The weekly Iberian., 1920-05-22
)icky Morgan's real facei Rut q cer.

safety, ana the trail was cold. And
here was a fourth man, Hilliard-tc
take his word for it-and the world is
larger than the curiosity Of sincere
people to encompass.
No-if a Neuilly surgeon ever told
as one of the mysterious chapters of
the war what had happened to a Ger.
tain gloomy individual that summer
the name would suggest nothing. And
as far as checking up the visits OF
mythical Hilliard to very real Du-
tout was concerned, who would pro-
feSs to remember? The testimony of
any single witness would be inmate
rial.
The voice of Carol Durant was echo
ing in billiards ears, and Hilliard,
yielding to a tidal wave of reckless
ness, and of swelling anger at imagi-
nary wrongs, looked squarely into
Carols eyes, and spoke with winning
urgency
"Yes,P he said. II have news of
Morgan. In fact, I'm here in Syracuse
L
been telling Mr.. Cullen-and Miss Gull
| len-that l was with him VIXEN he
died"
She didn't speak, at first; she mere
ly looked at Hilliard and grew very
white, and her lips Auivered. Pres
emily she swayed little, and reached
out with her hand toward the back
of convenient chair Armstrong
stepped toward her, and Angela Cul-
len slipped an arm around her waist.
Hes dead?" she repeated.
and her tone was not yet free from a
certain incredulity, as though the fact
were of itself impossible, and the
statement of it subject to discussion.
"Yes, Miss Durant"
She moistened her lips; her eyes
were very bright, unnaturally bright,
so that Hilliard was fascinated, and
appalled,.
You You know that?" she
asked again with that queer inflexion
of amazed doubt.
"Yes, know it."
The others were standing as stat
ues Mr.. Cullen, snatching at the first
idea Of consolation to present itself,
fumbled for his daughters other hand.
which still retained the trophy bet
ter man had won.
Here's what they gave him, Carol!
Look! The Croix de Guerre! Don't
let's think Of anything but what he
. let's be proud Of him L"
"Oh, yes" she said inertly, and took
the cross in her palm. She dropped
her eyes for a moment, then raised
them to the level of Hilliard's. Didn't
he send some word to me?"
'No." Hilliard's nod was very min
isterial. mo, I'm sorry, but"
Her eyebrows lifted, and her nos
trils dilated the merest trifle. Her
breath was coming more rapidly now;
she was nearing the breaking point
Of her resistance, and all of them
knew 1t. The moment was agonizedly
prolonged. Hilliard, gazing without a
quaver at the girl he had thought he
loved beyond all else in this world or
the next, was singularly relaxed as
he observed her symptoms. She had
really cared. then so much
the greater pity that she hadn't kept
him caring -. as she might.
"Can that be possible?" she said,
hardly above whisper.
"1'm SOrry-but-"
Il wouldn't have believed it could
be true" She gave long, tremulous
breath, and looked about her, half
dazed and half-perceptive. Her eyes
strayed back to Hilliard. "Tell me
about it," she said, almost inaudibly.
"Carol, deaf" Angela was stimulat-
ed to active sympathy. "Sit down
please! Oh, Mr.. Hilliard !"
Moves, I'll sit DOWN.
Her eyes seemed magnetized to Hill
liard's. "Only want to hear-I want
to heart"
'Tell her from the beginning" said
Cullen, mopping his forehead. Get
a glass of water anything
else, Carol?"
She shook her head "Tell me I" she |
said. II want to knOw!'
SO that Hilliard, inspirited by the
realization that he was under the pro-
tectorate of the shadows, and gather |
ing fresh assurance with every SEN |
-ence, went through that tragic mar
rative a second time. And as he told |
the tale of Dicky Morgan, he was
greatly engulfed by the surge of Dicky
Morgan's grievances; his voice trem-
)led with righteousness he gradually
ost his loathing for the part he play
I'd, and played it with every atom of
his energy; he was defendant, and
1 witness and judge for Dicky Nor
ran all in one-and his verdict was for
acquittal. Miss Durant's eyes never
eft his face.
."And that" she said presently, "is
Ill there is to tell?"
"That's the end" said Hilliard sim
,ly. And in the long hiatus which
followed, he was wondering /
vague aimless
houghts, with no beginning and no
conclusive outcome, but the central fig
ire, fitting, elusive, was always Carol
)urant. He told himself fercely that
le hated her, that for two vengefuI
ears he had hated her, that he had
Ome back to Syracuse primarily to
ZEE her again, with his whole soul for