Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-04-30

borrowed Dutout's name in perfect
safety; and the trail was cold. And
here was a fourth man. Hilliard-to
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 GER
tain gloomy individual that summer,
the name would suggest nothing And
as far as checking up TIE 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 billiard,
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," he said. 81 have news of
Morgan. In fact, I'm here in Syracuse
solely because have it. I've just
been telling Mr.. Cullen-and Miss Gull
len-that / was with him when he
died"
She didn't speak, at first; she mere
ly looked at billiard and grew very
white, and her lips quivered. Pres
emily she swayed a little, and reached
out with her hand toward the back
of a convenient chair. Armstrong
stepped toward her, and Angela Gull
len slipped an arm around her waist.
Hes dead?" she repeated
and her tone was not yet free from
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 infexion
of amazed doubt.
Eyes, I 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 T."
"Oh, yes" she said inertly, and took
the cross in her palm. She dropped
her eyes for moment, then raised
them to the level of billiards.. Didn't
he send some word to me?"
"No." billiards. nod was very min
isterial. mo, I'm sorry, but
! Her eyebrows lifted, and her nos
trils dilated the merest trifie. Her
breath was coming more rapidly now
she was nearing the breaking point
of her resistance, and all Of them
knew it. The moment was agonizedly
prolonged. billiard, 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 q whisper.
"Pm sorry but"
II wouldn't have believed 1t could
be true" She gave long, tremulous
breath, and looked about her, half
dazed and half-perceptive. Her eyes
strayed back to billiard. "Tell me
about it." she said, almost inaudibly.
"Carol, dearI' Angela was stimulat-
ed to active sympathy. "Sit down
pleased Oh, Mr.. HiIliardl'
Moves, / I'll sit down |"
Her eyes seemed magnetized to Hill
liard's. "Only want to hear-I want
to hearp
''Tell her from the beginning" said
Cullen, hopping his forehead. Get
| q glass Of water anything
else, Carol?''
| She shook her head. "Tell met" she
said. II want to know!"
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
tence, went through that tragic mar
rative 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-
bled with righteousness he gradually
lost his loathing for the part he play
! ed, and played it with every atom of
his energy; he was defendant, and
witness and judge for Dicky Nor
gan all in one-and his verdict was for
acquittal Miss Durant's eyes never
| left his face.
"And that" she said presently, sis
all there is to tell?"
That's the end" said billiard 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.