The Washington times., 1922-12-28

or haQ IL always p0on JUDI the
glamor Of romance that had de.
ceivsd her? whichever 1t was,
he knew he could not blame her.
although he would have given his
soul at that moment for one kind
word, one look Of forgiveness.
And In tho silence that follow
ed she broke out again. as II
thought were whipping her with
thongs Of fire:
"Oh. why didn't guess! Why
didn't I guess! 1t seems now
that It, was always there for mo
so many little things! A hun
dred times felt that things
we're not right; and then-be-
cause you seemed to love me-"
He cried out at that:
II did love you! I do love
you! There has never been any
woman in my life but you! Some
day you'n know spoke the
truth In that, at least: Oh, my
dear- He almost broke down.
He sat beside her as she turn
ed away from him. shivertng.
Just say you forgive me. it's
all want. I'll go. and you
shall never see me again II
youn just say you forgive me!
Just say that you don't alto.
gether hate me" he begged.
A WILD HOPE.
She looked up then. and at
last the tears were running down
hen face. and her lips were
quivering like a child's as she
said again with broken-hearted
bitterness:
And met What about me?
What have 7 left In the world?"
He put his arms round her.
drawing her INCREASINGLY to her
feet, till her head rested against
him.
For q moment II seemed as II
she yielded willingly enough; Tor
q moment he thought that she
clung convulsively OHM: then
she pushed him away passion
ately.
"Don't-don't! Oh. can't
bear you to touch me-"
She saw the blood rush to his
face and the veins swell on his
forehead. his chest heaved with
his labored breathing as he broke
out madly:
You can't bear me to touch
you-yet you married that other
man. You believed in him when
he was a bigger rogue than I
could ever be" He was al
most beside himself, and It gave
him a cruel Joy TO see how she
WINGED and shrank beneath his
words.
He swore to you that he was in
nocent. It was not the truth; he
deserved all they gave him. Even
his letters to you were a sham
and a fraud. He never cared for
you-he never wanted to como
home-he lived with another wom-
an for months before ~ He
stopped short, catching his breath
in q sob Of bitterest shame and
misery. a half mad, Anne raised
her hand and struck him across
the face.
She was white to the tips and
shaking from head to foot, but her
voice was cruel as death as she
sobbed out in the extremity Of her
pain:
Coward and liar! I will have
nothing more to do with you"
Anne tried to speak. but her
white lips could frame no words:
she felt as II she were dying as
she saw him cross the room. Then
suddenly he stopped short and
drew back as the door opened from
without and Mr.. Harding and
Geoffry Foster entered.
There was q tragic silence. Mr..
Harding looked from the Fortune
Hunter to Anne, and his lips
moved as II he would have spoken.
but the Fortune Hunter cut him
short.
SEND HIM AWAY.
please como in. both Of you"
His Wild eyes went past the elder
man to where Geoffry Foster stood.
pale and rather apprehensivs.
TIN sorry. but I'm afraid I've
staged the play q little before
scheduled time. It's unfortunate
from your point Of view. know.
but I'm not going TO run away;
I'm quite content - wait till the