The Washington times., 1922-07-02


was with Denham Carson, her
pulses stirring at the knowledge
Of their coming meeting. Ten
minutes later she went swiftly
down the drive. Teresa, from the
morning room, window, watched
her thoughtfully. Then she rose,
went leisurely to her room, and
made an unusually quiet walking
toilette.
With the first touch of Denham
Carson's hands about hers, ner-
vous, tense, painfully hard, with
the first glance into vivid blue
eyes that were literally blazing
with excitement, Lee knew that he
was laboring under an emotion
that had shaken him to the depths.
Lee"
The whisper of her name was
hoarse. He dragged her across the
threshold. and banged to the door.
Still holding her he went on, jerk
lily, breathlessly:
"Lea l had. to see you! Oh,
. girl! 1t may be there's just bare
chance Of finding the truth of-of
Chrissie's murder!-"
He stopped abruptly as Lee
drew a quick breath, recoiling a
little. Some of the Hight faded
out of his face, he released her,
hands and stood back. For mo-
ment he was silent, regarding her
intently. Then he went on more
quietly.
T've never spoken of that to
you. Not directly. Somehow. I've
never dared to. I've dreaded
breaking the magic spell. Only,
. after the way you helped me that
night it seemed to me that-that
you might have found it in your
heart to--to give me the benefit
of the doubt. I'm, innocent, Lee"
"Dontw Lee made half ap-
pealing, peremptory gesture. Her
face was white. al have ha- ly
thought about that, save in con-
nection with the danger Of your
position. have only remembered
that you are YOU"
Her voice caught. With q quick
movement he gripped her shoul-
ders and swung her round to face
him.
"oh, girl! But you believe
me?"
She lifted wide, troubled eyes
to his, searched them deeply, earn
estly, then gave a little tired half
sobbing sigh.
81 think" she said, with a
twisted, rather pitiful little smile,
chat l should believe anything
that you told me-
Carson drew long breath and
let her go. For a little while he
did not speak. Then he went on,
the note of excitement creeping
into his voice again.
"You know the wretched story.
My marriage was a failure from
the beginning. was a quixotic
young fool, or l would never have
allowed myself to be led into it.
There was no question of love!
Chrissie was 1t, never could have
been the sort of woman ] could
love. Afterwards, in the ghastly
days that stretched to years !
met a dream woman to love. Lee,
the ream woman materialized that
night on Ruff's lsland-with the
first touch of your hand, the first
glance into your eyes"
Lee stirred, but she did not
speak. From the bracken without
there came little sound. Each
glanced at the narrow window, but
the sound was not repeated, and
Carson went on.
"That night on Rufr's Island! I
shall never forget it, Lee! All the
starved heart of. me became awake
and ravenous for the love it had
been denied, then! | sat that
night, while you slept and the grey
dawn came thinking-thinking--
thinking. I'd laughed at men who
loved at sight before. | knew
that night that there was nothing
to laugh at. There was fire in
my 5lood-every pulse ached for
you-I don't know how ] let you
gov
Again the bracken whispered
and stirred beneath a passing wind
the branch of a tree racked,
but neither needed now.
The sound came again, fainter,
more distant. Back toward the
upper road, Through the bracken
and the tree trunks a figure