Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-16
CHAPTER XXI

go, strangers l am young;
LILO was vas ,n lust % ~ sporting 20 gamble. but for
1t was worth H., and I'm scoffing now the
reckoning has come;
liko hades when IT'S done"
Feathers relief was so great that at
first he could not speak, and she went
on trcmulously:
Eve been here ever so long, Walking
up and down the road" She cast q
tmid glance behind her. II saw you"
she went on almost whispering. "i,nt
l was afraid. thought-oh, I thought
so many dreadful things He could
see how she was trembling, and he took
her hand into warm clasp. "Oh,
am so glad to be with you,' she said
passionately.
lie drew her into the parlor, closing
the door. Though the evening was
warm fire burned in the old fashioned
open CRATE, its flames throwing fan
tastic shadows on walls and low ceiling.
Feathers put Marie into chair, and
stood beside her
There is nothing to be afraid Of"
he said gently. You are quite safe
with me'-but he looked away from her
as he spoke, and the devil of desire
rose again in his heart, turning his
blood into fire, and forcing his pulse to
racing speed. In that moment he fought
he hardest battle of his life, as he stood
there, her soft fingers clinging to his.
in the intimacy Of the e-iit room,
and with the silent country lying all
around them outside.
He was an ugly man, with hulking,
grotesque body, but there was some
thing of the angel in his eyes when
presently he looked down at the girls
bowed head.
"Marie--will you answer me one
question:"
She nodded, her lips were trembling
too much to speak.
Are you SURGEON you tell me
truthfully, with all your heart and soul,
that you wish to come away with me
tonight-that you know 1t is for your
complete, happiness-that you have not
one single fear or regret?"
She nodded again, not looking at him.
When you left me--last night" he
insisted gently. were you still quite
happy-perfectly happyF"
silence now, then suddenly she
Were you?" she whispered.
He never knew how he forced the
word to his lips. The old longing was
rending his heart, the old tempting
whispers torturing him. Marie hid her
fact In her shaking hands.
Feathers sat down beside her. lie
put an arm round her shrinking figure
as big brother might have done, and
his voice when he spoke was infinitely
gentle.
Last night was dream" he said.
Let us forget it. i alone am to blame.
No, no let me 90 on" as she would
have spoken. ''No matter how much
we might might love you, there are
other things that count even more In
the sum total of appiness-things |
should be powerless to give you, and SO
so we must forget-last night-and
so back-But you know that Marie
without my telling you
She looked up at him then, and sud
denly she broke out wildly:
| 1t isn't that | don't love you-that
didn't mean it when / said | loved
you. Oh, don't think that--don't thinl;
that :"
Feathers rose abruptly. He walked
away from her, and his face was white,
AS Marie went on hopelessly.
II can t explain myself don't
understand myself. ! only know that
I've never been SO happy in all my life
as-as l was last night when--wher
you kissed me--I shall always remem
6er It, alTays-it's too late to hope
that / shall ever be happy with--witll
Chris--even if-if / wanted to; but
but he Is my husband, and So" She
half turned, tlnging despairing arms to :
ward him. ''Oh, help me, please help
me-" she said sobbing.
| Feathers came back to her, knelt
down beside her and took both her hands
In his. The pallOr had not left his
face, but it was wonderful in Its ten
derness and his voice was infinitely gen
tie when he spoke
Chris came to my rooms last night
after after YOU had gone" She
looked up with terrified eyes.
Chris :"
Yes" Feathers drew hard breath
Marie, you know that that
he loves YOU, too!'
Loves me - she laughed hnrshly
"When he married Inc for my money
when he left me alone all those weeks
If it hadn't been for you ~ She
pushed his arm away and rose to hel
feet. "Oh, ! don't want to talk about
him. / never wish to see him any
more"
Feathers stood up, so that his biz
!
'Iie Is coming hcrc--this evening
to take you home he said.
For al instant she stared at him viii
an ashen face then she gave IL LITTLE
stifed scream.
mo, no; | can't! never want t.
see him again! Let me go! Oh! lie
me go! ! thought you loved me, ant
now this is what you have done"
He put her into the chair again. keep
ing her hands firmly in his. He told hcI
ms briefly rs possible Of his conversation
last night with Chris.
at was never the truth that he mar
riGd you for your money he said. II,
said it over and over again, trying t.
drive it home to her. She looked 81
dazed and white, almost Ike sleep
walker who had been roughly aroused
II alone am to blame" he insiSteC
quietly. "But for me Chris would hay,
found out from the first that he loyeC
You Oh, Marie, try to un
derstand, dear-try to understand"
She looked up at him with vague eye
and nodded vacRntly.
She was trying to understand; sh
wanted to understand, but her brail
refused to work.
She kept telling herself that she wa
going lack home, that Chris was com
Ing 10 takn her home. that she was no
going away with Feathers after all
that it had just been Il sweet, imNOSsi
Bile dream. hut it all sounded like 81
much f0olishness. .,.-a.