The Washington herald., 1921-09-17
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ing, to meet the Fortune Hunter,
but though he came in to lunch
and talked to her as though moth
ing had happened, he made no
effort to see her alone, and she
was too proud now to make any
advance.
That he looked wretchedly i'll
she could see for herself, but she
hardened her heart II he cared
nothing for her neither would
she care for him. and SO the mis-
erable game went on, and the
shadow between them deepened
and another weary day dragged to
its close.
John Smiths Will
Anne went up to bed early that
night because she felt that she
could bear no more. There had
seemed something unnatural and
terrible about the whole day to her,
and yet in the silence of her own
room she wondered once more II
her own overstrung nerves had not
been more than half responsible for
1t all.
she had said good night to the
Fortune Hunter with cold touch
Of her hand, not daring to raise
her eyes to his. and now she was
longing with all her heart to go
downstairs again and put her arms
round his neck and sob out all her
misery.
Tommy had been sull<y all day,
G.N y ad
half-angry eyes. but for the first
time in her life she was not sorry
for the way in which she had
turned on him.
How dared he spy on John?
Her face burned now as she
thought OF the humiliation she had
suffered when he showed her that
letter. of the jealousy that had been
torturing her ever since.
John had said that he did not
know Irenie! 1t was a lie. 1t must
have been a liei and yet-his eyes
had met hers steadfastly enough
when he said 1t and there had been
no shame in his face.
She went to the window. and,
drawing aside the blind. looked out
into the garden.
II only she had said good hight
to him. II only she had kissed
himi The constraint of that day
seemed to have made an impass-
able gulf between them which
could not be bridged.
She turned out the light and.
drawing the blind up. knelt down
At the open window in the dark
ness
There was still a light in the
~
sound of voices. and presently
Tommy came down the steps from
the French window and limped
away across the lawn.
He was a queer boy-sometimes,
as Anne knew. he spent half the
night wandering round the coun-
tryside, or down at Long End Cot
tage with Fernie. He never did
things in a rational way like other
people. and she wondered IL per-
haps she had been a little hard on
him, II her own unhappiness had
caused her to be unjust.
Then Mr.. Harding came to the
window, and for a moment stood
in the shaft Of yellow light, yawn-
ing and stretching his arms.
We'll. I'm of to bed. I'll leave
you to lock up. John"
Anne strained her ears for the
Fortune Hunters voice, but no re-
ply was audible, and presently all
was silent below.
Dared she go down to him? AS
she knelt there, trembling. in the
darkness. the silence of the night
was broken by the muffled sound
of the piano in the room below, as
II someone was playing with the
soft pedal down; but IL was sum-
Sently loud for Anne to hear the
Ane. and the tears rose to her eyes
1s she recognized 1t and remem-
bered the words to which IL was
set
There are some who keep to the wide road
There are those who wander down the side
read;
with a hedge for shelter in the night,
Well. don't much care for the first lot,
When we meet I pass them by
You may write me iown among the worst
lot.
For a homeless ne'er-do-ven an I!
When you're jog. jog. josgin' along the
white road,
With your luck all upside down.
Wen. you don't much care II you're on
the right road
whea you're bound for Nowhere Town
I'm Just as happy in the bywsys. NY ways,
wheresoever I may be
For there's no friend waiting along the
highways
For a vsgabond IKE me-"
The music stopped suddenly, as
if the player had wearied. and Anne
rose from her knees by the window
and stole out Of her room and across
the dark landing.
She could see the Fortune Hunter
sitting sideways on the piano stool.
the open song on the rack. his hands
hanging dejectedly between his
knees, and lines Of such utter misery
IN his face that she hesitated no
longer; she ran across to him and
fell on her knees beside him.
"John-Johni" She spoke his
name in a little sobbing whisper,
and with a stifed cry his arms
closed around her.
He did not speak. and he made
no attempt to kiss her; he just
held her as if he could never let
her go, his cheek against her soft
hair.
And for a long time neither of
them moved, till presently he rose,
lifting her to her feet.
MY darling-it's late. .... its
nearly H."
His voice was hoarse and uncer-
tain. and Anne looked up swiftly.
Il had to come down. heard you
playing that song-oh, John, some
how II hurts me to hear you play
that. and wanted to say that
I'm sorry-for today. :. land for
all the times I've been-horrid to