The Washington herald., 1921-04-24
PFRDTTA By

sharply. She hated hint And then, Win
. sensation OF every atom In her gone
weak. she felt again his inclosinE arms.
There followed . time when Perdits
scarcely knew when II was day and when
Il was night-|the feverish nights brought
no rest and the days psssed in sn ineo-
herent kind i Of waking. She seemed
barely existent, Just waiting-waitins for
what? - :
But life had to be lived. an exterior
presented TO the world. people met and i,
talked to. The people she met, during !.
that nightmarish time when she must
keep up q calm surface. seemed like dim.
ghostly moving shadows Of people. She !
endesvored TO avoid them and went for
long solitary walks Ia Central park. The
park was invested with . peculiar. tran
gull kind Of besuty those November days.
Perdita loved beauty always. but this
serene lovsiihess seemed too much TO-
hearty joined with bitterness helps the
heart to break. >.
The bitterness within her. the blind
craving and restless rowing became -
much . part Of her ~ her hands or eyes;
more SO; II was consuming every Atom Of
her. She could not hnd peace snyvhsre-
She took to writing her sick father.
who had long complained OF. the rareness
of her letters: he. nov, must have been
surprised at these swiftly recurring ex-
pressions of devotion. Gould he, perhaps,
have OWNED that she was striving TO
keep sight Of that sword Of faith he had
years ago, hung over her head?
Then. one day. Perdita received . letter
from Lenmore. 1t was brief. formal.
coIorless kind Of note. He said he had
asked to be transferred. He was tired OF
inactivity. within short time he hoped
to get back to the nring line. He hoped
Perdita was well and getting along with
work.
That was all. Nothing to indicate
whether the coiorIess restraint was only
the way he chose to hnish of an un-
pleasant episode. or whether. perhaps. he
felt some genuine compunction. after alis
The day after she received that letter,
. Dr. Halsey chanced to stop In. The doc
tor. who hadn't seen her for some time.
was shocked at her appearance.
Have you been nl?" he asked
=, Perdita's face looked small and pinch
ed: her mouth compressed more than
ever; only her eyes--her tnguid. seeking,
mesmeric Perdita eyes-iooked larger
and unnaturaliy brilliant.
But her voice WAS calm ss she an
swered: it 90 -,,. -,
,-Perhsps rye lost my mind was -
last week" - .'-.
''pon't talk rubbish. Now. tell me res-
sonabIy-" -.s.
''pidn.t l just say I'd lost nay resson!"
The doctor peered at her through his
round spectacles; then he moved over be-
side her and took her hand-t felt hot
and dry.
.How's your friend, the handsome ma
jor?" he asked suddenly.
Muteiy she shook her head.
Anne" his tone was very gentle as
he spoke the name OF her parents had
called her; I'm old enough to be your
father and / worry over you as though
you were my own daughter. Now tell
me-isnt that man at the bottom Of this
In some wsy!"
And then. feeling the compelling need
for relief confession brings. she nodded
Again she nodded.
DO you love himf"
her head in Animation.
Hes been making love to you!"
Again she nodded.
do you love himr
II don't know. think OF him con-
stantly. but-o. / seem eevitched. doc
tor"
'/ut isn't that the way every girl feels
when she's In love!'
The passive fingers in his clasp began
to move restIessly. but she did not an
swer
You Always were afraid to make the
matrimonial jump" he went on, yet, you
do toward this man. don't you think.
maybe, you'd better make the plunge'-
marry him!"
''Marry7
Yes"
But nothing has been said Of mar
riage."
Nothing said OF msrriasev" he repeat
ed, astonished
'Nothing-except." in . half choked
voice, that Maj Lenmore has told me
he 10 not . marrying man"
o." said the doctor slowly. 'I see.'
There was . little pause. then he went
on:
of course you don't really love him.
You couldn't. e's q cad You've simply
been taken in. temporarily. BY something
strange and different You're romantic.
you know. and love to deceive yourself
and make excuses to justify the thinEs
that pease and excite you. You felt sort
Of proud Of him at arst-s big handsome
thing with ribbons from the war; were
hsttered that he should be attracted "a
you. That's the type OF weakness not
rare in women. But II isn't the ribbons
over Q mans heart that count, my dear;
it's what's underneath them, In his heart
And, on the face of things. the heart oi
this man isn't-well. II isn't pretty
Surely you see thst?"
While the doctor was speaking the siri
had sat naotioniess, only her hot hnEerl
keeping UP their iseing and intertwininl
amongst his own. Now she looked ~
at him with . piteous smile.
Doctor. aren't you old enough and wis,
enough to know that listing faults doe,
In lila fhia1n