Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-24
IOVE WILL NEVER DIE
By JOHN HUNTER
.~.,,,. ,sss. 1v ths Mcclure Ns.ospops, syndsoot,

arms. II am almost too filled with
wonder to be hsppy--wonder that I
should ever have kissed you, wonder
that you should ever have kissed me-"
Audrey smiled. II believe girls have
kissed before: Jim. Why should net
kiss you? love you."
Harkness turned, and, leaning on tho
balustrade, looked down at the prom.
enading crowd. He should tell this
girl what manner Of man he was. The
thought, repeated itself insistently. II
was unfair, q sacrilege, a. theft Of the
worst kind. to take her love, to kiss
her. And vet, when a man Is given A
glimpse of Heaven shall he blind his
eyes deliberately?
For Harkness things had always been
ensy, for he had drifted with the cur
rent Of events as he found them. But
now he was racked with doubt as to
what he should do. His eyes rested
on little, frail woman, quietly dressed,
wandering on the edge Of tho vivid
stream OF humanity which surged be.
low.
can see your aunt" he said to
Audrey. and felt thankful for the he
spite. which must now be given him,
the leisure to consider what he had
done and what he should do.
II will 20 down to her." There was
the slightest note Of disa appointment In
Audrey's voice. "Nill you come?''
Hardness hesitatcd. Il have my
train to catch. will just come along
and say good.by, but I mustn't stop. I"
"All right. Jim-you did mean-all
that, just now?'
"Audrey.-I more than meant It. I
moro than love you. L"
Il am happy" said Audrey sim I.
ply. "Come along into the sunshine. i"
But Harkness felt like one who hod
stumbled over the edge Of the night.
Ten minutes later he found himself
alone on the Upper Terrace wandering
past the open doors Of the great Casino,
with tunult in his heart and a great
accusation in his head. He fingered nt
the entrance to the palace Of chance,
and the cries Of the croupiers came in
n low monotone to his ears.
"Faites yos jeux. messieurs!" "Rien
nc va plus -
The words were like tocsin to his
old self. He began to view the thing
In its true perspective. A star! He
had reached to pluck a star, and the
heavens must be laughing at him. He
could not tell what drove him into the
long, brilliant rooms, with their eager.
strained players and cold. swift
croupiers. He only knew that he
drifted in, us always he had drifted.
And so he played. The time of de
parturc for his train passed unnoticetl
III the click of the ball, and the monot
orous drawl of the bored, white faced
men who presided over the tables. II.
staked carelessly and with varying luck
ana it was not until half an hour be.
fore dinner time. that he rose from hi
seat and made his way to his hotel. HI
inquired from the hall porter. and was
told that he could catch another trair
an hour after dinner, and then b,
sought his room.
He examined his money cursorily
and without any actual interest. H,
had won q little, but such an insignif
cant sum that 1t was not worth con.
sideration. The knowledge seemed t
strike him like a blow.
The hours he had spent in the crowde,
Casino had been wasted; squanderet
moments snatched haphazard from
squandered career. They did not ever
offer him the excitement Of winning OF
the perverse satisfaction of losing. III
. had left the sweet company Of Audrey
had lost the train he had intended t
catch, for nothing. The whole thinl
had been futile, and in It he saw typi.
fled his life. He thought Of his father
controller Of vnst commercial interests
working day after day, employing thou
sands Of people, hard, wealthy beyond
dreams. He could have been even then
helping his father. But instead he
chose to drift. And Audrey
There were shadows in Hnrkncss
pypq hp fhOupht of hpr II Iraa I'm /.