Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-24
|LOYE WILL NEVER DIE
By JOHN HUNTER

be the one woman on whom I shal
look back with reverence. I don't thinl
you understand what you have done to.
day."
dered. Her agony was plain in her face
Hardness fingers dug into che soft.
ness of her shoulders until she wanted
to cry out with the pain Of 1t. Yet sh
uttered no sound, but. stood, lookint
up at him, while he stared down into
her face. She was his for the takins
In that moment, and he knew 1t; We,
the knowledge set her above him, nj
the stars are above the man who kneel.
under the night and prays for tn,
dawn.
His hands fell from her shoulders n,
last, and she swayed. He still stoot
facing her, his arms limp at his sides
and his eyes searching her face.
You have not answered me,' sh,
whispered. "You have not answered
me-"
IT cannot"
That was nll Hardness said. IIt
could not bring himself to a second
denial Of her. One more touch Of her
hand and he knew that the barrier o,
his resolve would be rs sand in the
current Of his desire for her.
Her surrender had stirred him and
astonished him. He had never real.
lied the passion beneath her calm ex
terror.
~ will go. I wish had never come.'
.Audrey's voice was toneless, stony
with dispair. Her hand brushed Hark.
ness coat sleeve timidly. May say
yood-by, Jim?"
r., l. ,koA ,6n nm,
for n moment was about to deny her
Then he called on the last atom of his
strength and bent over her,
Their lips met. His were cold and
hard; hers were soft and hot-like fire.
She went out and the door closed
heavily after her.
Hardness stood alone in the somber
untidy room and told himself his life
was wrecked at last. There could bt
no more for him to bear.
Despite the agony Of it, he felt
strangely restful. There was no trac,
mighty calm. The bitterness had gone
consumed in the fire of the interview
In this moment Of its hardest blow
he felt more tolerant Of his fate thar
ever he had done in his life. A stole.
ism had come over him, and, in dull
vague way, he was already writing
kismet across the page of his hopes
After all, one could do worse things
than drift.
Tinsel
Audrey went straight home to Knock
holt from Harkness' house, and avoided
her mother and aunt on arrival. Sh.
wished to be alone.
She could not think clearly. Hark.
ness had puzzled her. At first she hat
been inclined to think his behavior hat
been due to the prickings Of an awak
ened conscience; that on seeing her
and hearing her say she loved him
rcmorse for his conduct had ovcrwhelmet
him. But she rejected the idea. Sh,
had seen Harkness in the moments wher
he was dealing with person for whom
he did not care, and he had alwny,
been calm and smooth, mocking, suave
The Harkness she had left behind heI
in Arlington Mansions was man stir
red to his depths, utterly shaken, tori
with emotion.
She could not Imagine that he lovet
cause had he done so there was NJ
reason why he should not have tolt
her the truth. And yet She found
herself doubling, and in despair.
That afternoon, In time for tea, Pres
car, and Constance called Audrey dowr
to meet him, The girl prepared her
self as best she could, and when sh,
came downstairs there was little trac,
on her face of the effects of her ordeal
Preslow greeted her effusively, ant
after tea he managed to arrange that
tha,, at, l,I nln l., kn do
They found a seat, the one on which
he had told Constance Brent that ht
loved Audrey.
II came down specially to see you,
Audrey" said Prcslow. because
ever since the day we went to Ling
field have thought of you, and thought
of your kiss"
II kissed you?" Audrey repeated
the words duly. She had not recovered
from the strain of her interview with
Harkness. That she had kissed Pres
low was almost unbelievable.
Eyes, dear" murmured Preslow.
"And you told me l might hope that
one day we should be more than friends.
1t is because Of that I have come down
today"
Audrey studied him. He was 40 de-
bonair as ever, and his keen, clever
face was more than ordinarily good
looking. His eyes shone eagerly.
And then, as she looked at him,
Audrey saw the tinsel which showed
as gold about him, the shallowness Of
his protestations, the egoism of his de-
sires. This man loved-but he loved
himself. 1t came to her with convinc.
ing force. Preslow's self confidence, his
sleek manner, his vanity all confirmed
1t. The mans whole horizon was filled
by himself.
II am sorry, Mr.. Preslow." Aud
rcy spoke very steadily. Il am afraid
l made a mistake"
Preslow's vanity was never more evi-
dent than in that moment. His incre-
duility was almost ludicrous.
"But-you kissed me!'
"That was mistake, too," admitted
Audrey. please don't think l kissed
you because-that l kiss anybody. But
l thought I cared-a little. Now I
know that do not. 1t would be unfair
of me to allow you to 60 on thinking
that l might one day love you, wouldn't
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