Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-07

you. he waited Tor her TO speak,
but she did not interrupt him. Good
evening" then. Miss Reilly"
~ \
TN the weeks following Wayne Rey-
nolds met her only twice. Once. at
a skiing contest, where. despite the
bitter weather. 10000 people paid
tribute to the great sport of the Nor
wegians. he saw ahead of him her
sable coat and scarlet tam-o'-shanter.
With little maneuvering, he reached
her side, but she did not notice him.
Her lips parted and her eyes shining,
she was intent upon the contest
Each time. as the jumpers rounded
the curve at the foot of the hill. the
harsh snow drove into their faces
In its eagerness the crowd pressed
nearer until those in the front rank
were fairly onothe path Of the con-
testants.
Idiots" growled Reynolds, and he
braced himself behind the girl to
break the force of the impact.
Turning abrutly. she looked into
| his face. you" she said. Her sur
prise was patent.
Suddenly from 10000 throats came
gasp of terror. The last man across
the jump was in peril. Bent forward
in a binding cloud of snow, he
lunged down the slope over the bar
ricade and into the crowd.
Wayne Reynolds threw himself in
front of the girl and crushed her back
from the track. With averted head
| and arms up, he received the onrush.
In a second the skier lay prone at
his feet. -
For an instant Reynolds felt her
warm breath against his cheek. You
are you hurt?" she whispered.
He shook his head. Not a scratch"
the skier in his>arms. By the time
he had carried his burden to the near
est house and the doctors had taken
charge. Gloria was gone.
Perhaps he deluded himself. but he
cherished the belief that in her voice
was more than startled sympathy.
That moment had betrayed her. She
could never be Indifferent to him.
THE second time was at the end Of
two months exile up on the range.
1t was spring again, the gloomy post
winter of the north. The ice had
broken on the lake. but an east wind
drove 1t back in great dirty sheets
that warped and ground against esch
other in the black water.
On a day in March, Wayne Reynolds
sought out Preston Darlington in his
private office at the Northern Lum-
| bermen's Bank. Rumors Of the Reilly
financial debacle had penetrated even
the little backwoods town where Rey-
nolds had made headquarters. II
Dick Reilly went under. the whole
lakes, country would tremble. Wayne
Reynolds believed that Darlington
would know. And he did.
I'm not in his confidence" Caring
tton explained. Nobody is, unless.
perhaps, It's Gloria. I can only guess"
He shook his head obviously. Whom
| the gods would destroy. you know.
Some one ought to protect him from
his own success, but can't do it
It's hard for a pigmy to shelter n
giant"
Preston Darlington had seen many
a fortune made and lost and remade
in that country, but he knew that the
fortune Of Golden Dick Reilly could
happen Just once. It was with heavy
heart indeed that he confded to
wayne Reynolds the gossip OF the
Rialto.
AS he left the building Reynolds
saw drawn up to the curb the arro-
CANT magnificence of the Reilly limou-
sine. It was the only foreign-built
car in town. and its turquoise blue
shons like a jewel against the gray
white Of the snowdrifts Swathed In
q coat of Siberian sable worth an em-
perors ransom. sat the daughter Of
Golden Dick Reilly.
During the long days back on the
range her face had beguilsd him.
Now he rsaiissd what poor servant
is memory. She was p thousand times
'loyelier than the vision conjured Up