The Washington times., 1922-10-15

against her eyes. Wincing, quiver-
ing, she strove anew to gather all
the force of her strength and
courage; strength to remain cold
to him, courage to resist him
the pleading Of his voice, the hot,
fierce passion of his eyes.
A passion Of pain surged over
her-pain born Of longing, Of Q
tenderness which she dared not
betray. And, suddenly, as she
stood there, she knew that he was
close beside her. She felt his
hand touch the sleeve Of her
gown, lightly, reverently, and her
breath caught sharply in her
throat.
"Was l wrong?" His voice was
tn merest whisper, yet vibrant
with the old tenderness. "Oh,
sweetheart, sweetheartl Was I
wrong ?'a~. ~ 49,. =. >
She did not answer. Her heart
was throbbihg, thickly, suffocat-
ingly. A piteous desire to let
everything else go for nothing
right, honor, her promise to an
other man-and give herself, un-
resisting, weary, to the shelter of
Dams arms was upon her.
She fought it determinedly,
desperately, and presently she an
swered. But she kept her hand
across her eyes, and her mouth
was quivering uncontrollably.
"This is neither the time nor the
vnloaA Co. o,,ah AsaaV1a0sA,. Va,
must 60, Dan; 60 at once-now."
She faltered to q stop as he
broke into a soft laugh. His hand
was still upon her sleeve, his head
bent low to hers.
"Do you think thst time or
place matters to met" he cried.
''Do you think that / care for any
thing or anybody save my desire
to hear the truth from your own
lips? Fancy, answer me. Was /
wrong? Was my faith in your
love, your need of me, misplaced?
Did you, after all, learn TO forget?
I've got to know, Fancy; mean
to know"
The girl let her hands fall and
looked up at him with wide, dark,
dreary eyes.
what does it matter" she de-
manded, "ndw? Whatever my an
swer is, 1t can make no difference.
Nothing can make any difference"
She spoke wearily, almost with
out expression, and the mans
hand closed uneonsciously upon
her silken sleeve.
"My GodT he whispered tense
ly. "You don't mean that you are
going through with this thing
that you are going. TO put me aside,
out of your life, deliberately, as
though had never meant any
thing to you at all?"
With a sudden movement she
freed her arm and walked away
from him. Without turning round
she told him briefly what little
there was to tell--.he unexpected
part Billy Fanshawe had played
in her life and Bonny's at
critical moment, her devil-may-
care challenge afterward. And
when she had finished she let her
arms drop to her side and turned
to face him.
"That is my answer" she said
levelly. 'Now that you know all
there is to know, now that you un-
derstand, you will realize that
there is nothing for me but to
keep my promise, and marry the
man who won me as fairly and as
surely as / should have won the
money loaned me---had Fate been
on my side. Oh, Dan, you must"
There was sudden desperate APP
peal in the cry; but Dan needed
Il not at all. His face was very
white, his lips hard set, his eyes
ablaze. For q moment he stood
staring at her from Leneath bent
black brows. Then he went to-
ward her again, but at something
she saw in his face she backed
away from him until she was
brought up short against the Oaken
bed rail. ....
And then, strong, terce, power