The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-07

fingers. 7 am glad you have come
no said. Anyway. was going
over to see you today"
She followed him into the dining
room and closed the door.
Once again she was conscious Of
the horrible feeling that this man
was q stranger TO her: that she had
mover seen him before: almost she
was afraid of him.
Rorie stood looking down into the
fire She 6oticed how tired and III
he icoked--that he had not shaved.
Afterwards she wondered at herSeif
for noticing such details when no
much was at stake.
IL was shs who spoke first
'"r had to come and see you: n I
hadn't should have gone mad.
This Porning . mana man who
called himself sherneA came TO see
me. lit was blAckmail. Rorie-"
Her voice shook. but Rorie did not
even look up. "Ifs told me that he
had had 700 pounds from yoa-hs
wanted tho same from mc-too--to
hold his tongue about some scandal
--scsndsi--to DO with you. He
nearly drove me mad with jealousy.
and gave Il 10 him Then he
told me- She gave q sob: the tears
rushed from her eyes. He said
you were married. Roris--shas you
had married . ward Of his. Just =
circus giri--a common circus girl
she flung her hands to him with
desperate appeal
oh. II isn't true. 10 iss Ten me
II isn't true' thought Il would
have broken my heart. I nsver know
I'll then how much loved you.
Roris. even tho she IL dead--snd he
says she u dsad--nothing win ever
be the same again. II II 10 true that
you married her. that you once b.
ionged 10 her. Why don't you an
swcr me. Rorie7 why don't you
look At mo. Why don't you tell me
Il isn't trucr"
She went closer 20 him ghs PUT
her hands on his shoulder: she
leaned her cheek akainst his sleeve.
But Roris turned away. letting his
head fall forward onto his arms ~
they rested on the manteisheif. He
answered her In . mufflsd voice.
broksniy.
But Il u true. Lfiian---thas 10
what was roing TO tell you--it Il
truel ! did marry her. Everything
he told you 10 true: everything ex.
cept that For tho life of him ne
could not 90 on. He Understood
now that Lillian really loved him.
and all his manhood shrank from
dealing the blow which he knew
must fall sooner or later.
She raised her cheek from resting
against him: her eyes dilatsd with
fear.
"Excspt--except--whnt RorfsY-
And then he answered her with Q
rush:
Except that she's dsadi she isn't
dead. Lillian. only knew Il mysslf
this morning. She isn't dead"
And then . lifetime seemed to pass
while he stood there with his arms
on tho mantclshelf. head down.bs
waiting for her to speak. The si.
lencs Of the room was unbroksn
save for tho CHEEKY cracking Of the
fire and the monotonous textbook Of
the old clock on the shelf. He found
himself counting the beats mechan.
ieally: "Tick-tock--one, two. three
four Surely she would speak nowf
Five. six. seven. eight
Tho silence was unbearabis, Roris
lifted his head with Q sort Of des-
peration. He could see her face In
the long glass above the mantei.
shclf-whits. horribly. horribly
white. with staring eyes.
Hcr slim hands hung Iimply
against the soft folds of her black
frock--fhe black she wore for Bart.
lett ouerne; she looked like n mar.
BILE fisure. iifeiess save for the fra
In her beautiful yes.
'Horfe'--she spoke his mama
hoarsely. moistening her pale lips
1T isn't true: you're making fun NJ
me. Say It isn't true"
1T Is true" said young Briton.
desperately.
FOR her sake hs would have Riven
great deal to have been able "a
say whit she wished: II cut him 10
the very heart to SEQ the look 81
shock and horror in the face tba,
had once TO him been tho most
beautiful on earth. 1T il true. n.
said again. gently.
Lillian. I don't know what IN .av
to you. II seems 80 impossible 10 ey.
plain l married her in desperation
You had thrown mo over. ana 7
hadn't a penny in the world. Their.
wasn't soul who cared n hang
what became of me. and she ala
She was kind-she seemed TO nut
fresh pluck into mc--and I married
her. She was only a circus girl as
you say. but she was far too good
for me. We were going abroad--to
Australia. Then the other win was
FUND. and--oh. can't tell you ali
u p wretched story--she fell from
the trapeze, and they told me she
was dead was ashamed OF her;
everything seemed altered when