Evening star., 1919-03-02

that Mary stood unchanged; stinly
erect, and pale and omposed-though
he had a sense that her dark eyee
We're unnaturally wide,
When Clifford re-entered the room
ffteen minutes later. Mary was lying
face downward on the couch, her
whole figure taut, She heard him
come in, and at once spoke, not
changing her posture:
You've been talking all this while2"
I'VE spoke for only few minutes.
The rest of the time I've been sitting
in there, thinking" Then, with
savage burst: 81 wouldn't have let
Morton use me, only I wanted to see
YOU again"
What did he say2"
He told me to settle with YOU on
any reasonable TERMS Clifford
stopped and waited, but she did not
speak Want to know what he
might possibly give?' he demaided.
What else did he say| She asked,
not moving.
"A lot of things-to the general
effect that you were q damned decent,
square little sport"
She made no response TO this
"Why did you accept the position
he pun you in, OF being Jacks mis-
trossr" he burst out, roughly.
u could not help myself-~unless 1
wanted TO ruin everything"
surely you do not still hope TO
save that situation?" he exclaimed.
She did not answer, and again there
was silence Then the doorbell rang.
Shall | answer it?" he asked. ITS
probably Jack slipped up for pri-
vate word"
"Ill answer it," she said
She rose from the couch. He had
expected signs of conflict, agony, per-
haps tears or hysteria; il only there
should be real outbreak of hysteria!
But her face was composed and clear
eyed.
She returned a moment later bear
ing a large box, on its top in gilded
letters the name of the horisL/who
had q shop opening on the Mordona's
lobby. She removed the lid and dis
closed a rich mass of orchids. On
their top lay small envelope such
as florists have i'll stock for the con-
venience of patrons. From this she
drew card. which she read and then
passed to Clifford without comment.
1t was Mr.. Mortons card, and on it's
two sides was closely written:
II am going TO be a lonely man to-
morrow Won't you save me from
myself by dining with me at the
Ritz? and then an act or TWO OF a
play. and then supper wherever you
like? I'll telephone you. The West
Indies are heaven just now, and I'm
thinking OF chartering yacht A
cruise of month or 50 in those
waters---but shall we talk 1t over TO-
morrow night?"
Clifford gazed at her automatically
handing her back the card Rage
surged up in him, and he seized the
box from her arms. and, stepping 10
the window near which they stood,
he raised it, and threw far out into
the drive some $50 worth of orchids.
He drew down the window and turn
ed back TO her. But her look eX-
pressed neither approval nor disap-
proval. -
We'll. YOU see where you are
he said erimly. And you once called
them the Golden Doors"
She nodded, but otherwise did not
respond. Her face, fixed absently on
his. was intently thoughtful.
Her silence, her control. her look
OF far-away thought, stirred both
anger and consuming curiosity. ~Weli.
what are you going to do WHAT'S
the way out?'
"its not the way out fm thinking
of--it's the way in she returned
slowly, quietly. The Golden Doors
are going to open.
open, How?"
Il do not know.
Through that Mr. Mor---~" he was
beginning. when he noticed that her
fingers had mechanically torn the
card across
II do not know" she repeated quiet
~. But they are going 10 open:
Aud now, please gu--l want TO think.
He 2azed at her moment marvel
inc that such unforeseen uanlpuia-
tons of life life the great molder
aud remolder, had not seemed to
change her ambition. her pride, her
viii her girlish confidence; he un-
der4tood her-yet she was the eter-
nal lnystery, Then he left her,
standing in the middle OF the hired
drawing room. mechanically tearing
into tiny sitting flakes the ll!Nllatioh
to a voyage among perfumed seas.
Gro be Continued NeXt SundayJ