The Irish standard., 1920-04-24

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61s dilated the merest trifie. Her
breath was coming more rapidly now !:
sAe was nearing the breaking point
Ok her resistance, and all Of them
mew 1t. The moment was agonizedsy
prolonged. Hilliard, gazing without a
quaver at the girl he had thought he
loved beyond all else in this world ar
the next, was singularly relaxed as
As observed her symptoms. She had
really cared, then so much
the greater pity that she hadn't kept
M caring as she mi:
"Can that be possible9" she said,
hardly above whisper.
| I'm sorry-but-"
II wouldn't have believed 1t scould
% true" She gave long, tremulous
oreath. and looked about her, half
aazed and half-perceptive. Her eyes
serayed back to Hilliard. Tell me
shout It," she said, almost inaudibly.
Carol. dearl" Angela was stimulat-'
Cd to active sympathy. "Sit down
Daease! Oh. Mr.. Hilliartl"
"N0-yes, I'll sit down."
Her eyes seemed magnetized to Hil>
hard's. "Only want to hear-I want
to hearl
Tell her from the beginning" said
Cullen, mopping his forehead. Get
q glass of water anything
else, Carol?"
She shook her head. "Tell mel" she
said. II want to knowW
So that billiard, inspirited by the
realization that he was under the pro-
tectorate Of the shadows, and gather
ing fresh assurance with every SEN
tehce, went through that tragic mar
rative second time. And as he told
the tale of Dlcky Morgan, he was
greatly engulfed by the surge Of Dicky
Morgan's grievances; his voice trem-
bled with righteousness; he gradually
lost his loathing for the port he play
ed. and played 1t with every atom of
MS energy; he was defendant, and
q witness and a Judge for Dicky Nor
gan all in one-and his verdict was for
acquittal. Miss Durants eyes never
left his face.
"And that" she said presently, "is
all there is to tell?"
'That's the end," said Hilliard sim.
ply. And in the long hiatus which
followed, he was wondering :.
wondering : vague aimless
] thoughts, with no beginning and no
conclusive outcome, but the central fig
| ure, fitting, elusive, was always Carol
Durant. He told himself fiercely that
he hated her, that for two vengeful
years he had hated her, that he had
come back to Syracuse primarily to
see her again, with his whole soul for
the wounds in his heart, the wounds
Of his body, still 20 God,
why couldn't the surgeons have cut
away his memory, and left him peace 7!
He was prodigiously relieved when
Mr.. Cullen, well-meaning but awk-
ward, blurted out paradox of eulogy.
armstrong, eager to relieve the con-
gested ways Of thought, ventured into
the realm Of platitude-and something
In his manner caught billiards. atten-
ton. The nah was actually possessive
and billiard. having no envy of his
possession, cursed him on general
principles nevertheless. And then
billiard was again in demand; there
was flood Of incoherent questioning,
and he was giving details, answering
queries, volunteering, information
which might never have been asked,
describing Neuilly, the hospital, the
surgeons, the nurses. the wholly inde-
scribable atmosphere of France in
wartime. He was Strengthening his,
position, phrase by phrase; his insou-
Glance redoubled; he had laid a rock
foundation never to be successfully
assailed. There came an. abrupt
pause; Miss DuraRt rose and came to
him, and he was on his feet to meet
her.
THANK you," she said, giving him
her hands. His heart missed beat;
his blood ran geld. "Thank you. If
you can /. wish you'd talk to me
again before you go !. !. alone :.
| wish it very much. You've made me
-. 4. at least, can be glad you were
there :. to help him, but want to
know SO much more !. SO infinitely
much more . -
A feeting impulse clawed at Hill
liard's judgment; he yielded to it
blindly. II meant the alteration of
his plan of action. it meant a trife.
more Of danger; and gratuitous risk
at that, but 1t was genius-genius!
"Miss Durant!" He made sure that
the others were beyond the range of
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/ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.