Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-08

vain anu stIhSh anu hi6hes' ""e' -"
doubt, lazy. That kind Of girl gem
orally went wrong. Ruth had tried
to save her and had failed.
The cigar was pleasant. the night
was glorious, full of ineffable moon
shine which fired the neavy dews on
church domes and marble porticos,
making the house of cards the only
real. substantial thing of the mo-
ment. WhimsicaIly he pictured him
self in court, arguing the case for the
defendant. His arguments seemed to
have made profound impression
upon the jury. He rested his case.
Slowly the prosecuting attorney rose.
william confessed that his opponents
thin. wintry smile was rather dis
ouieting. What was he going to say?
your honor. ! have in the first
place TO acquaint you with the fact
that there is no such person as Elsa
Warren and never was"
William stirred uneasily.
I'm the second place. in order to de-
molish my opponents plausible de-
Tense, have only to place before
you this torn photograph. this little
chamois bag. and to submit this brief
prayer, lately uttered by the de-
PENDANT herself on board the ship
Ajax"
William sat up stifly. He heard
these words as surely as he heard
the lap-lap of the water against the
sides of the gondola.
Il ask the strict attention of the
jury. your honor" went on the prose-
s'xxh 10
PRAYER: Dear God, make me strong.
Take out of my heart the evil long
ings Give me strength always to be
good Let me not covet that which
is not mine Clean my heart and put
temptation behind me. Amen"
Jaw. hell" said William, aloud.
crumpling back in his seat.
Isl. signore." replied the gondolier,
believing he had received an order
to return to the hotel.
William did not hear him. He was
busy fighting his way out of court.
out of the house of cards that was
tumbling about his ears, out into
realities again.
She was always praying. Never
they entered a cathedral that she did
not kneel in some obscure corner.
quite unmindful of his proximity.
Well. he loved her none the less for
that But he knew that it was the
yacht itself that had provoked that
stifled cry. A damnable thought
seeped in through the why's and
wherefores but he drove it out. ours
ing himself for a low beast. After
all. hadn't she asked him not to put
her on q pedestal? Hadn't she said
that she was a human being like the
rest" The pedestal was wabbling.
and he mutely sought heaven with
his gaze to see if there was not some
way OF steadying that shaft of ala
baster. He was only human himself,
and his thoughts would so in human
and not in a celestial direction
His school teacher, with her spring
ing step, day in and day out as regu-
lar as the clock; his school teacher
who knew what all these things
meant, who could dig his soul out OF
him when she played the piano.
"Signore"
william looked up. They had re-
turned to the marble steps OF the
hOteI. ne porter WIS putt'bH put
the carpeted landing plank.
NO, no; | don't want to go In yet"
said william. Say. porter. tell the
man to row me over to that white
yacht there. the one next to the tor
pedo bont. Yeah. Tell him to row
around II slow and close"
Eyes. sir" The porter volleye1 a
few phrases at the gondolier, who
returned them with interest gestic-
ulating wildly.
william grinned in spite OF the ache
in his heart. He never would get the
hang OF these Latin voices and ell
ped (shaIl I say hopefullyC to see
the fight only to learn that there
wasn't going to be any. that what
looked like the beginning OF hostili-
Gus than an exchange OF amenities.
The yacht Elsa was dark except for
the ports OF the dining saloon. In
Venetian waters the voice carries re-
markably far. AS the Eondola was
edging along under these lighted
ports William heard lauphter--men s
laughter He raised his hand quick
ly to signify that he wished to stop
He was not overscrupulous tonight
And so | sent ii back Il
New York"
But why didn't YOU keep it""