The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-12
Fire of Youth
CHAPTER XVIII. (Cont'd).

M ment and confusion. of
d measures and precautions,
Of spy scares, preparations, organi-
zltions-the manner In which q
great, unwarlike, democratic nation
8 lrds its loins for a vast warlike
Undertaking.
The wisdom OF General Wood In
ilaugurating the Plattsburg move
rent was now visible to all and
Anthony was congratulating HIM
self on having received the train
Ing. He talked OF applying for a
commission and Adela with logged
frmness approved Of it-and Sc
cretly wept over 1t. There came
home to her for the first time how
j tile women's wishes counted In
this man-made world.
Adela will always remember that
saturday afternoon, the nineteenth
of May, when together with an in
sLructor and some fellow students
OF both sexes Of the League she
vas returning from a sketching ex-
Iedition in Bronx Park. There
we're some six or seven young peo-
Ile In the group, aside from the in
structor, Robert oliver, a we'll
known landscape painter. Adela.
with a portfolio under her arm, was
walking beside Oliver and they
" ere deep in technical discussion.
Adela was gazing intently ahead
OF her, by way of experimenting on
the principle, to see what atmos-
phere her gaze could summon
forth from the landscape before
ter, when they passed pathway
leading off at right angles and
deeply shaded. BY a bench some
thirty yards away was standing
compact perambulator with a baby
In II and young woman beside It,
A man three-quarters turned away
from the main path was facing and
talking earnestly to the young
woman. One of his hands was en-
gagged by the babbling baby in the
perambulator. With the other he
vas passing over to the girl roll
OF bills. Adela saw that clearly.
The man was Anthony.
By what instinct she knew not,
Hdela had suddenly turned from
the contemplation of the landscape
ahead Of her and with quick, al
n ost uncanny, all-embracing glance
Stamped the picture upon her
b ain. Anthony was evidently on
the point Of going. (He was to
meet her, Adela, in the studio at
four o'clockO Suddenly the young
woman, with a furtive glance, bent
toward Anthony and, almost rever-
e,tly, kissed him on the cheek
and both of them laughed!
A tremor shot through Adelas
b pdy and a sudden weakness over.
II ok her. A wave Of darkness al
ost blotted out all that lay ahead.
Tie unsteady feeling at her knees
ade her stumble.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, and the ex-
c,amatfon was a sob.
Oliver caught her under the arm
tn swift, searching glance.
whats the matter-high heels"
n inquired.
"Yes-no''- stammered a death
j. white Adela piteously, with
.ivering lips. "a pebble or some
ii ing-I almost fell" There was a
lence. A deep sigh escaped her
and she began to talk rapidly and
somewhat incoherently Of divers
ii cory of vision in landscape paint
Ing.
When Anthony entered the door
%, the "Rubens" that afternoon
S elkirk. the Jamaica negro door.
n an, elevator and. telephone man
rolled into one, informed him that
A. had a message for "any callers"
N ISIS Gray was out and would not
b. back that evening.
Mystified and disappointed An.
ii ony returned to his room. There
h 8 mystification was to a consid.
erabIe degree dissolved. A note
fl ON Adela delivered by a messen.
GER awaited him. 1t read:
Il know everything now-about
tie other woman. 1t was cruel and
cOwardly not to tell me and to have
let me"-(but the last five words
ere crossed ouD. "Please never
s0eak to me again or try to COM
nunicate with me. I never want
t. see you or hear from you again.
I have had my lesson. A. G."
A sudden crushing sense like
bow on the chest seemed to strike
al his body at once. A struggling,
II shing sensation Of numbness rose
fr ON his heart to his brain.
"All overt he murmured to HIM
self as with leaden feet he climbed
Il g stairs.
"She has found out about Wilma.
That's the end. Lord, Lord-why
d dn't / tell her first? But how
could tell-how could I? Wonder
how she found out?"
The thought Of Grace Thomas, OF
d meeting with her in the park
Il at day by her own request, In
stead of at her fiat. in order to de
liver to her Joe Shelburn's quar-
tt rly remittance, did not even fol
ole instant enter his head. 1t hao
j opened too often. 1t was a mat
Ter of routine. She had foolishly
X ssed him in gratitude. But ever
Il ut he had forgotten.
Crushed and broken he sat in hi