The spectator., 1921-08-30
PART Il--Continued.


 very close as though her face had been pressed to the glass In an effort to make him out. At the corner of the Avenue and East Ninth street"
 Ten minutes later he drew up his cab at the appointed spot and reached back to throw open the door, but kept his foot on the clutch release. leaving the gears in mesh, first speed ahead.
 All his precautions were in va-a. AS he opened the cab door his coat sleeve was seized in q very determined grip and drawn inward. catching his elbow in a iiu-jutsu leverage that left him the IIobson's choice of either get ting out and facing his captor or lis tening to his arm break. He chose to get down from his seat quickly.
 Well Bobby" murmured Miss Van T.
 Mir. Randolph attempted no evasion; he handed the lady to the curb and guided her gently toward her o-yn door and up the high steps. "Madge," he said, you fought a great fight to. night and when you had won you felt sorry for Fremont and surrendered. You were swept too high on the wave of the best that, is in you, Promise me that you won't forget that you have won. Promise me that you will wait and take Fremont. all of him, with honor"
 What do you mean? What did you hearT" cried Miss Van T. angrily, her pale face suddenly flushing.
 "From the start of the ride to the finish I heard every word," declared Mir. Randolph frankly, and more" pressed girl. "What do you mean by more?" She still tried to browbeat him. but remembering one incredibly long kiss, her eyes fell in the unequal battle with Bobby's and attempted to create diversion by staring at his gai- tered legs and heavily booted feet.
 Look up. Madge. Look at me-" said Mr. Randolph and waited patient ly until first her long flashes fiuttered and then her lovely eyes swept slowly up to his face. That's it." he con tinued as their looks met and locked. Lets hold that so we can't lie"
 "Why should l lie if you really heard everything?" asked Miss Van T., and suddenly smiled.
 "Madge. you little devil" said Mir. Randolph. suppressing an impulse to shake her, "can you think of what you've been doing and laugh?'
 "Yes. l can. just now" said Miss Van T., in little easping phrases that to q man, especially one of MT. Ran- dolph's limpid nature. carried only their face value in words. but which to any woman would have read as plainly as the redweather signal, Look out for showers of tears fol- lowed by storm"
 "Well," said Mir. Randolph solemnly. If you really don't realize just where you have been let me tell you. First you flew high Into clean air and you took Fremont with you. You were possessed of vision and you made him see 1t. too, a mirage of those lifted places that are the altar of the mind before love. Just a mirage, an illusion of perfect happiness, which cold reason tells us we can't ever turn into reinforced concrete and plant in the yard. but which we must either forever hold as a vision or admit that love Is a sordiG and wingless thing
 Miss Van Telier's eyes fell from his frank gaze. Something seemed to crumple within her; she put her arms around Mir. Randolph's neck. clung to him, dropped her face against his shoulder and sobbed. not noisily, but as one who weeps to rest.
 He held her close to him and went on. his face set as though to duty. ''Then what did you do? Because he hesitated, merely hesitated at the high door of adoration, you promptly slammed 1t and dropped plumb straight down like that traitov arch angel Johnny out of heaven into the arms of he'll"
 "Bobby!" cried Miss Van T., throw ing back her head and struggling to release herself. How dare you say thing like that? How dare you be here. anyway I hate you. don't know how l ever could have thought loved you. l fell. but II was into Teachers arms and wish ! was there right now" More sobs, convulsive ones, that shook the slim body in Mir. Randolph's embrace from twitching shoulder to tired feet.
 Lest the reader be startled by what's coming next 1t will do well to remind him that this poignant scene was staged at three o'clock in the morning on the high stoop of the Van Tellier residence in East Ninth street and never left the perimeter of the door mat which in itself presented an al- most feminine contradiction. in that it bore, done in red on Its face the word "Welcome," but was neverthe- less padlocked and chained to the iron