The Irish standard., 1920-04-24

I breasAt it with me on the chance
that I'd find out. I didn't want to
epeak Of It before every one. because
II It's yours, thought Jou'd
ysu understand, don't your I'm almost
Dositive 1t was meant for you. It's
only few lines he wasn't ever
sereas enough 70 finish IL I've
got 1t at the hotel now. May bring
It to you tomorrow"
She held her breath for an instant:
her mouth Quivered She locked at
him searchingly.
Surely. L.. I live just acress
q the corner. Mr.. Hflliard. The brick
1euse. Can you come earlyt"
"How soon1" He was telling him
esf that his former passions were
efrophied; she was 40 longer able to
lDlufet him. His inspiration was
eemmercial-strictly commercial.
In the morningi At =. elevenr
tn come gladly"
And =. and want to thank you
oew." ahe said in tone which would
nave fallen az blessing upon the ears
q any other man alive, "for speakingI
~ though you loved him. And for
al you did for him. Perhaps yeu
Know already perhaps you can't
NOV but I'm trying to tell you.
Because he was he was one Of
my very dearest friends"
His brain snapped; he bent down
% her.
"You loved him-too?" ne said, un.
controllably.
"Yes." she said. "once-I loved him,
teo!"
Alone in the appointed guest room
s6 the Cullen heme-for Mr.. Cullen
had been as good as his werd, and
sent q car to fetch his visitors be-
longings-Hilliard lighted q cigarette
ian acquired taste, but advisable as
minor deception, since he had been
notorious for his taste in cigars) and
srinned expansively. Leisurely he be-
gan to undress, but before. his shoes
were quite unlaced, he sat back com.
tortably In his chair and meditated.
"All serene so far" he said. "But
when Carol came in ;" He shook
his head vigorously. "Well. it's over
:. anyway. The doctor ;" Hill
hard's face darkened. there's the
man I want to get at! Pious old hypo-
critic! And he didn't think deserved
to be in the family! Sort Of hate to
let him make money out Of this deal,
but it's all in the game. Goals Of fire!
But ten thousands lot from the doc
ter wen say ten thousand"
He closed his eyes dreamily; and
his thoughts reverted from Doctor
Durant to the doctors. daughter.
"Carol-Carol!" he murmured. zone
minute there, thought I'd crack. And
was 'one Of her dearest friends l
was, was I? And she loved ne-once.
Once! Pity it wasn't twice! Pity she
and the doctor didn't say 50 the night
they kicked me out so neatly. Well.
{. business is business After
they've, made their money out Of it.
and found out this man HiAiard's
some little gold-plated whir1wind all
BY himself -. Cad! can't I see their
faces when they get the truth Of itY>
With the cigarette dropping from his
lips, he stood up and swept q clear
space in the table. From his suitcase
he exhumed tablet Of thin transpar-
ent writing paper of kind not sold in
America; it was the paper on which
the letter to Cullen from Richard Nor
gan had been written, and it was sheer
luck that Hilliard had brought the re.
mainder Of the tablet from New York
with him. He tossed a blob Of ink
from his fountain pen and inspected 1t
critically.
'.Too black" he decided, and went to
the bathroom, where he hall. f.emptied
the reservoir Of the pen and reflled It
with water. !.
'"rhat ought to be just abeut right
-. sort Of pale and mysterious and
war-strength."
He seated himself at the table, took
the pen in his left hand and inscribed
circles on the paper; scribbled g.
meaningless sentence and laughed
gently.
: Funny how. some people can be
ambidextrous and take so long to
realize it. If Iihadn't caught bullet
in my arm, and tried to write left
handed in the hospital, I'd give myself
away up here in no time. Writings
too blamed distinctive. But, as It is,
], Left Hand, very large, and plain, is
Henry Hilliard-'' Here he shifted
the pen to the other hand-"And
Right-and, small and cur'icue, is
poor, dead Dicky Morgan-'sne Of her
dearest friends I'm glad I killed that
chap off-he never amounted to hill
Of beans anyway. But this Hilliard
persona live wire, boy, q live wire !"
And with a grin Of sardonic humor,
he wrote on the fiimsy paper, slowly
and little irregularly. as though in
physical discomfort:
"Neuil1y, 7-10-l6.
mo matter what you ever think, no
matter what you have ever thought,
have loved you"
He 4rima cef1 nondorAA flf1i~ent1v