The Washington times., 1919-03-01

I choking with anger, tried to speak,
then dsrted from the room. and
slammed the door behind him.
F. + =
When rKimball awoke from his
ltthargic sleep ne found himself ly-
Ing upon his. bed fully dressed. He
looked up at the alarm clock on the
dresser. Il was 4 o'clock in the after
inoon. Reaching for the telephone on
the stand beside him he lifted the re-
ceiver. How did I get back to this
hotel" he demanded Of the day
clerk.
(: at that you. Mr.. Kimball7"
I Yes"
! why. two men brought you and
Major Knowles here In a taxicab
about II o'clock last night. sir. Said
that both Of you had been dining .
bit too well, but not wisely"
why damn 1t. that's impossible in
Washington" shouted RimbalL as he
slammed down the receiver.
His first instinct was to see II Made
line was still at the hotel and safe.
"It's Frank" he said. as he knocked
on her door. When she opened Il
Kimball saw that there were tears in
her eyes, and that her lip was trem-
bling.
"why, what has happened, now,
dearestY' he asked in surprise.
Frank" she said with a sob In her
voice, as she fingered his coat lapel,
~tell me one thing: Who has that
tTiangle!"
"why. don't know, sweetheart;
why do you askT'
/ Frank" she repeated. tell me that
you haven't got 1t, and do not know
who has"
RImbaII laughed. Dear little girl,
: II had the triangle you are the frst
one would run to with It Did some
body tell you had itT'
Madeline turned away without an
swering. Then she turned to him
again. Tell we what has happened
to your she said with . bit Of cheer
In her voice.
'Ifs the funniest thing in the
world, dear. I went to q tea yester-
day afternoon. as you know. out on
wait till I get that address" He
reached into the inner pocket OF his
coat for Mrs Williamson's invitation.
1t was not among the several letters
he took from his pocket, but q piece
Of paper Euttered, to the noor-ths
triangle!
As the past life Of drowning man
/ passes before him as on q motion
picture screen in his last desperate
moments. so did the memory OF past
events flash like lightning through
MadeIIne's mind as she looked at the
triangle on the floor with its pecu-
] liar formula almost staring at her.
"Heavens?' she thought Can it
be true? Can ii be true? Has he
deceived me? Did he want to keep
the triangle q secret until We were
married? Was Henderson right after
all? The voice in the church that
forbade our marriages. he already
married? Does he love Mrs. Thay-
er? Il she his wife? On, 1 have
been deceived"
Madeline, with hundreds OF such
thoughts coursing through her brain,
broke into a torrent OF tears. Kim
ball was dumbfounded. He attempt
ed to explain, but she would not lis
ten to him She turned upon him
like a wild cat
Frank KImbaIl, I never want to
see you again. Nothing you can say
will ever mean anything to me any
| more" She took the engagement
ring from her finger and put it into
his reluctant hands. "Just go away.
she sObbed. Leave me alone. 1 don't
love you. 1 never did love you. II
| never can love you" Then she said
something that was not born of her
heart but OF a woman's frantic de-
sire to triumph.
"It can never be the same between
US again. love Major Knowles"
Rimball staggered like the body of |
man shot through the heart on the !
field OF battle as it runs a step or
two before falling.
"Niadelinem he shouted from the |
depths Of his soul. then plunged !
bllndly out the door.
When he had gone the girl entered |
her bedroom, threw herself upon her !
bed and sobbed into the pillow as
| though her heart would break 1t
was fully half an hour before she |
thought to rescue the precious triangle !
from the floor, She Jumped to her
feet. darted into the sitting room, and |
picked IL up. A moments glance |
and she uttered a piercing shrek.
God have mercy upon me-" she |
moansd. "This Is not the triangle. !
II lacks the interposing points Of
Rravitsfi"n. It's q counterfeit" She