The Washington times., 1921-02-17

but as he spoke / could feel II tens
ing for q moment before IL went
on again with its soothing strok-
ing.
THAT can't write to you !
gasped I'm going TO be cut off
from you enurelyr oh. jim Not
To know where you're going 10 ter
rible enouEh-and not TO know how
long you'll be gone-but now you
tell me i must not write. Why.
you'll be out of my life entirely
lost to me. Must I bear thatY"
Jim reached around and pulled me
up to face him. He held me close
to his heart before he spoke In a
voice OF tenderness that 1 shall
never forget
but I'll write to you. dear. TIL
send you word whenever 1 can As
often as possible. ats I who must
bear the silence II IL / who must
long for your letters and not get
them I'll know you're here. though
Lilac PrinceA I'll hear your voice
through the silence I'll be able TO
go through with II because I'll
know that you arc hero-and walt
ing"
When the train which bore Jim away
from me became q mere speck on the
narrowing track. I turned blindiy and
hurried out of the cold station. Out
to the street I went and instinc-
lively made for a taIicab standing
vacant at the curb. The driver
rushed up from a group with which
he was loafing and chatting and
flung open the door, asking obseQui-
ously:
where tor"
ooh, don't want a cab. Tn
sorry. I'm not going-to ride"
stammered. backing away In
shamed realization that / could no
longer AFFORD taxicabs.
As I hurried through the incon-
spicuous side street. ] caught
glimpse of Tom Mason, coming out
of a quiet little restaurant. There
was a girl with him, but before
could determine who she was, they
got into a car and drove away. For
a minute ] found myself wondering
whether the girl was Irma Warren
or perhaps Daisy Condor. Then l
realized that II might perfectly well
be some girl I didn't know.
So / dismissed the incident from
my mind. 1t seemed strangely I'M
important
IN A QUANDARY.
Tho very minute / opened the
apartment door i heard murmur
of voices. Bertha's, Hedwig's and
unmistakably. though greatly to
my surprise, Jeanie's, too.
frowned irritably. Whatever was
/ going to do now? Jeanie's pres
ence upset all my plans. for how
could / talk with Bertha about
Lyons unless we were alone?
Jeanne knew nothing OF Lyons
story-not even that he was Ber-
tha's husband. Lyons hadn't tele-
phoned in the morning as Bertha
had promised to have him do, and
IL Bertha had some message from
him to me. didn't see how I was
going to get II now. After a mo-
ment of hesitation, I flung back
my head, determined to trust
something to the inspiration of the
moment. So / marched to the liv-
ing room, where I found Jeanne,
with sleeves rolled up and cap
swathing her head. working away
as IL this were an old-fashioned
spring housekeeping.
Bertha was washing down paint
while Hedwig was beating a cush-
ion out of the window. For a
minute I was furious at what
seemed the reflection on my house
keeping. Then 1 found myself
struggling between curiosity and
amusement.
Hello, Mrs. Dalton! What's tho
big idea?" l demanded in the most
cheerful tone / could contrive.
Virginia looked UP beaming with
exercise and good will.
We've packed everything but
your most personal belongings"
said she. "And we've put the apart
ment in apple pie order to close
and to open again on a moments
notice"
Then, in response to my look OF
startled amazement, she went on
laughingly:
Didn't you know you were go
ing home with me, young LADY,"
Yes ] said DULY, adding pro-
testingly. but not for keeps!"
.Of course not for keeps! Only
till Jim gets back. Can you girls
finish without me?" asked Virginia,
flashing a smile at the maids that
would have procured service from
swathed mummy. "All right,
then, Anne. I'll help you with the
rest of your packing and then we'll
be all ready when Pat stops by for