, 1924-02-06

HIS eyes looked through MS Surrounu-
lngs to Joan. He saw her In every
pose and in every look in which he
had ever seen her, and, with n very
sick and frightened heart, he saw her.
at the last, pass by him In her fur
coat, throwing him that ~half-contemp-
tuous look and smile. She didn't
know him. Was he changed so great
ly? Or was the change in her so enor-
nous that 1t had d~isassociated her
completely from her old life, from
him? He kept repeating to himself
Holliwell's stern, admonishing speech:
However changed for the worse she
may be when you do find her, Pierre.
you must remember that 1t is your
fault, your sim. You must not judge
her, must not dare to judge her. Judge
yourself. Condemn yourself. 1t is for
her to forgive If she car bring her
self TO do It."
So now Pierre fought down his sus-
plcions and his fears. He had not
recognized Prosper. The man who
had come in out of the white night,
four years age, had worn his cap low
over his eyes, his collar turned up
about his face, and, even at that,
Pierre, in his drunken stupor, had not
been able to see him very clearly.
This Prosper Gael who had stood be-
hind the footllghts, this Prosper Gael
at whom joan, for some unknown
cause, had sprung like a woman mad
dened by injury, was a person entirely
cfranuQ fn HDfarrn n,,f DfnrrA hataI
him. The man had lone Joan some
lnsufferable mischief. which at the last
had driven her beside herself. Pierre
put up a hand, pressing 1t against his
eyes. He wanted to shut out the
picture of that struggling girl with her
torn dress and the double scar across
her shoulder. If 1t hadn't peer for the
scar he would never have known her.
his Joan, his gentle, silent Joan!
What had they beer doing to her to
change her so? No, not they. He.
He had changed her. He had branded
her and driven her out. 1t was his
fault. He must try to find her again.,
to find the old Joan-if she should
live. The doctor had said that she
was desperately III. o God! What
was keeping him SC long? Why didn't
he.eome? 80 ra--yrs--s
The arrival of the trained. nurse
distracted Pierre for a few moments
She went past him In her gray cloak,
very quiet and earnest, and the eIe
vator lifted her out Of sight.
Were you in the theater tonight?e
asked the girl at the desk, seeing that
he was temporarily aware OF heI
again.
Yes, ma'am."
She was puzzled by his appearance
and the fashion Of his speech. He mus,
be n gentleman, she thought. for his
bearing was gentle and assured md
unself-conscious. but he wore his
clothes differently and spoke differ
emily from other gentlemen.
ei That "Yes, mu'am.' especially dis.
turbed her. Then she remembered a
novel she had read and her mInd
jumped to a conclusion. She leaned
forward. .
"Say. nren't o from the west?"
"Yes. ma'am."
"You weren't ever a cowboy. were
your
Pierre smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I was
raised in a cow-camp. l was a COWBOY
till about seven years ago when / tool
to ranchin'."
"Where was that?"
"Out In Wyoming"
sand you've come straight from
there to New York 2" She pronounce
1t moo Yoik."
"No. ma'am. I've been in Alasky for
two years now. I've beer In a lumber.
camp" -e r.4---
"Geel That's real interesting. And
you knew Miss West before she came
East, them"
"Yes, ma'am." But there was a sub
tie change in Pierre's patient voice
and clear. unhappy eyes, so that the
girl fell to humming and bottled ur
her curiosity. But just ms soon MS he
began TO brood ngnln she gave up her
whole mind to staring at him. Gee
He was brown and strong and thin
And n g~oodlookerl She wished that
she had worn her transformation TINT
evening and her blue blouse. He
might have taken more interest In her
A stout. bnld-headed man. bag In
hand. stepped out OF the elevator, and
Pierre rippled 10 his feet. l
"Are you the doctorg" I.IllrH
Yes. oh. you're the gentleman who
wanted to see Miss West. she's come
to. but she Is out OF her head com.
pletely . . . doesn't know anyone
Can you step ~ with mer' ..
CTo BE coNTINUED) .ar
Mako "chamois" Of sheepskln.