Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-05

But, granting that all this was true
(Which MiIly did not grant for a mo-
ment), how was she to acquire COM
petence? Did her mother imagine
that II the process Of deciding every
thing for her were continued long
enough she would learn to do without
aid?
Eut the fact that her mother dis
approved SO heartily troubled Milly
She had been used all her life to ac-
cepting her mothers opinions. She
went over and over and round and
round the circumstances in an effort
to reconcile the fact that her parents
were always right and that they were
indubitably wrong.
They did not know Eric. and yet
they passed judgment on him finally
and irrevocably. They pretended to
be deeply concerned about her hap
piness-and yet they did not for q
moment consider permitting her the
thing she desired most.
There was no use trying to make
them see. 1t would take years. She
would lose Eric. She must either
elope with him or lose him. She had
been a fool ever to think of any hap
pier way. ..t--.
Milly began to save every penny OF
her allowance. She wrote down all
the facts about trains from Boston
to Chicago and lost the paper and
wrote them down again anc ended In
knowing them by heart.
Finally she persuaded her father
she ought to go to Boston on shop
ping trip. Il think I'll go. too, ne
said after a moment. I'D like to-"
Milly hesitated. She hated to deceive
her father, but she must. I'd like
awfully to go alone" she said
Her father looked at her sharply
Very WELL" he said.
N6ILLY shopped one afternoon IN
4sl Boston. That night she called
up her mother ON the long-distance
telephone Just to reassure her The
next morning at three minutes after
10 she was safely ensconced aboard
the 1905 for Chicago.
Milly sat looking out of the Win
dow as the train pulled out OF the
yards. She tried to occupy her mino
with details. She would wire her
mother the moment she was married
She would get OFF at Englewood and
taxi to the Blackstone. just in case
anything did happen and they wired
ahead to a detective agency or the
police. But if everything went well
she would be only five minutes late
for the appointment she had MADE
with Eric-so long ago.
In the morning Milly had no appe'
tite for breakfast. What if Eric
shouldn't be there? She hadn
enough money to take her back te
Boston. But could she ever go home
Il Eric failed her? Milly worked her
self up into something like panic
Milly stood in the vestibule the last
tan minutes waiting for the train tc
| stop.
She slipped down the steps, tooF
1 one glance to get her bearings, ana
| restraining the impulse to run. walk
ed rapidly down to the street ieFe
and into a waiting taxicab- In an
other minute she was able to breathe
| Milly looked at her watch. sh'
| wouldn't be more than ten minute!
late or twenty at the most. She hat
kept her promise.
The taxi whirled steadily south
| ward. Milly caught herself sitting OF
the edge of the seat, as IL urging j
| onward. She wondered what the eidei
| Miss Cholmondeley would suggest a:
| the proper words of greeting to Eric
The taxicab had reached Ssth street
| NiIly ceased to wonder and became
| Immediately practical She opened
her vanity case and took out the Ut
| t,e mirror it contained and powdered
her nose and set her hat at Its mos
| fetching angle. The taxi ore" up d
| the entrance of the Blackstone.
The driver got down and opened
the door-and then she saw Eric.
| 'Milly" he cried.
| But Milly did nothing but look a
him. She was dumb. miserable
! Eric.s eyes treasured her. but SUD
| den tear rolled down her cheek
Eric gave the driver an address ant
jumped into the cab. He patted hel
shoulder. He put his arm aroun'
her.
| Eric" Milly cried. Eric"
! Yes, sweetheart" said Eric, softly
"Eric-I-love-you she said. Blu
1 want to g-g-go home"
"There--there," Eric said. Mill.
stared up at him. He was strangei!
unrapturous for Eric. Was he, too
| afraid?
| Speech came in a sudden torrent.
ct DON'T know whether father ant
mother know I'm gone or, not.
Milly said. She plunged into an ac
count of how she had got away. Blu
after a moment she saw that Ell
was not listening. He-.was sittini
! opposite her and smiling. There wa
something shy, something almost diff
! fident-as If he were, afraid of her
Milly looked up at him under the edg'
of her hat.
IT would have supposed" she sail
4 coolly, that you would kiss me"
you know" he said. Il don't quit
dare" =
after I have come all the way from
Boston to meet you?"
! That's just it," said Eric. Il an
afraid you may be wishing Vol
hadn't
| Eric, I love you. 1 do really low
you," she said. But now that 1 hav'
eloped with you want to go home.
There. there, darling said Eric
" you shall" And he kissed her. HI
kissed her twice, hard and seriously
At that moment the taxi chugge,