The Washington times., 1922-10-15

waited 70 bntl0nhoI6 the doctor.
It's that which hIndeted me. He
(. SAYS you'll sleep al right when
you're taken this powder.
Hs dropped Il into her lap, but
she scarcely glanced q T. Her
face was white again nhe Wne
leaning ! little forward, and her
hands were cIonchod.
sIhe doctorEl sbe repeated.
Haa he,-hi6 he \, 4 ~,
She did not iinish, but EanbhaWe
saemed 70 understand. He nod
asa, watching the flame Ok the
match he had lighted.
Knowles died ~ syncOpe,s he
said quietly. Evidently he's
played the deuce with his consti-
tuition for years drink and drugs
and rotten living. To-night's ex-
citement put the hnishing touch.
4 It's al very simple. 4
Fancy gasped, his biz handker-
D chief against her unsteady lips.
He met her glance leveIly.
tDr. Binn6 ii an aWfuliy decent
old fellow. We had quite I long
lIIAMs anu NAAoLo u0tNAuE ~ III
FOR you 70 worry about. You've
just got 10 forget all about TO-
night, and not waste any pity on
Knowles. He didn't deserve Il.
In some Of the parts I've been
he'd have been strung up long
ago-even m these overcivili1ed
days. And Ia al probability he's
gone easier than ho would have
done II he'd lived much longer.
Dr. Binns viii olve I certificate,
of course; - theten Be no need
for any inquiry"
For the second time that even
ing Fancy was conscious Of re-
lief that was almost overpower-
ing. Still with Billy's handker-
chief pressed against her mouth
zhe leaned back IN her chair and
closed her eyes. Big tears gather
ed under her lids, and rolled slow
" down her white cheeks
The swapping Of the tension
which had held her up 70 now ua-
nerved her even more than the
: events Of the last strained hour
and more had done. Again she
found her self-control deserting
her. And she felt that she was
no longer capable of making even
q feeble effort 70 regain Il. Her
strength seemed utterly To have
left her. At aword she would have
sbroken down and cried like child.
But Billy FanGhaMe was wise
enough to speak no word at al.
Instead he sat himself comfort
ably down on the arm Of her chair,
lighted his cigarette and pulled af
Il quietly until she had ceased 70
breathe In short, uneven Rasps,
and was sitting up again, hurried
" moppipg her eyes.
aYod must think me an unut-
terable fool, she began, In fierce.
self-anger. Fanshawe shook his
head.
Z think 2 he said quietly, ..thst
you're amazingly plucly.n He
looked at her sideYays, and there
! vas brief something IN his honest
eyes that made her stir and fiush.
Yet the word Of praise was oddly
comforting, and she forced herself
70 smile. Then she rose.
Il think IN be going 10 my
room,n she said, ssebpecially II
this''-she touched the little en-
vel0pe s'wiIl really make me
sleep. And you are really sure
there won't be any great fussfn
Her eyes sought his aiixiously. He
met them with steady reassurance.
There win le no fess It an"
he returned quietly. II shall zee
to that, now that ! know the cir
cumstances. I assure you there y
no need to dread any unpleasant
ness or distress Whatsoever.
q Fancy checked . laugh. But
the line Of her lips was o little
bitter, her eyes h-rd. Her relief
was unreasonable; nevertheless
she shrank from the thought Of
new day--of the future u was
future that had, al Of sudden,
become very uncertain.
She stood hesitating, biting her
lip, looking ct him from under
haif-lowered lashes, and now the
color was coming and going q little
fitfuIly IN her cheeka Billy,
sauntering across TO the door, went
on speaking without appearing TO
notice her sudden confusion.
hBy the way he said, II took
the liberty Of altering our plans
for tomorrow somewhat without
consulting you thouglt you
would rather not be bothered.s =
Fancy drew IN her breath quick
ly. Then, unconSciously, she
straiehtened her little figure be-
meath the heavy folds Of fur, and
her head lifted. Her eyes met his
n steady, rather hard question.
Again the sickening uncertainty
Of an altered future swept upon
her. but she did not show rs Some
thing Of the old, Indifferent calm
was back ii her face once more.
'tOf course, the idea Of an
elaborate wedding under such cir
cumstances b. naturally, out .of
the question. AZ the same time,
/ can see no object Ia postponing