
these. two magic words had emerged
to. the very forefront of her thought,
had become mental figure Of speech
which she concretely vlsualized az a
glorious structure which almost eA
isted--Golden poorst
clifford watching that rapt face.
hardly noted that Jack had sighted
him and was bearing down upon him
until Jack seized him by the shonlder
and dragged him over to where Mary
sat.
Look who's here. Msry--almost my
bridesmaid" Jack cried gayly, "Sit
down. Clifford" pressing clifford into
a chair and reseating himself Now.
come across with conRratula tiOns'"
Clifford tried to restrain all personal
feeling from his tone. and to speak
lightly. can't do better than to say
what's always said--that hope mar
rlase is goins TO make real man
out OF YOU"
80. .l.xt - 80 A,