The daily morning oasis., 1920-11-05
The
Dark
Mirror
By
Louis Joseph vaace
Asthor cf"7he Fai'e Rsees'
"7he Lone veg" Re
HlGsfrsteI By
IRWIN MYEK9
Nissfnsfel H
IRWIN MYERS
lIIIIIIII1IIIlIHlII IlIIIIiiI IlIlIIlElI!Il
Copyright ten, ~ The ARshsf4


;&.e ,:y .a .bB, ,...sam place wheFe
two wills We're esRfapdiag, striving
each to impose upon the sthef its
conception of what was right, faif,
just, and inevitable.
II was as if her mind were a photo
graphic plate upon which two scenes
had been developed: one whersin her
common self of everyday was resting
securely at home, one in which that
wild other self of her dreams dis
puted hotly with the man she loved,
in surroundings strange to both selves
till that hour.
OF the two scenes, the stranger was
the stronger, all her Interest was Gen cen
tered therein, and Ill other "thiHgs
were negligible beside the issue 9f that
struggle, since that issue must be
tthis she knew the passionate certi-
tHde, nothing less than ltfH sF death,
life with love or death with shame.
And she was Facked With the i'm
perative need of making LeoROFa nn-
derstand that Mario was right. that
40 good could come OF standing out
against him. that nothing but good
could come of yielding to his Insist
eEce, the fruit Of his great love and
greater wisdom. Percipience Of her
bodily environment was waning swift
ly: with alt her strength she Yves will
ing herself back 70 Lsonogs =.
The telephone began sgalH 10 gib-
ber, jp short, strident bnrsts af sound
demsndiag her heed.
She faitered. hesitsted. teaked back.
IN bitter resentment, she NaAsrstsod
she could 60 no further. accomplish
nothing, TIL that insensate thios had
been siienced,
In sleep-waking. the girl reused ~ttn
measured movements that cost her In
eaiculabie effort. sat up On the side
of the bed. drew the te,ephone to her.
IT continued to chatter spgriIy tlIl the
receiver was actually at her ear and
she hsd said: "Hellof'
OPT Of the epigms ef nlsht Phillip
Fesdlck,s voice cried: sPrsscilia N
She answered without sosetion (:
"Yes. Philip"
"Did ] wake you upi Sorry! I had
70. Listen to me Priscilla: I've seen
Leopora! l saw her In the street. fol-
lowed her for blocks, iest hsw when
she estered q tenement and now I'm
on the watch, waiting for her to come
out had to be sure .yoa were at
honeLsafe-so ] called m frgm
pay station. Are ycu slr rfghtx ="
sYes, Philip
sAre yeu auIte awskef Yeu dca't
prem to understand. I teli ypA, 7 have
seen Lecnora-the sirl ~ dream
shouts living woman so iiks you
couldn't at first believe II wasn't Jon
In disguise!"
"Yes, Philip"
$50 now you needn't worry any
more. TN on the right track at last.
The problem will be solved In 40 time.
Sss;n.! ssss ! flaP ""y s'szs r ',.t vi
ayes. Phiiip,r
"Priseillal Can't yea .say anything
else? Is anything the msttsfF
mo, Philip ;" She pursued in
the same level aceents. speaking
slowly, as II with difficuity nnding
words: II am quite all right .
/ am safe with Mario now
Mario will take good care Of
me. Goodnight"
Without waiting for his reply. she
hung up the receiver replaeed the tele-
phone ON the 'bedsidB stRnd, sighed,
and again stretched out the bed.
Immediately deep sleep enfolded
her senses like a warm cloud Of dark
ness, and her soul Jared torth once
more on Its far quest.
VII. suRRENpEa.
Out Of that blank void grew light
and shade In a nebulous swirl OF form
Tess patches. Only by slow degrees
did It subside. isssaaed lang bSfQri
one dared open syes again. The first
thing recognized was the concerned
dark face Of Mario -.
She was in one Of the big leather
chairs. Mario knelt with an arm round
her shoulders. lifting them forward q
trifie that she might drink with more
ease from the glass Of dark red wine
which he was -offerins heF. : .
'Drink before you try te'talk," Hin
tone was tenderly Imperative, With
an insistence as gentle he pressed the
glass to her lips. She drank. CRATE
fully draining the glass.
EXCELLENT" Mario let her head
back to the cushion. ross. pat the glass
aside. returned, -Yo4 fesl bsttsf
stronger ehrE "F00 'fN F''Rs
She nodded, but her smt,s was stil
bewildered. 80
"what happened. Marioi I felt D
funny. all Of a sudden, just when thu
telephone began to ring: and then ID.
don't seem to remember"
Don't you know yop tainte4fl
HFaintedf" She started ihdisaa nt
ly. ~But never In my likef WA!
should I faintf Tn all right" ~.
In proof Of this assertiea she sanl
weakly back.